Simulation tech space to boost range of sectors

A makerspace in Qingdao, in East China's Shandong province, has focused on the application of simulation technology and launched more than 60 projects to promote use of the technology.

The Aerospace Science and Industrial Makerspace, the first of its kind in Shandong, was set up by Aston Corporate and China Aerospace System Simulation Technology Co (Beijing) in September 2015.

Simulation technology can be used to predict both the length of service life and maintenance periods of equipment, said Zhao Zhongyuan, head of the makerspace, adding that a large amount of work, including data collection, modeling experiments and experimental analysis, needs to be done before the best solution is found.

The technology has been used to develop equipment for a wide range of applications, including space exploration, automobile servicing and the training of police officers, Zhao said, citing the makerspace's X-ray scanner for automobiles as an example.

When the scanner is swept over the surface of a vehicle, a video image is instantly produced, showing the internal structure of the scanned part, which helps auto repair mechanics to locate faulty parts much more quickly, Zhao said.

The scroll-shaped torch used for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was adorned with the Xiangyun, or "lucky cloud" design that symbolizes harmony, also utilized the technology, according to Zhao.

The torch was designed to stay alight in all conditions, including extreme cold, heat and gales, and the designers spent a year testing it under a range of simulated scenarios using the technology, Zhao said. He added that the technology was also used in the development of the Tiangong-I space lab, China's first unmanned space module.

The makerspace's products are mainly used for special-purpose vehicles, war game simulations, laboratory construction and 3-D virtual scene platforms, Zhao said. Although most of its products are designed for military use, it has also seen rapid growth in demand for its products from the civilian sector, he added.

The makerspace has also built a disaster simulation platform for the State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company. The platform simulates the effects of such natural disasters as typhoons, fires, landslides and earthquakes to give users a better understanding of these potentially catastrophic events and help them to improve their disaster response plans.

A total of 57 makers have joined the space and applied for intellectual property rights, and Zhao hopes the number will increase, along with public understanding of the technology and the important role it can play.

"We hope that, through our efforts, more people will gain a better understanding of the technology, and more experts will come to the space to help us to promote the development of the industry," he said.

The makerspace will provide a series of services, including applications for intellectual property rights, training of innovation capability, online platform-building and financial support to entrepreneurs who want to start their own business in the industry, Zhao said.

dongjidong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/07/2017 page11)