Australian-French research collaboration on marine propeller technologies
Researchers from Flinders Centre for Nanoscale, Science and Technology and Centre for Maritime Engineering, Control and Imaging will be joining Centrale Nantes’ world leading researchers on projects focused on Additive Manufacturing, and Naval hydrodynamics and simulator development.
The partnership will also provide opportunities for French and Australian students to undertake exchange placements and internships.
This collaboration will initially focus on two project areas:
The first involves marine propellers, and will investigate the use of nanocomposite technologies for manufacturing marine propellers to increase blade strength and reduce noise and corrosion as well as reducing manufacturing costs associated with existing metal fabrication technologies.
The second relates to 3D printing of metal-polymer composite materials. The field of additive manufacturing is still in its early days and there are still many challenges to research ahead of its widespread adoption. The newly formed Centrale Nantes-Flinders University research team will work together to scope and understand the challenges in 3D printing of metallic and composite materials.
By Jake Frith
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