Grants to Support Knowledge Exchange
Sethupathi Rangaraj, 2026 Grant to Support Knowledge Exchange recipient, shares his experience
Receiving the IOM3 Grant to Support Knowledge Exchange gave me the opportunity to attend the 9th Alloys for Additive Manufacturing Symposium, AAMS 2026, at the University of Cambridge and present my PhD research.
I presented a poster on 3D Characterisation of Crack Microstructure Interactions in LPBF AlSi10Mg. My PhD focuses on understanding the three-dimensional microstructure of additively manufactured aluminium alloys and how these features influence material performance. Presenting this work at AAMS allowed me to discuss my results with researchers from different backgrounds and hear different views on the formation of fine grains and other microstructural heterogeneities. These conversations gave me useful perspectives and things to consider as I complete my PhD.
I also found the aluminium alloy sessions particularly interesting, especially the discussions on zinc enrichment in AA7075, tailoring Scalmalloy microstructures, and how additions such as Sc, Zr, Fe, Cr and Nb can influence grain structure and phase formation.
I am very grateful to IOM3 for supporting my attendance. The grant helped me present my work, exchange ideas with the wider additive manufacturing community and gain valuable experience at an important stage of my PhD.
Sethupathi Rangaraj
departmetn of Materials, The University of Manchester
