PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Research theme: Laser materials processing; Advanced manufacturing; Mechanical Engineering/nThis 3.5-year PhD is funded by the University of Manchester and is open to UK students. The funding covers the cost of tuition fees and a standard tax-free stipend (based on the UKVI rate which is £20,780 for 2025/26)./nDirect energy deposition with a laser beam (DED-LB) additive manufacturing has generated substantial interest in diverse industrial applications due to its potential for fabricating complex metal structures. This opportunity is centred around improving manufacturing productivity with advanced laser-matter interactions control and optimisation. The PhD will advance our comprehension of the mechanisms that lead to defect formation in DED-LB, and improve process control measures to either prevent or mitigate the defects./nThe additionality of external controls over the laser-matter interactions could increase the process build rate, and thus reduce carbon emissions, and uptake for this process across a wide range of sectors, offering solutions not possible by conventional manufacturing methods./nHowever, there are significant challenges to a broad proof of concept that would be addressed in this PhD project. Laser beam sources, process development and control to enable better control of mass transfer and laser-matter interactions./nThe 'design-manufacture-inspect-model-test' approach of this project will equip the successful PhD candidate with a wide range of valuable and transferable skills.