The Manufacturing Technology Engineering Doctoral Centre (MTEDC) is running an intensive four-year research programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in advanced manufacturing engineering. It will prepare manufacturing experts for the future and enhance the competitiveness of UK industry by rapidly transforming the latest manufacturing research results into industrial technologies.
We are seeking applicants for an October 2013 start (or as soon as possible) on a project with The Manufacturing Technology Centre (http://www.the-mtc.org) (MTC) and the University of Birmingham titled âEnhanced Manufacturability of High Integrity Components through Advanced Rotary Friction Weldingâ.
Students are limited to UK (âHome fee statusâ) citizens and EU Nationals that have been normally resident in the UK for three years prior to the start of the EngD (due to funding restrictions)
- Annual stipend of c£20,000 (tax free)
- Fees paid
Applications are invited from graduates with a first class, or upper second-class degree in an appropriate discipline such as, materials science and engineering, physics or mechanical engineering for an EngD project on the development of Enhanced Manufacturability of High Integrity Components through Advanced Rotary Friction Welding.
The MTC possesses state-of-the-art tri-mode rotary friction welding (RFW) capability which has unprecedented levels of functionality and can operate in direct-drive, inertia and hybrid welding modes. These machines enable precise weld cycle programming and management through a variety of advanced software and hardware control techniques. The advanced functionality allows the user to target a desired weld upset, giving the ability to actively manage overall part length, orientation and weld quality.
This new capability offers a unique opportunity for a step change in product dimensional accuracy and consistency while maintaining the benefits of rotary friction welding as a proven, reliable solid-state welding process.
MTC proposes a unique and exciting EngD opportunity to develop a world leading insight of the novel RFW capability and exploitation of this technology for the benefit of MTC, its Industrial Members and Research Partners.
The âEnhanced Manufacturability of High Integrity Components through Advanced Rotary Friction Weldingâ EngD will be primarily associated with the development and understanding of the novel RFW technologies
available at MTC, in the following areas:
- Hybrid RFW
- Weld Pressure Modulation
- Torque Modulation
- Dynamic Profile Control, and
- Weld Orientation control.
The work will combine the use of advanced metallurgical characterisation techniques (e.g. electron microscopy, mechanical testing, and neutron/Synchrotron X-ray diffraction) for structural integrity assessment, with mathematical modelling to understand the influence of the process parameters on the resulting welds.
The EngD student will work as part of a wider project team with a number of technology themes at MTC. The High Integrity Fabrication (HIF) theme at MTC will sponsor the project which will be co-supervised by the University of Birmingham.
For further information please click ‘Apply’ below, or contact the Centre Manager requesting an information and application pack: David Shipley, Manufacturing Technology Engineering Doctorate Centre. Telephone 0115 9513836 or e-mail david.shipley@nottingham.ac.uk
For informal technical queries, please contact Dr. Moataz M. Attallah via M.M.Attallah@bham.ac.uk
Please quote ref. ENG/703.
This studentship is open until filled.