PhD researcher Inam Ullah and aerospace engineering student Nathan Snoxall, both students of RMIT University, stole the show at the 2013 CSIRO Titanium Challenge by picking up major prizes in the competition.
Image credit: RMIT
Mr. Snoxall’s, a fourth year in the Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace) program, worked on redesigning a typical standard titanium aerospace bracket for additive manufacture. The innovation resulted in more than 70% of savings for each design and has brought him the undergraduate Materials Challenge award.
Meanwhile PhD researcher Inam Ullah was awarded the graduate prize for his contributions in advanced titanium core design for composite sandwich materials, according to a media release.
Both students conducted their work under the supervision of Dr Stefanie Feih, Senior Lecturer in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
Both students won trips to the USA as part of their awards, with Mr. Snoxall set to visit Boeing in Seattle, while Mr. Ullah is to attend a top international conference in Las Vegas.
“Winning the CSIRO Materials Challenge has rewarded me with the amazing opportunity to go and visit Boeing in Seattle,” said Mr. Snoxall.
“To have this kind of exposure to one of the biggest businesses in the aerospace industry will be invaluable for my future career.”
Mr. Ullah, who is in his second year of a PhD in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at RMIT, has developed an advanced titanium core design for composite sandwich materials and will present his findings at the International Titanium Association conference in Las Vegas.
His innovative core design using additive manufacture showed substantial advantages in several areas, such as increased energy absorbance of the core, increased compressive and shear strength of the core and increased bonding potential between the titanium core and composite material.
The 2013 CSIRO Titanium Challenge was sponsored by CSIRO, Boeing, the International Titanium Association (ITA) and Coogee Chemicals, in accordance with CSIRO’s initiative and efforts to develop the Australian titanium industry under its Future Manufacturing Flagship program.
