PhD Scholarship ASIAN OFFICE OF AEROSPACE R&D

This PhD scholarship focuses on the certification of metal additive manufactured (3D printed) components through the development of a novel thermal fuse. Additive Manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing is a critically important manufacturing technology, especially Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) due to the high associated build resolution and compatibility with high-value titanium alloys. PBF is a transient thermal process which involves rapidly changing the state of powdered material to molten and back to solid. The geometric and mechanical properties of the manufactured part are critically dependent on the time-temperature history during the manufacturing process and must be verified for part certification. Inspection methods for PBF component certification are available, but these methods are either destructive or highly expensive and time-consuming. To overcome this rate-limiting scenario, an inexpensive non-destructive method for AM certification is highly desirable. This PhD will involve numerical simulation and experimental validation to confirm the performance of this method. The scholarship provides excellent supervision with a robust track record and access to established facilities at the Advanced Manufacturing Precinct.