The use of Additive Manufacturing to achieve better integration of the technologies and processes, and better support the notion of ‘optimisation’

Applications are invited to work with Prof. Hervé Morvan and his colleagues in the Faculty of Engineering on the European funded project, INNOVATIVE (The Integration of Novel Aerospace Technologies) in the area of novel aircraft technology attached to propulsion, airframes and controls, ground operations, navigation and communication. Successful candidates will register for a 3-year PhD in the Faculty of Engineering within the Marie Curie COFUND Doctoral Programme INNOVATIVE which the IAT leads and coordinates. INNOVATIVE includes four research areas and 24 ESR positions to be recruited over 3 cohorts; this position will sit within cohort 3.

Candidates will be required to meet the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Early Stage Researcher eligibility criteria: (http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2014_2015/main/h2020-wp1415-msca_en.pdf, p40-41). In particular, at the time of appointment candidates must have had less than four years full-time equivalent research experience and must not have already obtained a PhD. Additionally, they must not have resided in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the appointment.

This full-time post is available from January 2018 and is offered on a fixed-term 36 month contract.

Project Description
The successful candidate will work Dr Michael Galea and Prof. Ian Ashcroft within the Faculty of Engineering, on the design and optimisation and manufacturing of high performance electric machines using innovative design and optimisation techniques. This project will blend together electro-magnetic and electrical design processes with innovative structural and thermal optimisation techniques resulting from the use of additive manufacturing. The objectives of the project are to achieve highly torque and power dense electrical machines, suitable for aerospace applications. The candidate will therefore need to have an excellent electrical machine background with some experience/understanding/awareness of materials and advanced manufacturing.

The project will give a push to improve the traditional methods of manufacturing for electrical machines’ development and characterisation of materials and further extension of the optimisation methods to include thermal management.

About the INNOVATIVE programme
The Integration of Novel Aerospace Technologies (INNOVATIVE) enables the exploration of game-changing and disruptive technologies, materials, methods and processes for the aerospace sector AND their impact and interactions in the context of the interdependences in the aerospace industry spanning cost, weight, energy and the environment, and the human experience and safety.

INNOVATIVE will aim to deliver a step-change in the training of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in aerospace technologies by providing a comprehensive programme that will empower these researchers with a multidisciplinary skillset comprising tools, techniques and methods suitable for pursuing careers in Aerospace Technology and related fields.

Industrial placements
INNOVATIVE ESRs will be based within the Institute for Aerospace Technology and supervised by a large multidisciplinary academic team of world-leading scientific research experts (spanning the areas shown above) with a current aerospace portfolio of over £60m. The ESRs will receive unrivalled exposure to the aerospace industry through secondments into leading companies that specialise in a variety of aerospace applications ranging from technology providers (Airbus Group Innovations, SKF, GE), systems integrators (Triumph Aerospace, Aernnova), Original Equipment Manufacturers (Rolls-Royce) and aircraft manufacturers (Agusta Westland). Partners will offer placement opportunities of up to6 months. Candidates may be required to move between countries as necessary for approximately 6 months during the project. The length and nature of the secondment will be dependent on the requirements of the ESR’s individual project and the wishes of the company.

Collaborative work
Each ESR will develop novel technologies leading to PhDs, while simultaneously contributing to the formulation of a joined-up blueprint for tomorrow’s air transport system. Each core technology activity will occur in one of our world-leading research groups or centres for gas turbines, power conversion & electrical machines, materials and structures, additive manufacturing, geospatial sciences, computer sciences, mathematical sciences and human factors under the supervision of two leading academic experts. The team will engage in a collaborative activity, as part of a Transversal Activity on integration and demonstration, to integrate the novel technologies and propose a holistic model of a future air transport system for aircraft and operational systems.

Further information
Informal queries may be addressed to: Project supervisors: Dr Michael Galea [Email Address Removed], or Project Manager: Dr Helen Thomas [Email Address Removed]. Applications sent to these email addresses will not be accepted.

For more information on INNOVATIVE please see: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/aerospace/innovative.

For information about the Institute for Aerospace Technology please see: http://nottingham.ac.uk/aerospace. For information on Engineering please see: http://nottingham.ac.uk/engineering.

The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 665468.

The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.