About the Project
Post summary
Applications are invited for PhD Scholarship (4 Years) to work in the area of metal Additive Manufacturing (AM).
About the project:
Additive Manufacturing is a rapidly expanding, multidisciplinary field that uses various processes and materials to produce structures through layer by layer additive techniques, enabling new component designs and tailored structures. Despite recent progress in AM Material development and characterization, challenges remain, including the limited selection of materials, inconsistent production quality and high costs. In addition, products resulting from state-of-the-art AM systems are most likely to suffer from anisotropic mechanical properties due to interlayer bonding deficiencies. As a result, only a fraction of the materials that are used in conventional manufacturing are compatible with AM. More intensive materials research is required in order to increase the uptake of Metal AM by industries.
The ability to characterize the material before, during, and after manufacture can provide understanding of processing effects on material behaviour and knowledge for material selection criteria. The key objective of this project is thus to develop a clear understanding of the relationship that exists between the microstructures that develop during Laser Sintering and after post processing of 3D metal printed parts to its mechanical properties.
This 4 year research project is a joint venture between an industrial sponsor, Stryker, and an academic partnership led by SEAM Research Centre of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and University of Limerick (UL). Stryker is a medical device company with significant experience and resources within the area of AM in Ireland. The successful candidate will be exposed to and trained on a number of experimental and various analytical and modelling techniques for characterisation and predicting material behaviour.
Standard duties and responsibilities of the scholarship
• Undertake a programme of research leading to the successful attainment of a PhD.
• Attend generic skills training provided by WIT and other training courses as required.
• Attend and present at agreed conferences, seminars and other relevant sessions.
• Deliver agreed papers in conjunction with the supervisory team.
• Provide project updates as required by WIT and funding organisation.
• Assist SEAM in associated industrial project activities in conjunction with supervisory team.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential
• Applicants should hold or expect to attain, as a minimum, a 2.1 Honours degree, or equivalent, in Materials/Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
• Some knowledge on Additive Manufacturing Processes and experimental and computational techniques.
Desirable
• Some knowledge on material modelling techniques.
Skills & Competencies
Essential
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English, please see WIT’s English Language Requirements for details.
• Good IT skills with some evidence of exposure in the use of CAD software packages.
Ability to use/learn equipment control software, computational modelling software and data analysis software.
Further information
For any informal queries, please contact Dr Ramesh Raghavendra at email: [Email Address Removed]
For queries relating to the application and admission process please contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office via email [Email Address Removed] or telephone +353 (0)51 302883.
Website: www.wit.ie
Application procedure
Download the Research Postgraduate Application Form and return completed applications to [Email Address Removed], quoting WD_2017_42 in the email subject line. Please note that paper submissions will not be accepted.
The Institute may decide to interview only those applicants who appear from the information available, to be the most suitable, in terms of experience, qualifications and other requirements of the post.
WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER
Funding Notes
Stipend: €15,000 per annum
Fees: €4,500 per annum
Applications must be in by Monday 1st January 2018 at 5pm GMT