Residual Stress Modelling of Linear Friction Welded Components

Duration of award: 3 years
Eligibility: UK and EU
Supervisors: Dr. Paul Colegrove and Adrian Addison
Ref: CRAN10002

Sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace, this studentship will provide a bursary of up to £17,000 (tax free) plus fees* for three years.

Cranfield University, in collaboration with Honeywell Aerospace, a leading developer of aerospace technologies and services, have an exciting research opportunity for a motivated graduate in the area of linear friction welding.

The linear friction welding process is rapidly developing into an important manufacturing technology for high quality joining of engineering materials. The process works by rubbing the two parts to be joined together, at high frequency, which plasticises the material and creates a high quality joint. It is an excellent process for joining titanium and the parts produced by the process have excellent mechanical properties. The process is finding increasing use in additive manufacture applications, particularly in the aerospace industry.

Due to the thermal cycle induced by the process, residual stress of welded components can be an issue which can negatively affect part performance. Therefore this PhD will use a finite element model developed in ABAQUS to predict how the residual stresses are generated. This model will be used to determine the impact of different process conditions and geometry, and to develop methods for mitigating the residual stress.

To this end, the PhD will involve the following tasks:
• Generation of mesh from 3D CAD models.
• Developing models that predict the residual stresses and comparison with experimental measurements.
• A sensitivity study to determine the effect of process parameters and geometry on the residual stresses.
• Determining the effectiveness of heat treatments for reducing residual stresses.

The students will be based at the Cranfield University's Welding Engineering and Laser Processing Centre, which has an international reputation for welding research and a wide range of state-of-the-art welding equipment.

Entry requirements
Applicants should have a first or second class UK honours degree or equivalent in a related discipline, such as engineering, materials, physics or mathematics. The ideal candidate should have some understanding in the area of simulation and numerical modelling. The candidate should be self-motivated, have good communication skills for regular interaction with the client and an interest in industrial research.

How to apply:
For further information please contact: Dr. Paul Colegrove, E: [Email Address Removed].
If you are eligible to apply for this research studentship, please complete the online application form
School of Applied Sciences
T: 44 (0)1234 758008
E: [Email Address Removed]