Optimisation for the Computer Aided Design of 3D-Printed Microwave Components

Lead Research Organisation: Imperial College London
Department Name: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Abstract

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in Optimisation for the Computer Aided Design of 3D-Printed Microwave Components. The work is a collaboration between Imperial College London and Airbus Group, and will be based within the Optical and Semiconductor Devices group in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College. The student will be supervised by Professor Stepan Lucyszyn from Imperial College, and by an industrial supervisor from Airbus Group. The studentship must start no later than 1 October 2018.

The use of optimisation in the design of products for aircraft and spacecraft structures has seen dramatic developments in recent years. Spurred, at least in part, by the ability of new manufacturing techniques such as Additive Manufacturing (AM) and its ability to realise complex designs in a cost effective and timely manner, the use of other forms of optimisation in design is beginning to receive attention. Whilst applications of structural optimisation, particularly when paired with AM have received much attention from industry, it is the application of multi-disciplinary optimisation (MDO) to systems components which has the highest potential for performance and cost savings in future products.

This project will develop the methods and primary tools for the analysis, optimisation and manufacture of next generation electromagnetic systems for aircraft and spacecraft products aligned to the Airbus Technology and product development roadmaps. Working in concert with Airbus Central Research and Technology, the project aims to not only develop the methods of design, but also to validate those designs through their inclusion in real flight hardware at various stages of the development process.

As a part of this project you will be charged with the design and integration of this hardware onto real aircraft and spacecraft and will monitor its effectiveness as it completes its defined mission, comparing the effectiveness of these new systems to archetype designs and to numerical modelling data. In addition, the candidate will have the opportunity to work directly at Airbus UK alongside experts in the field of AM, Design, Optimization and Analysis on a range of topics and projects.

The research will draw upon several disciplines including, but not limited to Electromagnetics, AM, Aerospace Design, Materials Science and Optimization. Upon completion of the research, the candidate will be almost uniquely versed in the methods for the MDO of aircraft and spacecraft systems realised through cutting edge manufacturing methods.

Publications

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Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
EP/R511961/1 01/10/2017 31/03/2023
2128065 Studentship EP/R511961/1 01/10/2018 31/12/2022 Roshan Payapulli