## 4 Conclusions  
In summary, the proposed methodological approach, centred on numerical simulations, offers engineers a powerful set of resources for the optimal design of material handling equipment. By implementing parametric numerical analysis, we systematically explore critical parameters and their interdependencies, providing a comprehensive understanding of the screw conveyor system's behaviour:  
* Our research study focused on calibrating the abrasive powder material model to ensure an accurate representation of material behaviour. We successfully approximated  
Figure 16: Deformation Field Analysis with Parametric Surface Plot of Deformation in Relation to Clearance and Angular Velocity: with Fixed Values from Response Optimization. Figure 15: Stress Field Analysis with Parametric Surface Plot of Stress in Relation to Clearance and Angular Velocity: with Fixed Values from Response Optimization. and calibrated the abrasive powder material within DEM simulations. This calibration process was crucial for achieving verified material flow, laying a solid foundation for reliable and realistic simulations. * During the research, we build an advanced numerical model that integrates parametric modelled geometry, DEM, FEM, DOE and response surface optimization to simulate the complex environment of the screw conveyor. The automated parametric numerical model facilitates the exploration of various operating conditions and design parameters, offering valuable insights into the performance of the screw conveyor, wear depth, and structural adequacy of the screw blade. * Clearance has emerged as an important parameter in the optimization process. The mass flow rate demonstrates an increase as the clearance widens, this contributes to the expanded area between the screw blade and the housing. This feature results in a higher mass flow rate. Additionally, as expected, clearance was found to have the most significant influence on power consumption, wear depth, stress, and deformations. Moreover, because of the complexity of the employed material coarse-graining methodology, particle shape and size underwent approximation and adjustment during the calibration process. Consequently, \"particle entrapment\" between the screw blade and the housing may also occur. Further studies incorporating real particle shape and size are of major importance in order to fully address the clearance effect. It's crucial to acknowledge that neglecting this aspect may lead to potentially misleading results. * During the simulations, the stresses on the screw blade were identified to be minor, therefore we have excluded them from further consideration in the optimization phase, which exclusively prioritized wear depth and mass flow. * Through the utilization of the Design of Experiments, we systematically investigated critical parameters such as screw pitch, clearance, wear depth, rotational velocity, and additional structural factors. We demonstrated how this systematic investigation allows us to not only analyze the individual effects of each parameter but also to consider their interdependencies. The optimization process was a success in focusing on mass flow and reducing wear depth. After carefully studying and applying small adjustments, we achieved our goals. We found an optimal set of factors that would give us a good balance between the mass flow and wear depth. In future studies focusing on screw conveyors where stresses and deformations are higher, it would be beneficial, to include structural parameters in the optimization process (shaft thickness etc.). Furthermore, through this study, we have acknowledged the necessity of addressing the factors in handling smaller particles and considering the impact of realistic particle shapes. While the present research provides valuable insights for the design of new devices, future studies should prioritize exploring these specific areas to present a more comprehensive analysis.