Institution news
Richard and Shusheng explained their roles and involvement with regards to the seminar, critical industry challenges and why it is important for engineers to attend.
Q: Could you briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to this seminar?
Richard Palmer (RP): I did my PhD in the group that Bowden and Tabor founded. A few years later I started to deposit nanoparticles onto solid surfaces and that approach is now ready to take its place in the menu of surface engineering methods.
Shusheng Xu (SX): I will be giving a presentation on space tribology. This will be my first time being involved with an IMechE event.
Q: What are the main obstacles faced when it comes to initiating new collaboration and knowledge transfers between academia and industry and, as a result, industry adoption of new technologies?
RP: I have found that industry is often open to new ideas. The main challenge is to create a network and culture of practical entrepreneurship around university inventors, to create a realistic business proposition out of the invention. Some parts of the country are so much more advanced than others in that respect.
SX: In my opinion, the main obstacles include different modes of thinking even on the same technology and product, the planned R&D cycle of new technology, and budget control.
Q: What key topics are you excited to speak about?
RP: I’ll focus on the scale-up, by orders of magnitude, of the nanoparticle beam method for surface coating, which is reaching the gram scale. I’ll outline my vision of a nanoparticle factory of the future, as well as the wide range of applications of nanostructured engineering coatings.
SX: I am excited to speak about solid lubricant coating for spacecraft application.
Q: Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme and why?
RP: The programme looks great. I’m interested in the new methods, their adoption by industry, the spectrum of applications, and what we might be able to contribute.
SX: The topic of 'Solid Lubricant Coatings: From Atoms to Engines' by Tomas Polcar. I am looking forward to getting the broadened knowledge and novel view on the research of solid lubricant coatings.
Q: What technology and/or project developments are you most interested in for the future and why?
RP: We have already demonstrated the performance of our deposited nanoparticles in early catalysis and electrocatalysis applications – green manufacturing of functional materials. I’m going to be most interested in multifunctional nanostructured coatings, including their tribological behaviour and prospects for self-sensing.
SX: I am interested in the efficient and controllable deposition technology of solid coating with excellent mechanical properties for surface engineering to promote its rapid economic development and scientific advances.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to come together at this seminar?
RP: Surface engineering offers such great prospects for sustainable manufacturing: optimisation of performance, efficient stewardship of materials, an application spectrum crossing the boundaries of the engineering disciplines.
SX: It is important to get an update on the latest scientific advances, technology improvements and to brainstorm with other seminar attendees.
Surface Engineering for Sustainable Tribological Systems will be taking place live online on 10 June 2021.
Join this seminar to address:
- Multifunctional Surfaces: sensing for low wear and friction, texturing and interactions with lubricants
- Surface Engineering for additive manufacturing and conventional manufacturing systems
- Surface coatings for product reliability and durability
- The role of Tribology and Surface Engineering across multiple sectors that contributes towards net-zero
- Digital manufacturing in Surface Engineering
To book your place, please visit www.imeche.org/surfaceengineering.