Heat, hustle and snow: Sarath Karumudi’s journey into additive manufacturing

What is your background?

I’m from the south of India and I hold a Master of Science in Additive Manufacturing from the Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad. My master’s thesis includes heat treatment optimization and creep properties evaluation of an alloy fabricated via a Laser Powder Bed Fusion process. Right after my master’s degree I joined an Indian company where I was working with a different technology in additive manufacturing. I spent a little over two years there.

How come you chose to do your PhD at Mid Sweden University?

I was searching for a suitable position in my area of interest and Mid Sweden University has a lot of research potential and collaboration with industry players. I also looked for a suitable supervisor, since it’s a key role for a PhD student.

What is going to be your focus during your PhD studies?

My PhD studies will focus on process monitoring techniques using sensors, image analysis and integrate machine learning in Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-EB) process. With these techniques, I can identify the defects, irregularities during the process and correct them with closed-loop control models. I hope that by the end of my PhD I will become an independent researcher and I also hope to increase my network within additive manufacturing.

How do you like Östersund?

It’s very busy where I come from in India with a lot of hustles, but here it’s calm and a much slower pace in comparison. Although I find it very cold here. I’m used to 30–40 degrees in India. I look forward to my time here; I was very warmly welcomed by Professor Lars-Erik Rännar and the group. I’m also hoping to learn how to ski and I would like to learn Swedish while I’m here.