PhD Studentship: Process Models and Simulation for Efficient Manufacture and Production Scheduling: Minimising Carbon Footprint and Cost While Maximising Productivity

3-D concrete printing and the latest hybrid manufacturing processes (using robotic milling and finishing processes with concrete printing) are new digitally driven automated construction technologies that can be seen in manufacturing buildings worldwide. These processes have huge potential to address the challenge of net-zero construction manufacturing, but we need to understand how to do this and where the technical challenges are.

This PhD is part of a cohort of five PhDs focused on answering this question. It will bring together the disciplines of life-cycle analysis and circular economy, structural engineering, manufacturing engineering, and material science.

You will work together and develop as a team and your combined research will inform a roadmap of improvement that will influence these technologies worldwide.

This studentship will focus on creating process precision models, inflation algorithms based on physical experiments using additive and subtractive processes to enable design tool development, tool path generation optimisation and process simulation to minimise material waste and enable production simulation for maximum productivity.

Study interests should include: CNC process, automation, CAD, tool path generation, calibration and testing, printing, milling, measurement, quality control, modelling, process simulation.

The successful candidate is likely to have a background in manufacturing, and/or mechanical engineering.

Funding

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. University fees and charges can be paid in advance and there are several methods of payment, including online payments and payment by instalment. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures.

The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £17,668 per annum plus tuition fees at the UK rate.  In order to qualify for UK fees, you must meet the EPSRC eligibility criteria including the minimum UK residency requirement. Due to funding restrictions, the studentship is only open to UK applicants.

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