About the project
High value and irreplaceable items such as precision instrumentation and museum objects must be packaged extremely carefully to protect them from shock and vibration during transportation. 3D printed metamaterials offer the potential for novel, sustainable packaging solutions with substantially improved performance compared to conventional materials.
Many cost effective packaging solutions exist for high-volume, comparatively low-value goods but these are often inadequate for particularly fragile and valuable items for which advanced technological solutions can be warranted.
This project will develop the capability to design and 3D print packages that derive their mechanical properties in-part from the intricate geometry of their porous architecture. Metamaterials have the potential to achieve high performance cushioning and restraint that can be tailored in different orientations, and 3D printing enables their bespoke manufacture and conformity to an object’s unique and complex geometry.
In this project, computational models will be developed to understand and design metamaterial packaging that conforms closely to objects’ shapes, supports their weight whilst optimising shock and vibration isolation performance. The models will be validated experimentally through the use of state-of-the-art additive manufacturing (3D printing), material testing facilities, and dynamic motion simulators to quantify the cushioning provided against typical shock and vibration stimuli. Field trials will be undertaken for different modes of transport to demonstrate the performance benefits of this innovative approach in practical scenarios.
You will join the Engineering Materials research group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering whilst also being affiliated to the Dynamics research group in the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research.
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
