PhD Studentship - Information Modelling for Service Feedback – (Ph.D.)

Supported by EPSRC and Rolls-Royce, a studentship up to £20,000 p.a. for 3 years plus UK/EU fees* is available
Cranfield University is seeking a highly motivated graduate to undertake an exciting research project, which aims to develop an information model to manage the service information gathered through the servicing of mechanical components for feedback to improve design and manufacturing. The model will be implemented as a prototype software system for validation.

The PhD researcher will study the history and the through life use (as used) perspective of mechanical components and the impact of use on the type and extent of degradation. The study will identify the information required to represent the use and develop accelerated testing of the components to simulate the ‘as used’ scenarios.

Existing research activities have been developing parametric lifing models for support of the service life cycle cost and reliability modelling processes. These descriptions are based upon point in time data sets and rapidly become out of date as designs and operating environments change. Additionally the design expectation offers a new reference point for Engine Health Monitoring or overhaul shop anomaly alerting - improving early detection of emerging service issues. In most cases, system level design changes are needed to address emergent issues and learning at the component level. For example, a study of high pressure turbine (HPT) seal segment oxidation characteristics from a fleet of engines, a major driver of on-wing life through its influence over HPT blade tip clearance and hence turbine gas temperature margins, has helped to size the flow capacity for the Turbine Case cooling system on a future engine design in Rolls-Royce.

It is observed that wear, cracking, fatigue and corrosion are the top degradation mechanisms for the aerospace and similar components. This project will study the ‘as used’ perspective of mechanical components and the impact of use on the type and extent of degradation. The project will identify the information required to represent this in-service use and develop accelerated testing regimes of the components to simulate the ‘as used’ scenarios. The research will fuse the ‘as-used’ data about the components with ‘as-maintained’ data and integrate with the degradation analysis results. The study will develop an information model to manage the service information for feedback to design and manufacturing. The model will be implemented as a prototype software system for validation.

The £10.5 million EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Through-life Engineering Services will provide world-class capability in the UK to enable industry to deliver high value products with outstanding availability, predictability and reliability with the lowest life cycle cost. The core partners include Rolls-Royce plc, BAE Systems, MoD and Bombardier Transport. In addition, the Centre is also supported by seven industry partners and six Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTNs) and trade organisations. The PhD researchers will study within the Centre on a number of projects and will be part of a larger team of other senior (post-doc) researchers. The successful candidate will be based at Cranfield University and will also spend some time in industrial sponsor sites as and when needed.