About

Dr. Ramesh Raghavendra

SEAM Centre Director | Founder of 3DWIT

Dr Ramesh Raghavendra, SEAM Centre Director & Founder of 3DWIT, holds a Ph.D from University of Twente, The Netherlands. His research background is in the areas of functional ceramics, glass and glass-ceramics, sintering of powder materials and more recently his research interests are directed towards Metal Additive Manufacturing.  He has been a Principal Investigator on numerous AM related industrial projects including two large Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership projects to the valve of €1.1m and €400,000 with MNC, SME and LEO companies based in Ireland. Ramesh is also currently co-ordinating €2m prestigious Disruptive Technology Innovation fund project pertaining to ‘Enhanced Biocompatibility of AM manufactured Bio-Medical implants for improved clinical outcomes’. Furthermore, he has also successfully Coordinated an EU funded FP7-SME project. Ramesh is also funded investigator in SFI Advanced Manufacturing Centre (I-Form).

In his present role as SEAM Director, Ramesh is responsible for overall operational aspects and is instrumental in relaunching the centre in 2009.  Within ten years of launching of SEAM, Ramesh has established collaborations with over 235 Irish based industries and successfully managed to deliver over 3000 directly funded Industrial projects. For the contribution to Industrial services, Ramesh & SEAM has received several awards including prestigious KTI Award (2015), Irish Manufacturing Research Award (2020), Irish Laboratory Award (2020), etc.  He has authored/co-authored in more than 80 refereed journal publications and has two patents to his credit.

Mr. Eoghan O’Donoghue

Gateway Operations Manager

Eoghan joined SEAM in 2009 as a Development Engineer. Prior to that, he had been working overseas in a variety of areas of computer modelling, FEA analysis, product development, design, component engineering, failure analysis and project management.

His area of speciality is in Computer-Aided Engineering and Finite Element Analysis. He holds a Research Masters and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Cork Institute of Technology. He has worked on cooperative research projects with Analogue devices Limerick and the National Microelectronic Research Centre in Cork in the field of Microelectronics. During his career, he has worked for companies such as Eaton Aerospace, Jakaar industries and IGG Component Technology. He has published the following research papers: – “Copper/Tin Intermetallics and Lead (Pb) Free Components”, “Analytical and FEA Analysis of a Silicon Micro-machined Capacitive Pressure Sensor.”, “Development of Behavioural Models of Packaged Microsystems Sensor Elements”.

Mr. Brendan Phelan

Business Development Engineer XMT

Brendan holds a Research Masters and a Bachelor of Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology. His research work focused on high speed automated sub-micron measurements utilising piezoelectric actuators and a solid-state flexure arrangement to achieve the high precision and accuracy required. Prior to joining SEAM Brendan has worked in research and development in medical device and pressure safety system industries.

At SEAM Brendan works on creative and novel X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography (XMT) solutions for industrial clients and academic collaborators. These solutions provide information to clients and collaborators that would often be impossible to acquire in any other fashion or, where possible with traditional methods, would have required the destruction of the samples, components, or assemblies.

Dr. Colin Reidy

Biomedical Engineering

Dr Colin Reidy holds a PhD from the University of Limerick, Ireland. He has recently joined the SEAM Research Centre as a Biomaterials Engineer. Colin’s PhD focused on developing novel, bioactive, all-ceramic filler materials, based on reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA) which can be tailored to a range of complex shapes for use in load-bearing skeletal applications.

Prior to this Colin completed an MSc. in Biomedical Engineering jointly taught by the University of Limerick, Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin, with Medical Science input from the RCSI. Colin has a broad understanding of advanced principles in medical device technology and a range of skills including; spectroscopy, mechanical testing, polymer analysis, microscopy & a variety of software packages.

At SEAM Colin works on a variety of projects for industrial clients. This includes the identification of failure processes in polymeric medical devices, through the use of microscopy and thermal analysis techniques to identify compositional and/or process variations in the materials. Colin also investigates the surface morphology of various biomedical materials using white light interferometry and/or microscopy techniques.

Mr. Patrick Donnellan

FEA/CFD Technology Leader

Patrick is a chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He graduated with a BEng in Civil Engineering from NUI Galway, and an MSc in Computer Modelling and Finite Elements in Engineering Mechanics from Swansea University.

Prior to joining SEAM Patrick worked as a consulting engineer primarily within the oil and gas industry. His main responsibility was to design and analyse piping, pressurised components, and vessels used in subsea, offshore, and onshore environments. His experience is in design as well as in the analysis of assets in service and has involved the application of Finite Element Analysis simulation to problems relating to stress analysis, buckling, vibration, fatigue and fracture mechanics.

Patrick joined SEAM in 2016 and has been focusing on providing solutions to clients across a wide variety of industries, primarily through the use of engineering analysis involving FEA and CFD. These include medical device, heavy and precision engineering, civil engineering, and HVAC.

Dr. Sinéad O’Halloran

Scientific Coordinator | AM Researcher

Sinéad holds a BE in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from NUI Galway. Her research involved experimental characterisation, computational modelling and the development of a design tool for fretting fatigue and wear in the pressure armour layer of flexible marine risers.

In SEAM, Sinéad has a dual role as a Postdoctoral researcher (Additive Manufacturing – AM) and Scientific Coordinator. She is the lead researcher for the DTIF E-Bambi project pertaining to the Enhanced biocompatibility of AM Biomedical implants for improved clinical outcomes. She also assists SEAM in developing and growing AM activities, engaging with clients, generating work proposals relating to AM. As a Scientific Coordinator, Sinéad also assists SEAM Centre Director in the supervision of postgraduate students, writing journal publications and writing proposals for various funding agencies.

Mr. Tommy Kelly

Operations Engineer

Tommy joined SEAM in June 2013 as a Research Engineer. Tommy holds a level 9 Post Grad Cert in Advanced Materials Characterisation and a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.

Tommy’s primary role at SEAM is failure analysis projects utilising micro-sectioning and various analytical techniques including SEM, White Light Interferometry, Tensile Testing and Micro Hardness Testing. Tommy is also involved in the thermal analysis of polymeric materials and Rheology. Prior to this, Tommy was involved in CNC sheet metal fabrication (Kel-Tech Engineering Waterford) & CNC manufacturing of automotive components (Honeywell Turbo Technologies Waterford).

Ms. Agnieszka Furman

NDT Engineer

Agnieszka joined SEAM as an NDT engineer in January 2017.

Her work focuses on utilizing X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography (XMT) to analyse and visualise 3D components and materials.

Agnieszka holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology and a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland.

Dr. Sara Karam

NDT Engineer

Sara holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and a PhD which focused on advanced sensor monitoring of manufacturing processes from the University of Naples Federico II, Italy.

Prior to SEAM, as a post-doctorate fellow at the University of Naples Federico II, she worked on two EU FP7 Projects focusing on advanced sensor monitoring of manufacturing processes for process optimisation. She joined SEAM in 2016 as an NDT Engineer. Her work focused on utilising non-destructive techniques, basically X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography, to analyse product components. Her work also includes failure analysis, macro and microscopic measurements, and mechanical evaluation of components.

She recently completed an Innovation Partnership Project with Viecura Medical Ltd. on the development of innovative hip protector technology for the elderly population. Currently, she is working with the FEA team in SEAM on providing solutions primarily through the use of engineering analysis involving FEA and CFD.

Ms. Guru Vidhya

Material/Failure Analysis Engineer

Guru joined SEAM in 2018 as a Material/Failure Analysis Engineer. She holds a master’s degree in Polymer Science from Anna University and a bachelor’s in Polymer Technology from Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology in India.

Prior to SEAM, she worked as a Research Associate for a recruiting company in India. Her work in SEAM mainly focuses on Direct Funded Industrial projects. She has completed over 360 industrial projects. Her work encompasses analysing medical devices, medicines, material identification, failure analysis, contamination analysis, thermal analysis of polymers and mechanical testing.

Mr. Yogesh Rajpal

Development Engineer

Yogesh joined SEAM recently as a Development Engineer. He has a Bachelors in Metallurgical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

Previously, he was associated with an automobile Research and development department where his work focused on special alloy steel development and part material quality and testing for the development of engine, transmission and frame parts development. He also has work experience in an elite sintering division where he worked in quality control and continuous improvement of sintering and heat process. His expertise is in metallurgical testing, product development, and quality control.
In SEAM, Yogesh work will be focused on Additive Manufacturing and Metallurgical testing.

Mr. Gavin Brophy

Development Engineer

Gavin joined SEAM in 2020 as a Simulation Engineer. After graduating with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the Limerick Institute of Technology, Gavin worked overseas redeveloping areas of industrial plants using FEA to conduct; stress/deflection analysis, geometry optimisation, and seismic acceleration simulations.

Here at SEAM, Gavin focuses on researching structural phenomena caused by material behaviour through the development of Finite Element Models.

Ms. Sabrina Marques

Development Engineer

Sabrina joined SEAM in September 2019 as a Development Engineer in Additive Manufacturing to work on the project “Enhanced Biocompatibility of Additively Manufactured Biomedical Implants for Improved Clinical Outcomes (E-BAMBI)”. This project is funded under the Government of Ireland by the Consortium Program – Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).

She graduated with Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Tupy University Centre, Brazil. She has worked with the Metal Additive Manufacturing process – Selective Laser Melting (SLM) since 2012 when she participated in a Master’s degree interchange at the DIPI lab (Diagnostic et Imagerie des Procédés Industriels Hautes Températures) of École Nationale d’Ingenieurs de Saint-Etienne – ENISE, France. She started the additive manufacturing laboratory’s activities at SENAI Institute of Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Laser Processing in Brazil, where she managed industry-funded innovation projects focused on studying and developing SLM process parameters with applications in the medical, aerospace and tooling (conformal cooling channels) field. She continued this same line of research when she worked as an assistant professor at the Federal University of Santa Maria and as a researcher in additive manufacturing at Instituto Anima, Brazil. She has advised companies interested in using additive manufacturing in their products.

Mr. Eamonn Shields

Research Engineer

Eamonn joined SEAM in 2020 as a research engineer. Eamonn holds a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering from Waterford Institute of Technology.

Eamonn’s main role at SEAM is failure analysis projects utilising micro-sectioning and various analytical techniques including SEM, Micro Hardness Testing, Tensile Testing and White Light Interferometry.

Dr. Italo Tomaz

Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Dr Tomaz is a postdoctoral researcher in the Materials Processing Development area of I-Form and is based in Waterford IT. He completed D.Sc. on the investigation of residual stress on the milling process of maraging steels in the School of Engineering at Fluminense Federal University (Brazil) in 2019. He also obtained an M.Sc degree in mechanical engineering in the School of Engineering at Fluminense Federal University in 2016, and his undergraduate degree was in mechanical engineering from the same university (2013). His main research interests are in the area manufacturing process.

Ms. Vivienne Evans

Administrator

Vivienne joined SEAM in March 2014. She has a variety of experience working within the manufacturing sector with over 15 years experience in business administration.

Mr. Paul Quinn

Postgraduate Research Scholar

Paul joined SEAM in August 2017 as a Postgraduate Research Scholar. Currently he is registered on the Master by Research degree in Waterford IT, however he intends to transfer onto the PhD Program in 2019. His research topic is focused on the powder and in-situ metrological methods within the Metal Additive Manufacturing process. His research is funded by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR).

Before joining SEAM Paul completed a B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering in Institute of Technology, Tallaght receiving a First Class Honours and an academic award for Best Overall Student in the Mechanical Engineering Course.

Mr. Prathviraj Upadhyaya

Postgraduate Research Scholar

Prathviraj Upadhyaya joined SEAM in October 2019 as a PhD research scholar. His research topic focuses on the development of the structure-property relationship of additive manufactured magnesium-based alloys. This research aims to develop processing parameters to successfully additive manufacture dense magnesium alloy parts and create a detailed structure-property relationship of these parts for medical implant applications. His research is funded by Stryker and aims towards the development of additive manufactured bioresorbable magnesium implants.

He holds a Bachelors of Engineering degree (BE) in Mechanical Engineering from Visveswaraya Technological University, Karnataka, India and a Master of Science degree (MSc) in Advanced Engineering Materials from the University of Limerick, Limerick with first-class honours. In his masters, he worked on the development of bio-based lignin carbon nanofibers as high-performance anode material for Li-ion batteries.