I am Prashant Vashisht, currently in my third year (after second year when I did the internship). In my second year summers I worked remotely with Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden on materials research. This article gives an overview of how I got this internship and my experience.

About the Internship:

Institution: Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
Supervisor: Shafiqul Islam, Mechanical Engineering
Duration: May - July 2025
Mode: Remote
Research Area: Materials (Sheet Metal Anisotropy)
Funding: No (unpaid internship)

How I Got the Opportunity:

I secured this opportunity through cold emailing professors. My application email included:

• Introduction about myself
• What excited me about the professor’s work
• My past experience
• What I could offer to the ongoing research

I managed the entire application process independently without external help.

Research Project:

Title: Studying Anisotropy in Sheet Metals Using Cupping Test Simulation and Experimental Analog

Research Question: How does anisotropy influence the deformation of a circular hole in a sheet during a cupping test, and can this deformation be quantified using both simulation and physical analogs?

Hypothesis: Anisotropic sheet metals exhibit non-uniform deformation under biaxial stretching, converting a circular hole into an ellipse. Isotropic materials maintain nearly circular deformation. By simulating various materials using Hill’48 yield criterion in Abaqus and replicating tests using plastic sheets and 3D-printed dies, we can correlate deformation geometry with material anisotropy.

Implementation Strategy:

Simulation (Abaqus):

• Set up cupping test geometry with circular hole in sheet
• Use Hill’48 yield criterion to introduce anisotropy
• Vary r-values to simulate different materials
• Measure ellipse deformation, punch force, and failure depth

Experimental Analog:

• Construct setup using plastic sheets and 3D-printed clamps/dies
• Record deformation using overhead video
• Use computer vision and ML algorithms for ellipse fitting and contour detection
• Extract semi-major/minor axes and deformation depth
• Compare results with simulation trends

Expected Outcome: A comprehensive framework for detecting anisotropy in sheet materials using both advanced simulation and accessible experimental methods, demonstrating feasibility for low-cost quality testing.

Overall Recommendation:

I would rate this experience a 6/10. While the research project was technically challenging and provided good exposure to materials testing and simulation, the remote nature and other factors affected the overall experience.

Contact Information:

• Email: prashant.vashisht@iitb.ac.in