Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/T19988/01
Title:	Adaptive Capabilities Through Embedded Active/Passive Fibre elements in Ultrasonic Consolidation Freeform Structures
Principal Investigator:	Ghassemieh, Professor E
Other Investigators:	Soar, Dr RC
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Solidica Corp
Department:	Mechanical Engineering
Organisation:	University of Sheffield
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	27 June 2005	Ends:	26 December 2008	Value (£):	275,390
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Processing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 16 Jun 2004 Engineering Science Components Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
The research will investigate the use of Ultrasonic Consolidation (UC) to produce embedded active and passive fibre elements within a matrix structure. In particular, it will investigate a unique attribute of the UC process which is it's ability to set up large enough amounts of plastic flow in the matrix materials to encapsulate embedded fibres between the foils without recourse to the heating and pressure regimes required in current continuous embedded fibre matrix composite manufacture that can result in fibre fracture and 'wrinkling'.The project will be divided into two parts that will run concurrently. The first will be the identification of the mechanisms that result in plastic flow under UC conditions. This work will focus on the simulation of plastic flow in metal foils that results in sufficient flow around continuous active quatz fibres and passive SiC fibres leading to a robust model that can demonstrate plastic flow in aluminium grades 3003 and 6061 foils as the matrix material. The second will be the physical production of embedded quatz and SiC fibres in each of the matrix materials listed above on the ultrasonic consolidation equipment used in the Fast Stream proposal. Multi-layered specimen will be produced 25mm wide by 150 mm long and will be used to validate and feedback into the model of plastic flow under UC conditions and finally identify the optimum process parameters to produce embedded fibres.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.shef.ac.uk