Dr Sarah Anne Smythe

Dr. Sarah Anne Smythe's PhD research involved working on the Conform™ of various low-cost feedstocks – including CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V – into wire/rod, sponsored by DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) and the EPSRC. Conform™ is a process during which the powder is consolidated through severe plastic deformation and extruded through a profiled die, ultimately forming wire/rod feedstock. This product can then be used downstream for various applications, including springs, wire, and additive manufacturing. 

The project aimed to compare small-scale testing methods (Arbitrary Strain Path test machine (ASP) and wear tester) and simulations (EDEM) with the Conform™ data and product, providing the ability to determine the ‘conform-ability’ of a material without having to trial. Simultaneously, there was an investigation into the product of the Conform™ process and how this can be impacted by changes in tooling geometries and material.