Chronic heart failure is one of the primary causes of death in the developed world. It is compounded by increasing and aging populations in industrialised countries and, combined with increasing obesity, has led to the problem being described as a spiralling public health problem for health services worldwide. With limited availability of heart transplants, Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) are increasingly recognised as a viable long term treatment option with survival now on a par with transplantation and can give a very good quality of life.  Greater uptake of VADs is currently limited by complications resulting from poor blood handling and cost.

The use of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) for VAD components has the potential to address both these factors and increase the use of VADs. There are numerous components which have the potential to be made by ALM in VAD systems, from rotor, impeller, and casing components, through to magnetic materials for motor components. The application of ALM to these components is highly novel, as ALM has not been used to date on either blood-facing components or for magnetic materials. In all instances, it is believed that ALM could not only replace existing manufacturing routes at a cost advantage, but that the freedom of design could lead to improved performance.

Objectives/Scope:

The aim of this work is to come up with new designs for existing components of a specific Ventricular Assist Device, and actually build them in the College of Engineering ALM equipment. It will require an intimate knowledge of feedstock powder metals, selective laser melting of powders and machine parameter effects on build properties and the quality of surfaces – all acquired in the course of practical experience with the equipment. The work will also require CAD modelling capabilities and creative thinking, coupled with good interpretation of practical and computational modelling results. Designs will be made and manufactured which incorporate the constraints and freedoms of additive layer manufacturing to reduce weight, improve surface roughness and reduce costs.

In all cases, CAD components will be made available from an existing VAD design, and the work will revolve around three main areas:

1)  ALM manufacturer of Ti-6Al-4V components  (rotor & impeller)

2)  ALM manufacturing of magnetic materials for motor components

3)  Optimised Design for reduced weight and functional grading of surface roughness

The successful student will join an exciting research community in one of the UK's leading engineering departments. The latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), ranked Engineering at Swansea as 8th in the UK overall. The primary academic supervisor will be Dr Nicholas Lavery, and the second supervisor will be Prof Steve Brown. The work is of interest to the Calon Cardio, and Dr Graham Foster will be the industrial supervisor; however, as the project progresses there may be a significant level of interaction with other industrial companies such as Renishaw. This is an ideal opportunity for a motivated and practical person to get a broad training (experimental and modelling) in a specialised area, important from both an academic and industrial perspective, and exposure to the very companies who employ people with these skills.

Academic requirements:

Candidates should have at least a 2:1 honours degree in mechanical, materials or medical engineering (or a relevant science based subject).

Residency criteria:

This studentship is open to UK/EU students only.