Development of a Validated Design Toolkit for the Development of Complex Composite Components

IDC in Composites Manufacture

University of Bristol

Cobham Composites is a relatively small company (80 staff) that designs and manufactures a range of advanced composite structures for a variety of applications. Its business has been developed from radomes but it is currently expanding its areas of application.

In order to maximise the benefits of this expansion it needs access to a wide range of tools to support the design and product development processes. These tools need to be validated and fit for purpose within a small and flexible design team to permit an efficient and low risk work flow leading to profitable production.

In collaboration with the Cobham design team, the Research Engineer will be responsible for identifying suitable tools in a variety of areas. These might include areas such as materials and process selection, costing, laminate, jointing and structural analysis, springback and residual stresses, tooling design, resin flow modelling, component quality analysis and preforming processes. The Research Engineer will acquire, trial and validate a suite of tools appropriate to the working and business practices of Cobham Composites and integrate and embed the validated tools into those practices. The Research Engineer will be responsible for the experimental programme to validate the tools as well as for the tool selection and integration.

The Research Engineer will be principally sited at the Cobham Stevenage plant but will also need to be able to work at the Shepshed plant and at the National Composites Centre in Bristol.

Note: There is no fixed date for applying, but candidates are advised to apply as soon as possible. This project is available for immediate start.