Prof M Atherton
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
About the Project
Applications are invited for a full time doctoral studentship in the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences on a research project in Digital Twin Technology in Train Servicing funded jointly by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend of £17,009 plus payment of their full time home PhD tuition fees for a period of 36 months. The start date is 1st October 2019 or soon thereafter. Only those eligible for home tuition fees can apply.
Here, a Digital Twin (DT) refers to a comprehensive physical and functional description of a cyber-physical system combined with operational data. This DT supports all stages of the system lifecycle and in particular operation of the system in order for example to identify operation anomalies or failure modes, and to feedback service data into improving the design phase.
You will join a team that have developed an experimental robotic system for train fluid servicing in collaboration with the rail industry. The system is controlled by a Schneider Electric Programmable Logic Controller running SoMove software. The focus of this doctoral research will be to develop a digital twin of a novel compliant robot end effector (the research focus of an existing doctoral student) and make a research contribution that improves the reliability and availability of the end effector function. You will initially (first 6-9 months):
• Review relevant aspects of virtual prototypes, model-based system engineering and the Internet of Things.
• Develop DT technology for representing a compliant end effector for train servicing.
Informal enquiries should be directed to Professor Mark Atherton at [Email Address Removed]
Eligibility
Successful candidates must have a first degree at or equivalent to 2:1 or above in a suitable engineering discipline, e.g. mechanical engineering, systems engineering, mechatronics, or similar. A Master’s level qualification is desirable but not essential. You must also be eligible for home tuition fees otherwise your application will not proceed.
Demonstrable practical engineering ability through project work is expected. Relevant experience in autonomous systems or mechatronics is an advantage. In addition, he/she should be highly motivated, able to work in a team and have good communication skills.
How to Apply
If you wish to apply, please email the following to [Email Address Removed] AND [Email Address Removed] by no later than Friday 27th September 2019:
i. Your up-to-date CV.
ii. Your single A4 page, single-spaced personal statement setting out why you are interested in undertaking this project (this is an ideal opportunity for you to demonstrate your motivation and summarise your suitability for research) and confirmation of your eligibility for home tuition fees.
iii. A brief research proposal on digital twins, 5 pages should be sufficient. This will provide an indication of your ability to investigate, summarise and critically evaluate technical information relevant to the research area. It is common in PhD study to expect a doctoral proposal to be developed by the applicant before a decision is made and we aim to show our sponsors EPSRC and RSSB that a rigorous process has been followed in selecting a candidate. Here is a good guideline: Example PhD proposal.
Assume a design of compliant gripper that holds a fuel nozzle needs to be totally reliable in connecting to the fuel tank. The compliance is an important feature in accommodating coupling misalignment and the forces it encounters will potentially provide insight into the position of the train, condition of the coupling parts and also the end effector condition. Outline the equipment that will be needed to enable the monitoring of a compliant end effector.
iv. Copies of your degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) confirming that you have a first degree at or equivalent to 2:1 or above in a suitable engineering discipline;
v. Evidence of your English language capability to IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, if appropriate;
vi. Names and contact details for two academic referees.
Funding Notes
Only those eligible for home tuition fees can apply. Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend of £17,009 plus payment of their full time home tuition fees for a period of 36 months.