Aerospace with Royce at the University of Sheffield

Welcome to Royce at the University of Sheffield, one of the leading partners for the UK's national institute for advanced materials research and innovation; The Henry Royce Institute.

Welcome to Royce at the University of Sheffield

a beacon of excellence in aerospace research and development.

We offer a collaborative and cutting-edge environment empowering aerospace businesses to push the boundaries of innovation.

Our world-class facilities, coupled with a rich pool of multidisciplinary expertise, make us a hub for advancing materials science, manufacturing, and engineering solutions crucial to the aerospace sector. As your partner in progress, we invite aerospace research and development teams to leverage our state-of-the-art resources and engage in groundbreaking research propelling the industry forward.

We are situated within the vibrant academic community of the University of Sheffield, poised to provide a unique platform for synergy between industry leaders, academia, and governmental bodies.

We are here to join you in forging the future of aerospace technology, collaborating with top-notch researchers and tapping into cutting-edge technologies.

Welcome to Royce, where innovation takes flight, and the sky is not the limit.

Case Studies

A set of five images showing microscope imaging of a variety of alloys

Working with Boeing UK to increase efficiency and sustainability of aerospace components

Lucy Farquhar, PhD Researcher based at The University of Sheffield, Partners with Boeing UK to establish a novel additive manufacturing solution to develop high entropy alloys able to operate under high temperatures for jet engine applications.

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images of an aeroplane and a digital twin of the aeroplane

Digital twins for high value components

Digital twin usage is growing apace. A group of researchers at the UK’s Advanced Forming Research Centre and The University of Sheffield explore its role in forging high-value components.

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Solid-State Processing of Surplus Aluminium Alloy Powders through a Combination of Field Assisted Sintering Technology and Hot Rolling

Dr Simon Graham, MAPP - ESPRC Future Manufacturing Hub, Partners with ECKART GmbH and AMS CDT alumni, to convert surplus aluminium alloy powders from atomisation into sheet material in two solid-state steps for use in aerospace applications.

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Key Personnel

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Dr Robert Deffley

Henry Royce Institute Technology Platform Lead (Near Net Shape)
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Email address: robert.deffley@sheffield.ac.uk

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Dr Yunus Azakli

Henry Royce Institute Engineering Lead (Materials Discovery & Prototyping)
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Advanced metal processing via melting, casting and thermomechanical treatments.

Email address: y.azakli@sheffield.ac.uk

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George Maddison

Henry Royce Institute Engineering Lead (Additive Manufacturing)
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Email address: G.Maddison@sheffield.ac.uk

Key Equipment

Field Assisted Sintering Technology or Spark Plasma Sintering

Field Assisted Sintering Technology/Spark Plasma Sintering (FAST/SPS) uses a DC electric current to directly heat the mould and/or sample through Joule heating. This direct heating allows high heating rates and low processing cycle times to be achieved. Lower temperatures and mould pressures are also typical compared to conventional hot pressing and sintering techniques.

FAST/SPS offers new possibilities to manufacture numerous materials with potentially extraordinary characteristics. The Type HP D 250/C Furnace is ideal to investigate the scale-up of FAST/SPS for industrial applications.

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Additive Manufacturing

Royce at the University of Sheffield offers a wide range of state-of-the-art additive manufacturing (AM) equipment, hosting open source software with full instrumentation and complete control of the manufacturing process, which are therefore able to optimise for new alloys.

Additive Manufacturing technologies developed through Royce at the University of Sheffield hold the potential to displace existing technologies with reduced material waste and increased part complexity.

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Image from Dr B. A. Rickinson's HIP Case Study — X Ray image of Hot Isostatic Pressed Powder Prototype

Hot and Cold Isostatic Pressing

In powder metallurgy, Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) allows us to compress a volume of metal powder at such high temperatures and pressures, that through a combination of deformation, creep, and diffusion, you actually create a product with an homogenous annealed microstructure (compact solid) with minimal or no impurities in the materials.
Our Cold Isostatic Press (CIP) is used to shape form powders into a green body, prior to sintering. This model allows the pressing of various shapes, including discs, bars, and tubes, and is therefore a near-net-shape process.

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