Dr MICHAEL JOHNSON
| Biography | Dr Michael Johnson is an Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham with nearly 20 years experience. Mechanical Engineering is his vocation; machine design is his teaching specialism. Structural composites, particularly how to manufacture them, has formed the core of his research since 1992. This encompasses large, low cost fibre reinforced thermoplastics and heavily loaded composite shafts, for example, bodysides and axles for railway vehicles, respectively. He is a chartered engineer (FIMechE, CEng) with global work experience and an extensive publication record in rail vehicle lightweighting. |
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| Research Interests | Dr Johnson is a member of the Composites Research Group and is on the Management Board of the EPSRC sponsored, Future Composites Manufacturing Research Hub (CIMComp), a £10.3m investment into UK composites manufacturing. The "Hub" has the aim of delivering a step-change in the production of polymer matrix composites. As part of the Hub he chairs the Postgraduate Development Committee which oversees the training and progression of PhD and EngD research students, delivers the International Exchange programme, and manages Researcher development through the a bespoke Vitae programme. Dr Johnson's research is in the design and manufacture of polymer composites primarily for the purpose of rail vehicle lightweighting. This research segregates into two themes: 1. Carbon Fibre Shafts - TALON (Primary Application: Railway vehicle axles). While hollow carbon fibre (CF) reinforced composite driveshafts for torque transmission are well understood, the design of annular CF tubes subject to transverse/radial/bending loads largely is unresearched. A mathematical tool based on classical laminate theory (CLT) has been implemented to determine fibre failure (according to Tsai-Wu, Maximum Stress, Maximum Strain and other failure criteria) within the tube under combined loading. This permits CF shaft optimisation with respect to mass or geometric constraints in a matter which is less user and computationally intensive than with Finite Element Modelling. Associated research topics include high cycle fatigue failure, dynamic characteristics, impact damage and joining of shaft elements. While a focus has been on railway vehicle axles, applications are ubiquitous and include aeroengine gearboxes, wind turbine shafts as well as space machinery. 2. Large, Low Cost Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastic Structures - HyVR (Primary Application: Railway vehicle bodysides, roofs, intermediate ends and cabs). Thermostamping of preconsolidated fibre reinfroced thermoplastic (FRTP) sheet has attracted research interest due to the attractive properties of the thermoplastic matrix including reformability, low FST (fire, smoke and toxicity) properties and corrosion resistance. However, for low to medium volume component manufacture (approximately <30,000 parts per annum) the cost of high stiffness steel tooling and associated manipulation is prohibitive. A manufacturing technique (HyVR) has been developed to form FRTP sheet by combining the diaphragm and incremental sheet forming processes. The technique equally can be used for manufacturing CF prepreg using infrared (IR) heating, bulk vacuum shaping and robotic precision forming. Research areas include the coding of a thermo-mechanical simulation tool to incorporate pixelated IR heating for overcoming geometric part variations as well as supplementing FRTP shaping and slippage across the mould surface. The primary focus has been on rail vehicle carbody applications, however, automotive panelling, aerospace surfaces and marine hatches equally are within scope of the HyVR forming process. |
| Teaching and Learning | Dr Johnson's teaching interests are in engineering design. In 2007 he became convenor for the first year design module (MMME1024) taken by the Mechanical, Manufacturing and PDM cohorts. This module integrates the strands of engineering design practice, machine element understanding, solid modelling skills and hands on machine tool training. In addition, he tutors second year Mechanical and Manufacturing students through their advanced design module and supervises high level design projects (group and individual) for final year students. Since the inception of the Aerospace Engineering course, Dr Johnson has been a tutor within the years 1 and 2 design modules. He is an AdvanceHE Fellow (FHEA) with teaching roles in the following modules. Undergraduate Courses: MMME1024-Engineering Design and Design Project (Co-Convenor) MMME2044-Design, Manufacture and Project (Design Tutor) MMME1049-Aerospace Design and Materials (Design Tutor) MMME2033-Aerospace Design and Manufacture (Design Tutor) MMME3083-Individual BEng Project (Project Supervisor) MMME4086-MEng Individual Project (Project Supervisor) MMME4085-Group Design and Make (Project Supervisor) Postgraduate Courses: H798-Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Composites Manufacture (Course Director) |
| ResearcherID | ADN-6465-2022 |
| Scopus Author ID | 57211616466 |
| PhD Supervision Availability | Yes |
| PhD Topics | Polymer Composite Manufacturing Thermoplastic Sheet Forming Thick Wall Composite Shaft Manufacture |