
MELD Manufacturing Corporation and Deakin University in Victoria, Australia have formed an alliance to advance the science and application of the innovative solid-state metal additive manufacturing process. Deakin University has launched a research program centered on the MELD technology and has installed a MELD machine capable of processing a wide range of metals in open air. Additionally, the university is offering tax-free fully paid PhD scholarships with additional funding to conduct research and for conference travel.
The university is showcasing MELD, “a breakthrough additive manufacturing technology,” in the Advanced Metals Manufacture Facility of the Institute for Frontier Materials. The technology supports the institute’s focus on advanced alloys and infrastructure materials. “Our research is designed to increase profitability and competitiveness, extend product life and reduce energy consumption. The MELD technology supports our mission to redesign materials for a circular economy and impart materials with extraordinary functionality. Technological advance springs often from a breakthrough in materials science,” said Institute Director Matthew Barnett.
Associate Professor Daniel Fabijanic is overseeing the research program and selection of PhD scholarships, which combine deep science with immediate practical impact and are focused on the following research areas:
- Understanding MELD process fundamentals
- MELD processing of high melting point materials
- Microstructure development in MELD processed aluminum alloys
With internationally recognized quality of research and teaching, Deakin ranks 211 in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) placing Deakin in the top 1% of the world’s universities. More information about the university and the institute can be found at https://www.deakin.edu.au/ifm/our-facilities/advanced-metals-manufacture-facility