PhD Studentship in Production Technology

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is University West’s overarching profile and basic principle applied to learning, the exchange of ideas, and educational development. The government has assigned the distinguished task of developing WIL to University West. Work integrated learning in education and research develops new, relevant and advanced knowledge both within the academy and among its partners, which also benefits society in general. University West offers a wide variety of study programs, has a good number of applicants and the students show a high entry rate on the labor market. The main research environments at University West are Production technology, Learning in and for the new working life and Child and youth studies and is conducted in collaboration with the surrounding society. Campus is centrally located in Trollhättan with about 15,000 students and 675 employees.




University West is offering a PhD Studentship in Production Technology – Simulation based optimization of a ultrasonic technique used for non-destructive evaluation

In aerospace business, there are increasing demands on cost-efficient, reliable and safe aero-engines with reduced fuel consumption and environmental impact.

These requirements have stimulated a development of new advanced manufacturing technologies and light weight technology based on fabrication and additive manufacturing (AM). This raises higher demands on product quality assurance and reliable and cost-effective non-destructive testing and material characterization methods in order to maintain the quality and safety levels. In a new project in cooperation with Swedish industry we seek a PhD student for a position at University West.

The scientific work in the project
In this project, the use of an existing simulation software (simSUNDT) is used in order to meet these demands. This enables simulation of so-called Immersion Phased Array technique in combination with different kinds of manufacturing defects which may potentially occur in components built using additive manufacturing. Since volumetric defect detection is important for the AM parts produced, the research emphasis will be focused towards:

- Optimize available and well-established techniques (NDT) and procedures (NDE) in order to adapt to AM specific challenges (e.g. orientation of defects and their NDT characteristics).
- By using a mathematical model of the inspection, identify nonconventional parameters (frequency or phase information) to characterize defects as pore, inclusion and e.g. orientation of lack of fusion (LOF).

The simulations will be experimentally validated in an immersion facility that will be built up at University West in close collaboration with an inspection company (DEKRA) and the aero industry (GKN).

PhD degree program: Production Technology

Job description:For more information see the Job advertisement https://hv.varbi.com/center/tool/position/323465/edit/tab:1/ https:/hv.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:323465/

Qualification requirements: The basic eligibility requirements for doctoral programs as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance are as follows:

- A degree at master’s level,
- completed courses totaling at least 240 university credits of which a minimum of 60 at master’s level or,
- substantially equivalent knowledge gained in some other way whether in Sweden or abroad.

For more information please read 3.1 and 3.2 in General syllabus for the third-cycle programme in Production Technology, Ref. No 2015/1343 B 25: https://www.hv.se/en/research/research-education/courses/production-technology/

Selection: The basic factor for selection from among qualified applicants is the ability to profit from such a program. For more information please read 3.3 in General syllabus for the third-cycle programme in Technology in Production Technology, Ref. No 2015/1343 B 25.

Qualifications of merit for this position: We believe that a successful applicant should have a genuine interest in the development of experimental ultrasonic NDT and actively be part of building up an experimental set-up and perform the experimental verification of the developed software and algorithms (optimization schemes). Experience with numerical modelling, e.g. finite element modelling, scientific programming with MATLAB, signal processing and measurement systems are considered as are meritorious. Documented skills of advanced programming in e.g. Fortran, C/C++/C# and the ability to communicate orally and in written English is highly qualifying. Experience of research work and scientific writing and the ability to communicate orally in English (documented).

Duration and terms of employment: For more information see the Job advertisement https://hv.varbi.com/center/tool/position/323465/edit/tab:1/ https:/hv.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:323465/

Applications are to be submitted electronically through the University West web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.
Go to https://www.hv.se/en/meet-university-west/job-opportunities/.

The application https://hv.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:323465/must include:

- CV/Personal qualifications
- Personal letter containing: - Interest in the research topic. - Previous experience regarding the proposed research topic and its research methods and scientific theories. - Motive to pursue Doctoral studies.
- Degree project of second level of higher education
- Degree certificate of first and second level of higher education
- Other documents which the applicant wishes to invoke

Documents that cannot be sent digitally, should be sent to:

University West
HR Division
461 86 Trollhättan
Sweden 

Mark the application with ref.no: R 2020/59