Call for applications for a PhD position "LASER-BEAM CUTTING MODELING AND TESTING FOR IMPROVED QUALITY AND HIGH-DEMANDING STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS", at University of Trento, starting November 2019

A. SYNTHETIC DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AND RESEARCH OUTCOME:

 Laser cutting represents a modern and effective technology able to complement and/or replace well-established mechanical and thermal processes. Hence, the cutting of metallic materials as an intermediate stage of processing is of vital importance in the industrial production process. As a result, time, cost and quality of these phases greatly impact on further processing and, thus, the overall labor cost. While exhibiting undoubted technical/practical benefits, this technique has not yet been fully explored. Hence, the tuning of process parameters that define the cutting quality, both from a geometrical and a metallurgical viewpoint, are still the subject of depth study and of strong interest, especially in the field of structural steels subjected to high-cycle fatigue. There, mechanical property requirements, especially versus fatigue problems and high strength steels, as highlighted by Eurocode 3 Part 1-9 and Part 1-12, demand a thorough study on the modifications induced by laser process on structural steels widely used in construction.

On this basis, in order to optimize typical process parameters, the candidate has to carry out a series of standard and advanced tests on both materials, structural joints, examine data from thermal cameras and carry out finite element (FE) analyses mainly at the material level. Both the thorough study of the effects of laser cutting process of structural steels and the improvement of the elated problems, in particular the main issues related to fatigue will allow the use of these structural materials and relevant laser cutting techniques on a larger scale.

The outcome of the research activity will consist in technical reports and journal papers.

B. THE POSITION AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Research Topic: Optimization and application of novel protection concepts for pipes: Meta-Pipes.

For further information and to submit the application see the page at the portal sections: 

https://iid.unitn.it/education/admission/call-for-application 

https://iid.unitn.it/education/admission/reserved-topic-scholarships#D

Topic D: "Laser-beam cutting modeling and testing for improved quality and high-demanding structural applications"

Deadline for applications:  4 September 2019, 16:00 (Italian time, GMT +2)