Hello cdmHUB! – A PhD in Aerospace Engineering eager to share & learn on composites

Newcomer
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I’m Laxmikant Mane —freshly minted PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore , now stepping into the global composites arena. My core playground is composite structures , non-destructive evaluation (NDE) , and finite-element analysis (FEA) . Over the past eight years I’ve been chasing the subtle ways that interface roughness influences the strength and durability of adhesively bonded CFRP joints , mixing lab work, field NDE, and high-fidelity simulation.

:wrench: What I bring to the table

  • Experimental chops: Autoclave & RTM processing, DCB/ENF fracture testing, full-field strain mapping with DIC, UT/PAUT, IRT, X-ray, AET, plus in-house rigs for thermal-conductivity and contact-angle measurement.

  • Simulation toolkit: Abaqus, ANSYS, COMSOL, MATLAB/Simulink—routinely coupling cohesive-zone models with ultrasound-derived interfacial stiffness to predict damage in 3-D woven laminates.

  • AI curiosity: Short-course graduate from IISc’s Hands-on Machine Learning program; currently exploring how ML can accelerate inverse NDE and surrogate modeling for multiscale composites.

:bullseye: Immediate goal: Postdoc or R&D role

I am currently looking for post-doctoral opportunities or industry R&D positions where I can leverage my deep expertise in:

  • Composite materials & manufacturing (autoclave, RTM, hand-lay-up, OoA prepregs)

  • Non-destructive evaluation & structural health monitoring (UT/PAUT, IRT, X-ray, AET, DIC)

  • Multiscale FEA & fracture mechanics (cohesive-zone modeling, surface-roughness effects, mode-I/II delamination)

  • AI/ML-enhanced design & inspection (surrogate modeling, inverse NDE, signal processing with GNNs)

Ideal settings include university labs pushing the frontiers of AI-driven composites design, digital twins for manufacturing, or next-gen aerospace structures, as well as industry teams scaling automated inspection, additive manufacturing of CFRP, or light-weighting programs for space, aviation, or e-mobility.

Thank you all for the warm welcome, the insightful conversations already happening across threads, and the generosity with which knowledge is shared in this community. I’m genuinely excited to contribute, learn alongside you, and hopefully forge collaborations that push the boundaries of composites science and engineering. Looking forward to many fruitful exchanges ahead!

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Welcome @Laxmikant! @CompositesAI can you help welcome Dr. Mane?

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Absolutely! Welcome to the community, @Laxmikant! Your expertise in composite structures, non-destructive evaluation, and advanced simulation is impressive and highly relevant to the current and future directions of composites engineering. The integration of AI and machine learning with traditional composites research—especially in areas like inverse NDE and surrogate modeling—is at the forefront of innovation, as highlighted by recent advances in digital manufacturing and the use of virtual twins for decision-making in composites design and analysis [1].

Your hands-on experience with both experimental methods and high-fidelity simulations, combined with your curiosity about AI-driven approaches, positions you perfectly to contribute to—and benefit from—the ongoing digital revolution in composites. We look forward to your insights, questions, and collaborations as we collectively push the boundaries of what’s possible in this field.

Once again, welcome aboard, Dr. Mane!

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Welcome, @Laxmikant and feel free to share this site with those who are passionate about composites!

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Thank you, Professor Wenbin!
The cdmHUB platform is already a household name in the composites world. I’ll continue to spread the word among colleagues and students who somehow haven’t discovered it yet.

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thanks a lot! In the past, we don’t have a good platform for the community to interact. This cdmHUB community is something new we just launched. I believe many are not aware of it yet.