MAPP’s first Image Competition attracted a high calibre of entries.

Double cantilever beams (DCB) on the surface of a WC single crystal. - Materials up close winner, MAPP first Image Competition, Max Emmanuel’s image showing double cantilever beams (DCB) on the surface of a WC single crystal.
Materials up close winner Max Emmanuel’s image showing double cantilever beams (DCB) on the surface of a WC single crystal.

The competition, which was open to the wide network of MAPP researchers at all levels, showcased some of the fantastic photographs captured during the powder and processing

studies taking place across partner sites.

Researchers from across the MAPP programme submitted more than 40 entries ranging from microscopic images, heat map and artefacts to equipment shots and structures.

Materials up close runner up Lorna Sinclair. - Materials up close runner up in MAPP's first image competition Lorna Sinclair. Although usually solid, this Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo gas atomised powder particle is hollow, and a fractured surface reveals two smaller powder particles hidden inside, likely trapped during atomisation.
Materials up close runner up Lorna Sinclair. Although usually solid, this Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo gas atomised powder particle is hollow, and a fractured surface reveals two smaller powder particles hidden inside, likely trapped during atomisation.

Judging the entries was a tough job for the panel, MAPP Director Professor Iain Todd, professional photographer Mark Harvey, Jamie Clayton from Freeman Technology and Robert Prior from Verder Scientific, as the standard was so high.

Chair of the panel, Prof. Todd said: “We’ve always known the research talents of our MAPP network and it’s been great to see that they also have an eye for a striking shot.

“We are especially grateful to the sponsors of the competition Freeman Technology and Verder Scientific as it means that we have been able to award prize money to the winners.”

There were two categories: 

1. Materials up close – sponsored by Freeman Technology. 

2. Artefacts and their manufacture – sponsored by Verder Scientific.

The prize winners in each category were as follows:

Materials up close – winner Max Emmanuel, runner up Lorna Sinclair.

Five highly commended prizes were also awarded to Alex Goodall, Caterina Iantaffi, Mozhdeh Mehrabi, and Dr Nick Weston for two of his images.

Artefacts and their manufacture - winner Dr Nick Weston, runner up Dr Oliver Blanch / Dr Daniel Suárez Fernández.

Five highly commended prizes were also awarded to Dr Oliver Blanch / Dr Daniel Suárez Fernández, Dr Yunhui Chen,  Xianqiang Fan, Mozhdeh Mehrabi, and Dr Nick Weston.

Winners were announced at a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday 4th March 2021 where the sponsoring companies presented the prizes. Some of the winning images will be featured in MAPP's annual report which will be published at the start of April 2021.

Photograph of an automotive valve retainer for an engine having dimensions verified against tolerances on its technical drawing. - Artefacts and their manufacture winner in MAPP's first image competition Dr Nick Weston. Photograph of an automotive valve retainer for an engine having dimensions verified against tolerances on its technical drawing.
Artefacts and their manufacture winner Dr Nick Weston. Photograph of an automotive valve retainer for an engine having dimensions verified against tolerances on its technical drawing.
Artefacts and their manufacture runner up image in MAPP's first Image Competition - Artefacts and their manufacture runner up image by Oliver Blanch / Dr Daniel Suárez Fernández. This diagram is constructed with the information contained in the forces recorded with a dynamometer during a face turning operation. The machined sample has six different titanium alloys joined by the FAST technology. The alloys are distributed in the shape of the Sheffield Titanuim Alloy Research (STAR) group logo.
Artefacts and their manufacture runner up image by Oliver Blanch / Dr Daniel Suárez Fernández. This diagram is constructed with the information contained in the forces recorded with a dynamometer during a face turning operation.