EngD - Disruptive Machining Methods for Large Aerospace Wing Structures

在接下来的10年里，主要的航空原始设备制造商预计将大幅提高现有短程飞机的生产率，并开发新的机身，包括一个中程平台和至少两架新的短程飞机。目前大型金属机翼结构的生产方法无法提供未来平台所需的成本、生产率和质量性能。英国航空航天工业是世界第二大航空航天工业，仅次于美国。GKN是富时100指数成份股公司之一，也是英国制造业最重要的贡献者之一，因此也是英国经济的重要贡献者之一。作为全球最全面的飞机结构一级供应商，GKN在全球拥有广泛的技术能力。工程师候选人将成为这个社区的一员，并为GKN发展和保持未来飞机的世界一流制造工艺的愿景做出贡献。候选人将成为位于布里斯托尔的GKN技术中心的一员，在AMRC进行当地研究，并将有机会根据需要访问其他全球地点，以支持技术和个人发展。除了EngD计划提供的少量实验预算外，候选人还将与GKN客户进行规模更大的合作研究计划，使他们有机会利用更大的预算并领导与其EngD主题互补的任务。这项工作的主要主题将是大型机翼结构。最初，候选人将与GKN的同事和客户合作，了解未来飞机在部件几何形状、公差要求、成本目标等方面的要求。然后，候选人将确定实验研究，探索加工这些新部件的最有效方法(干净的板材，不受现有设备的限制)。候选人将领导从小规模到全尺寸机翼部件的加工试验。开发工作将根据GKN的技术准备水平(TRL)流程进行进展和评估，候选人将有机会向同事和高级管理人员展示他们在整个业务领域的工作。候选人有令人羡慕的机会来考虑如何在不存在任何现有设备限制的情况下制造部件。这将为候选人提供最大的机会和灵活性来解决两个主要研究重点：科学发展的一个主要重点将是了解目标产品中零件变形的根源(S)以及如何将其最小化/减轻。第二个主要重点将是了解如何通过开发目标产品的先进材料去除方法来实现材料去除速度的阶梯变化(S)。为了支持主要研究重点：候选人将考虑传统的5轴‘箱式加工’工艺是否最有效，或者未来是否有其他更激进的机器架构。这需要应聘者了解加工动态和其他考虑因素，如夹具/零件处理方法的影响。应聘者将需要了解从传统坯料到附加制造的网状形状的一系列入料条件。这将涉及到发展有关材料特性和微观结构的知识，以及它们与所选材料去除方法的相互作用。应聘者将发展对过程控制技术的理解，并有可能考虑自适应过程。合作对公司和学术合作伙伴的潜在好处是什么？是否有可能带来更广泛的好处

Over the next 10 years, major aerospace OEMs are expected to dramatically increase production rates for current short range aircraft, and develop new airframes including a mid-range platform and at least two new short range aircraft. Current production methods for large metal wing structures do not offer the cost, production rate and quality performance that will be required from future platforms.The UK Aerospace industry is the second largest in the world, second only to the US. GKN is a FTSE 100 business and one of the most important contributors to manufacturing in the UK, and thus economy. As the most comprehensive aerostructures Tier 1 supplier (worldwide), GKN has a diverse range of technical capability across the globe. The EngD candidate will become part of this community and contribute to GKN's vision to grow and maintain world-beating manufacturing processes for future aircraft.The candidate will become part of the GKN Technology Centre in Bristol, conducting research locally, at the AMRC, and will also have the opportunity to visit other global sites as required to support technical and personal development. In addition to the small experimental budget afforded by the EngD programme, the candidate will be aligned to much larger collaborative research programmes with GKN customers, giving them the opportunity to utilise greater budget and lead tasks that are complementary to their EngD theme.The main thrust of the work will be around large machined wing structures. Initially the candidate will work with GKN colleagues and customers to understand requirements of the future aircraft in terms of component geometry, tolerance requirements, cost targets, etc. The candidate will then define experimental studies that will explore the most effective way to process these new components (clean sheet, not constrained by existing equipment). The candidate will lead processing trials from small scale up to full scale wing components. Development work will be progressed and evaluated in accordance with GKN's Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process, and the candidate will have the opportunity to present their work across the business to colleagues and senior management.The candidate has the enviable opportunity to consider how to manufacture a part without any existing constraints on equipment. This will give the candidate the greatest opportunity and flexibility to address the two major research focus:A major focus of the scientific development will be in understanding the origin of part distortion in the target product(s) and how this could be minimised/mitigated.A second major focus will be in understanding how a step change in material removal rates can be achieved through development of advanced material removal methods for the target product(s).In support of the major research focus:The candidate will consider whether conventional 5-axis 'machining in a box' processes are the most effective, or whether other more radical machine architectures are the future. This will involve the candidate understanding processing dynamics and other considerations such as the influence of fixturing/part handling methods.The candidate will need to understand a range of material-in conditions from conventional billets to additively manufactured net-shapes. This will involve developing knowledge of material properties and microstructure for the respective material stocks, and their interaction with the chosen material removal methods.The candidate will develop understanding in the art of process control, with potential to consider adaptive processes.What are the potential benefits of the collaboration for the company and for the academic partners? Are there wider benefits that may result