*Three $27,000 scholarships p.a. tax free
*Open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only
*Development of power electronic and control systems for EDG
*Manufacturing and application of PCD tools
*Study of discharge formation and erosion mechanism in EDG process
RMIT is a global university of technology and design, focused on creating solutions that transform the future for the benefit of people and their environments. The School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering is one of the largest and most progressive engineering schools in Australia. The School is recognised for excellence in industry focused education and applied high impact research.
Advanced Manufacturing CRC and RMIT have established a project on the electro-discharge machining of PCD (Polycrystalline Diamonds) for a range of industrial cutting tools. As part of the project, three PhD student scholarships valued at $27,000 each tax-exempt per year are being offered to self-motivated individuals to join a collaborative research team at the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University to develop optimal control system and power modules as well as fundamental understanding of the processes involved in machining PCD which will support the comprehensive experimental program and will lead to significant research and development outcomes.
PROJECT 1 – Development of power electronic and control systems for electrical discharge grinding
You will focus on the design, development and testing of an optimal, adaptive, fuzzy and/or robust control scheme as well as a power module for an electro-discharge machining pulse generator. You will be working on coding various methods in C/C++ and VHDL to be executed in an embedded control system. The main outcome of the solutions will be optimal electro-discharge machining performance in terms of surface finish, material removal rate and energy consumption. You will also work on estimation and usage of gap impedance in intelligent controller design.
Your application demonstrates excellent skills in control system design and/or power electronics combined with high level mathematical skills and very good C/C++ programming skills. Advantageous and preferred to your application is your experience in design and development of embedded systems and familiarity with electro-discharge machining technology and familiarity with VHDL.
PROJECT 2 – Manufacturing and application of PCD tools
You will investigate the influence of electro-discharge machining process on graphitization and physical structures of PCD materials, complete theoretical and experimental study of surface integrity including heat affected layer, surface roughness and dimensional accuracy, and optimise machining parameters to maximize material removal rate time and achieve best surface finish.
Your application demonstrates: knowledge of electrical discharge machining processes; familiarity with high frequency circuits and amplifiers; familiarity with Servo/motion control and knowledge of materials and experience with optical and SEM equipment.
PROJECT 3 – Study of discharge formation and erosion mechanism in electrical discharge grinding process
You will investigate the fundamental aspects of discharge formation and its effect on material removal during electrical discharge grinding and determine the effects of different parameters such as coolant resistivity, electrode profile, and electrical parameters on PCD surface quality including heat affected layer, surface roughness and dimensional accuracy.
Your application demonstrates an Honours degree in physics, knowledge of plasma physics and familiarity with high frequency circuits and amplifiers.
HOW TO APPLY:
Your application should include a Cover Letter clearly stating your preference for Project 1, 2 or 3, an up to date resume and transcript of your results. If you have published any journal or conference papers (English only) or are the inventor of any patent (English only), a copy of the full paper or patent will also be required. All applicants must have Australian Permanent Residency. To submit your application, please go directly to the RMIT website, www.rmit.edu.au.
RMIT is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. Please note that applications will be reviewed after the closing date.
