About the Project
Develop automated in-process ultrasonic inspection that delivers high-integrity welds right, first time, every time, on BAE Systems submarine geometries and materials.
- Lead Supervisor: Ewan Nicolson, University of Strathclyde
- Second Supervisor: To be confirmed
- Industry Partner: BAE Systems (Confirmed)
- Project Start: TBC
- Target Background: Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science
- Industrial Funding: In place (Confirmed)
- Advert Close Date: ASAP
- Programme: 4 year Engineering Doctorate (EngD) with industry placement
Right-first-time, every time.
Traditionally, welding and inspection of high-integrity joints are separate, sequential, often manual processes in manufacturing and repair. These limitations reduce productivity, throughput and schedule certainty, and increase rework when defects are only detected at weld completion. The additional energy required for repeated re-heating and cooling cycles to excavate and repair these defects significantly increases the commercial and environmental costs of errors in manufacturing.
A shrinking and ageing skilled workforce, alongside a drive to reduce hazardous working, makes process automation a priority.
Automated in-process ultrasonic inspection aims to deliver high-integrity welds right, first time, every time. Drawing on current industrial operational data, in-process ultrasonic inspection offers significant reductions:
- More than 55% in weld process time
- More than 50% in overall weld cost
- More than 75% in person hours
This proposal seeks to accelerate and propel innovative developments in in-process ultrasonic inspection to BAE Systems submarine geometries and materials.
Aims and objectives
The project will accelerate developments in in-process ultrasonic inspection for BAE Systems submarine geometries and materials. Its objectives are:
- Verify the performance and limitations of in-process phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) on BAE Systems submarine Double-V Submerged Arc Welds (SAW) and Double-V Flux Cored Arc Welds (FCAW).
- Undertake simulations to verify that in-process PAUT can be applied to these specific weld types.
- Develop new imaging approaches for in-process inspection of those welds.
- Optimise and quantify the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance of in-process phased array inspections.
Alignment to STAND-UP impact targets
- >50% reduction in overall build or decommissioning process time
- >40% reduction in maintenance time
- >30% reduction in person hours on builds
Apply for this project
Contact the lead supervisor or programme team to discuss your interest. Full application instructions are on the How to Apply page.
Funding Notes
£26,000 per year, plus a significant project, travel and training budget. Open to UK home students.
Where will I study?
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde is a leading international technological university, located in the heart of Glasgow – one of the UK’s largest cities and an emerging centre for commerce, tech and innovation.
Founded in 1796 as a ‘a place of useful learning’, research is central to everything we do. It informs our teaching and underpins our commitment to making a positive difference to society.
At Strathclyde, we don't just offer a doctoral degree - we offer an opportunity to make a real impact on the world. Strong links with business, industry, and the public sector mean that our doctoral researchers are tackling some of the most pressing local, societal, and global challenges of our time.
Join a dynamic community of world-renowned academics leading cutting-edge research in Science, Engineering, Business, Humanities and Social Sciences.
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