Postgraduate research opportunities EngD in Non-Destructive Evaluation of Aerospace Composites at the Manufacturing Stage (with a generous stipend top-up)

Being at the forefront of composite manufacturing has never been more important provided how vital these lightweight structures are for i) preventing climate change through reduction of fuel consumption and carbon footprint in aerospace, marine, automotive, and other transportation, and defense industries, and ii) development of wind and tidal blades to generate cleaner energy and reduce emissions to achieve the net-zero target by the middle of the century.

During the intricate multi-stage manufacturing process of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites, manufacturing defects could be introduced at i) very early stages of the process when the fibre fabrics are being produced or laid-up for resin infiltration, and ii) later stages of resin infusion, curing, and demolding. Therefore, Non-Destructive Evaluations (NDE) are essential during i) manufacturing to identify and prevent the formation of any defects early in the process as, if remain undetected, they could have far-reaching implications for the cost of scrapped/repaired parts and safety of final components, and ii) later stages and post-manufacturing to ensure the quality, integrity, and fitness for service of these safety-critical components.

The project is relevant to the many industrial sectors using CFRPs, Aerospace, Defence, Automotive & general High-Value Manufacturing, transforming their production strategies to reduce cost.

Aligned with the financial commitment from the industrial partner, the project scope is centred around the current NDE demands of Spirit AeroSystems with the target to a) develop and deliver more industry-focused NDE solutions to promote the partner's and UK's business growth, and b) to introduce development program for the student, where highly demanded skills by the industry, access to a network of NDE experts in academia and industry, access to the state-of-the-art research facilities, and specialized NDE training can be offered to the student.

The project will make extensive use of the £2.5 million cutting-edge Sensor Enabled Automation & Control Hub (SEARCH) hosting several advanced industrial robots and NDE equipment at the Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering (CUE) at the University of Strathclyde. The student will have access to and will work closely with the Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) established by Spirit AeroSystems at their Prestwick manufacturing facility.

The student will work within an internationally renowned and growing team of diverse and multi-disciplinary researchers and engineers, physicists, and mathematicians and will receive a full NDE training package through FIND CDT and a university training for working with advanced industrial KUKA robots, different NDE controllers and sensor technologies.