Sustainable additive manufacturing—Advancing Powder Recycling and Monitoring (FES-PhD-2425-05)

Additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming manufacturing processes, with its global market projected to grow from £12 billion in 2020 to approximately £51 billion by 2030. A key challenge in laser additive manufacturing (LAM) is the recycling of powders, a common practice to minimise waste and costs. Over multiple cycles, powders degrade due to factors such as particle attrition, surface oxidation, and the accumulation of condensate fines. These issues compromise powder deposition, sintering, and the quality of the final components.

The degree of powder degradation depends on various factors, including the recycling ratio, manufacturing parameters (e.g., temperature, air velocity, and humidity), and handling methods. Despite its importance, predicting powder quality deterioration over extended LAM operations remains a significant research gap.

This PhD project aims to address this challenge by developing a predictive toolkit to monitor the evolution of powder quality during recycling. Using the state-of-the-art Greenwich AM surface test-rig and a pilot plant simulating real-world industrial practices in powder recycling, the project will investigate how variations in powder quality affect the performance of final products, contributing to more sustainable and reliable LAM processes.

Making an application:

Please read this information before making an application. Information on the application process is available at: https://www.gre.ac.uk/research/study/apply/application-process. Applications need to be made online via this link. No other form of application will be considered.

All applications must include the following information. Applications not containing these documents will not be considered.

•       Scholarship Reference Number (FES-PhD-2425-05) – included in the personal statement section together with your personal statement as to why you are applying

•       a CV including details of 2 referees *

•       academic qualification certificates/transcripts and IELTs/English Language certificate if you are an international applicant or if English is not your first language or you are from a country where English is not the majority spoken language as defined by the UK Border Agency *

*upload to the qualification section of the application form. Attachments must be a PDF format.

Before submitting your application, you are encouraged to liaise with the Lead Supervisor on the details above.