SECTION TITLE COMPOSITES
COMPOSITES CAPABILITIES
In an insightful interview, composites expert Dr David Hughes discusses the latest trends and how these could translate from academic research to real-world applications
3D printed nests are used to weld 3D printed components
Fellow in Teesside University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, Hughes has spent many years working in composite design – particularly in digital manufacture for optimised performance and waste reduction. His passion for the sector arises from
D
the vast potential he sees for composites in industrial applications. “One of the main strengths of composite materials is the huge material and design flexibility,” he begins. “However, this adds huge complexity to design and optimisation.
34
www.engineerlive.com
r David Hughes is a well-known figure in the world of composites. A Senior Lecturer in Materials Engineering and Enterprise
Dr David Hughes
Commonly in industry composite parts are passed between stress analysists, part designers and manufacturing engineers iteratively improving designs based on expertise. Tese skills are in short supply, which restricts growth in the composites sector.” But Hughes is already looking for solutions to this issue, explaining that, “Digital tools can help bridge those expertise gaps and, because we have joined the Siemens Connected Curriculum, specifically as users of Fibersim for composite design, we can now support training by delivering digital skills across all our engineering degrees.” Tese degrees are becoming increasingly popular, reflecting the wider industry
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
