Design, Manufacture and Materials
Design, Manufacture and Materials
About
The Design, Manufacture and Materials Research Group focuses on the design, development, analysis and testing of novel materials, structures and processes.
Our research addresses the design and manufacture techniques, processes and systems required to underpin the development and delivery of innovative materials and products. Much of our research is carried out with industrial partners.
The group hosts two major centres whose research is aimed at particular industry sectors. There is the Newcastle Centre for Railway Research (NewRail), and the Gear Technology Centre (Design Unit), which is a British Gear Association 'Centre of Excellence'.
Areas of specialist expertise
Our areas of specialist expertise include:
- processing and analysis of composite materials and structures
- fundamental and applied research related to mechanical power transmissions and machine elements, especially gear systems
- railway research, particularly rail freight and logistics, rail infrastructure, rail systems, and rail vehicles
- additive layer manufacturing (ALM), considering process and materials development, and the use of ALM in mass customisation applications
We have close links to the University’s Resource Centre for Innovation & Design, a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy.
Facilities
The group has facilities for:
- materials testing and failure analysis
- product development and mechanical testing
- metrology
- pultrusion, filament winding, resin infusion and vacuum bag moulding
- selective laser sintering and fused deposition modelling
-
a-footprint
Project Leader(s): Prof Kenneth Dalgarno
Project Dates: From October 2009 to September 2013 -
BESTFACT
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From January 2012 to December 2015 -
Capacity4Rail - Increasing Capacity 4 Rail networks through enhanced infrastructure and optimised operations
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From October 2013 to September 2017 -
CleanER-D: Clean European Rail-Diesel
Project Leader(s): Mr R Palacin
Project Dates: From June 2009 to May 2013 -
CRC: Advanced Composite Structures
Project Leader(s): Prof Geoff Gibson
Project Dates: From July 2010 to June 2015 -
D RAIL
Project Leader(s): Professor Mark Robinson
Project Dates: From October 2011 to September 2014 -
Development of a 3D vibration assisted machining system
Project Leader(s): Dr D Huo
Project Dates: From August 2015 to July 2018 -
e-Freight
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From January 2010 to June 2013 -
EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacture in Medical Devices: MeDe
Project Leader(s): Prof KW Dalgarno
Project Dates: From October 2013 to September 2018 -
EPSRC Re-distributed Manufacturing Network: Healthcare Products
Project Leader(s): Professor KW Dalgarno
Project Dates: From February 2015 to February 2017 -
ERRAC Roadmap
Project Leader(s): Prof Mark Robinson
Project Dates: From June 2009 to May 2012 -
ETNA PLUS - European Transport Network Alliance
Project Leader(s): Prof Mark Robinson
Project Dates: From January 2013 to June 2015 -
FIRE-RESIST
Project Leader(s): Professor AM Robinson
Project Dates: From February 2011 to January 2015 -
Future of Surface Transport Research Rail
Project Leader(s): Prof Mark Robinson
Project Dates: From May 2013 to April 2016 -
NEWGEN
Project Leader(s): Prof KW Dalgarno
Project Dates: From October 2013 to October 2017 -
RETRACK
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From May 2007 to August 2012 -
SecureMetro
Project Leader(s): Mr CF O'Neill
Project Dates: From January 2010 to December 2012 -
SETRIS - Strengthening European Transport Research and Innovation Strategies
Project Leader(s): Prof AM Robinson
Project Dates: From May 2015 to April 2017 -
Spartacus
Project Leader(s): Dr FJ Franklin
Project Dates: From November 2013 to October 2016 -
SPECTRUM
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From May 2011 to April 2015 -
SuperGreen
Project Leader(s): Mr TH Zunder
Project Dates: From January 2010 to January 2013 -
SUSTRAIL
Project Leader(s): Dr Francis Franklin
Project Dates: From June 2011 to May 2015
PhD Students
If you're considering doing a PhD with us, here's a list of possible PhD project titles and current research student projects to think about.
Possible PhD project titles
Here are some suggested PhD projects which you may wish to consider when applying to join us as a postgraduate research student.
This list is under development, it is not exhaustive and other projects may be available.
- Additive Manufacturing for Medical Applications
- 3D Printing of Multimaterial Structures
- Fracture mechanics of composite repair methods for steel structures
- Sub-sea applications of advanced composites
- High-temperature performance of aerospace composites
- Nanomaterials for improved bonding of composite repairs
- Composite fire protection
- Thermal transport properties of carbon fibre composites
- Structural survival of aircraft in post-crash fires
Download a project description for our project on Organisation, Management and Economics of Train Movement (PDF: 153KB).
Current and recent research student projects
Mohd Shukry Abdul Majid - The long term failure behaviour of GRE pipes under biaxial loading.
Muhammad Saleh Jumani - A rapid manufacturing based mass customisation system for foot orthoses.
Recently completed research student projects
Modelling of wear and crack initiation in rails
Student: Gordana Vasic
Awarded PhD: April 2013
Numerical Techniques for Optimising Rail Grinding
Student: Paul Hyde
Awarded PhD: June 2012
Supervisor: Prof AM Robinson
Aerospace Composite Material In Fire
Student: Gaetano la Delfa,
Awarded PhD: May 2010
Supervisor: Prof AG Gibson
Dynamic Impact Load to Railway Bridges Induced by Structural Responses and Track Irregularities
Student: Gunmo Gu,
Awarded PhD: May 2010
Supervisor: Dr FJ Franklin
Population Based Techniques for the Multiple Objective Optimisation of Sandwich Materials and Structures
Student: Craig Hudson,
Awarded PhD: April 2010
Supervisor: Dr JJ Carruthers