Dr. Ryan Cottam
Research Engineer
- Areas:
-
Industrial Research Institute Swinburne
Laser and Plasma Deposition Technologies - Office:
- ATC 811
- Phone:
- +61 3 9214 4878
- E-Mail:
- rcottam@swin.edu.au
- Campus:
- Hawthorn
Swinburne University of Technology
PO Box 218
Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122
Australia
Research Interests
- Laser processing
- Superplasticity
- Mechanical testing
- Texture development in magnesium alloys
- Microstructural modelling
Previous Research Experience
- CSIRO Research Officer – FEM modelling for associated forging companies.
- Monash University, Materials Engineering Department PhD – conducted studies into superplasticity with a scholarship from Australian Research Council.
- Manchester Materials Science Centre Post–doctoral researcher– conducted research for Magnesium Elektron LTD in texture evolution in magnesium alloys.
- Alcoa Europe, Flat Product, Birmingham England–development metallurgist.
Supervision of higher degree by research (HDR) (Current students)
| Name | Degree | Research Centre | Start year | Role | Institution | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novana Hutasoit | PhD | IRIS | 2009 | Associate Supervisor | Swinburne | ||
Topics for Prospective Ph.D Students - View ALL topics for Dr. Ryan Cottam
Residual stress optimisation of pulsed laser deposited Stellite 6 coatings on mild steelIn this project a mathematical model of the pulsed laser cladding will be developed to optimise the process. These and several other modelling parameters will be trialled to evaluate the residual stress produced by laser cladding.
Free Space Metal Deposition
Additive manufacturing is a rapidly growing field of research. Free space metal deposition is the latest of these technologies and allows metal to be deposited in free space.
The process is in its infancy and someone with a mechanical engineering background that has an interest in materials would be in a prime position to develop the technology further during the course of a PhD.
Process control of laser additive manufacturing for improved material quality
This is a new approach to process control in additive manufacture utilising process monitoring of temperature and shape through infrared emissivity measurements and CCD cameras respectively to develop relationships between melt pool temperature, melt pool shape and the resulting mechanical properties of simple builds.
Major Publications
- Lapovok R., Cottam R., Stecher G., Deam R., Summerville E., Investigation of Ductility and Damage Accumulation by two Stage Deformation using ECAE/ECAD and Tensile Test, NATO Science Series book “Investigations and Applications of Severe Plastic Deformation”, (2000), 303 – 312.
- R. Lapovok, R. Cottam, P.F. Thompson, “Extraordinary Superplastic ductility of magnesium alloy ZK60”, Journal of Materials Research, Vol 20, 1375–1378 2005
- R. Lapovok, P.F. Thomson, R. Cottam, “Processing Routes Leading to Superplastic behaviour of magnesium alloy ZK60”, Materials Science and Engineering A, Vol 410, 390–393, 2005
- R. Cottam, Robson, G Lorimer, B. Davis, “Dynamic Recrystallization of Mg and Mg–Y alloys: Crystallographic texture development”, Materials Science and Engineering A (2007,, Materials Science and Engineering A (2007)
- R.Cottam, “Superplasticity of Magnesium alloy ZK60”, Lambert Academic Publishing (2010,, Lambert Academic Publishing (2010)
- R. Cottam, M. Brandt, “Development of a processing window for the transformation hardening of Nickel–Aluminium–Bronze”, Materials Science Forum: proceedings of the 7th Pacific Rim International Conference on Advanced Materials and Processing (PRICM–7), Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 02–06 August 2010