Index
Materials and Manufacturing Processes Group
About
The Material and Manufacturing Processes Group (MMPG) is currently represented by four academic staff and ten postgraduate students. At the hub of the research activities of the MMPG are the laboratories for Materials, Manufacturing Processes, Metrology and Laser-based Measurement, Polymer processing and access to the workshop and latest computer software.
Group Leader: Dr Mehdi Mahdavian
Major research areas
- Metal sheet forming
- Multi-diameter drilling performance
- Application of low power laser in manufacturing industry
- EDM performance
- Composite and smart material properties
- Polymer processing and testing
- Stress analysis of engineering products
- Design and application of expert system in manufacturing technology
- Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS)
Services available to industry
Some of the areas in which the MMPG is able to assist Manufacturing-based companies are:
- Scrap reduction or materials failures during manufacturing
- Improving surface quality of a products in process
- Monitoring and in-process measurement by laser with customised software capability
- Independent feasibility study for manufacturing industry
- Training and providing short courses to all level of staff either on site or at RMIT Faculty of Engineering
- Destructive and non-destructive product testing and evaluation
Postgraduate research candidates
Yu Chen
PhD Candidate
Title: Modelling of Die-Sink Electro-Discharge Machining
The research focuses on the investigation of erosion parameters, particularly the effects of dielectric fluid motion and temperature variations on the EDM machining process.
Ximing Zeng
PhD Candidate
Title: Deep Drawing Wrinkle Analysis
Deep drawing has a wide range application in the manufacturing industry. Components like aluminium beverage cans and some metal automotive parts are made by this process. Without properly designed die or process parameters, the final products are subjected to various types of defects, such as tearing, wrinkles and dimensional inaccuracies. The project aims to study annular wrinkling of blanks during the forming stage of the deep drawing process. The experimental investigative research will be conducted in order to find the parameters that contribute to the formation of wrinkling, as well as the methods that prevent it. 3-dimensional deep drawing process will be investigated and simulated by using the available finite element methods. At the same time a theoretical model will be developed to validate the results of the experiments. The analysis will be used to control the drawing process in order to minimise defects in the manufactured product.
Barman Tambunan
PhD Candidate
Title: Development of a Computer Model of the Continuous Casting Process
Despite intensive study and several decades of commercial production, the continuous casting is still plagued by many problems that are not fully understood. This is due, in part, to the complexity of the continuous casting process which involves intimate interaction between such diverse phenomena as turbulent fluid flow, thermal convection, conduction, solidification, phase transformation and microstructural changes which affect the thermophysical and thermomechanical properties. This project involves development of a mathematical model that will provide a new method for handling a stable solidification interface and hence achieving convergent calculations. When completed, the numerical model will provide the basis for improving process understanding in order to successfully strip cast a wide range of alloys.
Senior supervisor
- Fiber orientation mechanism in injection moulded reinforced plastics.
- Investigation of recycled PET (poly ethylene terephthalate) for injection stretch blow moulding applications.
Both projects are funded by the Advanced Engineering Centre for Manufacturing (AECM) at the Universities of Melbourne and RMIT.