Dr Sarah Silve

Sarah Silve is a Lecturer in Design, she joined the teaching team in 2007 and mostly teaches on practical based modules, taking students through the transition and implications of designing for one-off through to manufacture. Sarah’s background is in silversmithing and jewellery. She has worked in various aspects of the industry as a jeweller, designer and model maker. Her own crafts practice however, is anchored in silversmithing. Concerned with issues of developing a commercially viable practice in a particularly niche market, she became interested in the potential of ‘new technologies’. Sarah’s research is broadly concerned with the use of CAD/CAM, Rapid Prototyping (RP), lasers, materials and manufacturing. In particular, she is interested in the step changes that can occur as a result of trying new combinations of materials and processes to develop new applications and creative outcomes. Her PhD research, and subsequent post doctoral employment at Brunel University, was in laser materials processing. The projects were centred on laser forming, which involves using the heat of a laser to bend metal sheet and tubes, although she also has experience of laser cutting, marking and welding. In her PhD work at The Laser Group at The University of Liverpool, she developed archetypal heating strategies for producing 3D forms with a view to potential design applications in silversmithing and the applied arts. Sarah joined Brunel in 2001, and set up a laser facility for further research which consisted of two key projects: ‘Laser bending silver’ supported by The Leverhulme Trust and The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and a subsequent AHRC fellowship which looked at the use of the lasers and laser forming by designer-makers, and tested the potential commercial viability of the process though a project with Carr’s Welding. The research was largely empirical but aspects made use of metrology, thermocouple analysis and FEA. The research also resulted in a number of table pieces which have been exhibited in the UK.

Brief biography

• PhD ‘Laser forming and Creative Metal Work’
• PG Cert, Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
• Certificate in Arts and Cultural Management
• BA (hons) Three Dimensional Design- Silver/Metal

Research Interests

Keywords: Laser material processing, Rapid Prototyping, CAD/CAM, Materials, manufacture, Precious Metal Clay, aesthetics, topology, Designer-maker, crafts practice, co-design

Sarah is interested in developing the processing capabilities of materials with the use of CAD/CAM, RP, and Lasers alongside traditional techniques. The work is both process and materials focussed, but the outcomes may be in a number of arenas, technical applications, manufacturing development, but also in developing the sensibilities of design practice and aesthetics. Whilst having a research foundation in CAD/CAM and RP, Sarah is also interested in understanding the public’s interaction with such technology, their prospective needs, co-design and the development of interfaces and access routes.

Current Research

Kalsang Shoba (PhD student funded by the Thomas Gerald Grey Trust) is working with Precious Metal Clay (PMC), which is produced by Mitsubishi Materials. The clay is comprised of silver particles suspended in an organic binder; when fired the binder burns away leaving a pure silver part. PMC has its main use in the Jewellery industry. Silver PMC comes in a number of consistencies: clay, syringe, paste and paper. The research is supported by The PMC Studio (the UK distributer) for the provision of the materials and existing materials and practical knowledge. As a result of the project, The PMC Studio are looking for a greater understanding of the properties of the material and applications outside of the hobbyist jewellery market.

Esteban Schunemann (PhD student) is investigating the automated syringe deposition of viscous materials, including metallic and ceramic particulate and biodegradable materials. Within his list of candidate materials, Esteban is looking at the syringe deposition of PMC and other such clays (copper and bronze). The final goal is to concurrently deposit materials to produce functionally graded components.

ChocALM Project – Funded by the EPSRC under the ‘Digital Economy in the Wild’ programme (March 2011-September 2012). This is a collaborative project between The University of Exeter and members of the Design Team at Brunel. The project is led by Dr Liang Hao at Exeter and involves Professor Richard Everson in computing, Prof Irene Ng, Dr Eminegul Karababa and Dr Susan Wakenshaw of the Business School. The team at Brunel includes Dr Hua Dong, Dr Busayawan Lam and Dr Sarah Silve. The project vehicle is the 3D printing of chocolate, but the project is concerned with the co-production of physical products and value creation. The project brings together a wealth of expertise to develop a business model and a web-based environment with embedded software for design creation, and co-creation, which is underpinned by a research as to users’ needs, consumer habits, emotional values and levels of engagement with design, CAD and social networking.

Artefact Café pilot project – funded by Horizon Digital Economy Research (July 2011–March 2012) Artefact Café seeks to use an open and user-led design approach to unleash the social and economic transformational impact that digital tools and fabrication hubs can potentially have on creativity and social innovation within a local context, which serves as a public repository of knowledge and culture. The project involves Dr Sharon Baurley and Dr Sarah Silve of Brunel University, Dr George Kuk of the Nottingham University Business School, Dr Joel Segal, University of Nottingham.

Previous Research

• 2005 – 2008
  The Arts and Humanities Research Council, Creative Fellowship (£148k)
  Project: Laser Forming and CO2 Laser Processes for Creative Applications
• 2004 – 2005
  Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Special Fellowship (£15k)
  Project: Laser Forming Silver
• 2004 – 2005
  The Leverhulme Trust, Research Fellowship. (£14)
  Materials and equipment for the Laser Forming Silver project
• 2002 – 2003
  The Leverhulme Trust, Artist in Residence Award. (£10k)
  Laser cutting and forming project

Teaching

• Module leader for DM2317 Design for Manufacture and Communication
• Module teaching contributor DM1316 Product Analysis
• Supervision MA Design and Branding Strategy
• MSc Integrated Product Design

Sarah has presented her work on laser forming at a number of universities, institutions, conferences and events in the UK and America. She has given presentations and held a ‘play day’ workshop at Metropolitan Works (2008). Presentations, workshops and exhibition stands of samples have been given at events held by The Association of Industrial Laser Users, (Workshop: Artistic uses of lasers, 2005), and The Goldsmiths’ Company, (Laser Symposium, June 2003). She also gave a presentation and was part of the panel for ‘Lasers a Tool for our Craft’, at The Association for Contemporary Jewellery Conference - ‘A Sense of Wonder' (2000).

Exhibitions

• July 2007
  Future Voices: celebrating diversity
  Cooper Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
• Summer 2006
  Moving Forward
  Beldam Gallery, Brunel University, Uxbridge
• July 2000
  Association for Contemporary Jewellery Members' Exhibition
  Birmingham
• July 1999
  Matrix 4/ Research
  Central St Martins Colleg of Art and Design, London
• June 1999
  Innovation = Design
  School of Jewellery, University of Central England
• March 1998
  Crafts Council Silver Symposium
  School of Jewellery, University of Central England