Up to £19,000 per annum (tax free) plus UK/EU fees*
Closing date: 15 Dec 2013
Start date: 2nd Feb 2014
Supervisors: Professor Paul Shore                                                      Â
Duration of award: 3 years
Future displays will be based on plastic and thin glass film substrates. Developing a means to precisely move them during processing is critical to their effective fabrication.
We are seeking a high calibre engineering graduate to undertake research and development, leading to new methods and control engineering principles and practices. The created approaches and principles will be applied to a new large scale ultra-precision research platform being created at Cranfield. This platform is being developed to be capable of rapidly producing plastic and thin glass film displays and other forms of active substrates for emerging products.
This PhD vacancy is within the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Ultra Precision. This Centre is led by world leading researchers from Cranfield and Cambridge Universities and aims to develop the next generation of production machines, metrology systems and processes.
Industrial sponsorship is available that will increase the EPSRC funding allowance up to a premium rate. All fees will be industrially funded. A short period of industrial placement should be expected. Industrial / academic employment opportunities are very good in this emerging sector.
Nature of research project:
To review measurement technologies that could be applied to the positioning plastic/glass films of up to 1.4 metres width at high speeds to micrometre levels of accuracy. Subsequently, to develop and then to implement said technologies to prove high speed control capability for large scale thin films moving in two directions. It is important to recognise that plastic films and thin glass webs behaviour during processing is not comparable to handling silicon wafers so an understanding of the materialsâ properties will be needed to solve this problem.
Entry requirements:
Suitable applicants will be expected to have a First or Upper Second Class honours degree in a relevant engineering, metrology, mechanical or materials science based discipline. Previous experience in metrology systems, motion systems and materials handling will be of value.
Contact:
Please contact the following for further discussion:
- Professor Paul Shore (paul.shore@cranfield.ac.uk)
- Paul Morantz (p.morantz@cranfield.ac.uk)
*Due to funding restrictions we require that applicants are under no restrictions regarding how long they can stay in the UK i.e. have no visa restrictions or applicant has âsettled statusâ and has been âordinarily residentâ in the UK for 3 years prior to start of studies and has not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. (This does not apply to UK or EU nationals). All EU nationals are eligible to receive a fees-only award if they do not have âsettled statusâ in the UK.