Professor Tom Slatter

PhD, MEng, PGCertEd

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Professor of Wear of Materials

Tom Slatter
Profile picture of Tom Slatter
tom.slatter@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 7772

Full contact details

Professor Tom Slatter
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

Professor Tom Slatter graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2004 with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering and in 2010 with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. During this time he worked for the Ford Motor Company in powertrain CAE and diesel engine engineering.

His PhD was sponsored by the Ford Advanced Research and Materials Group in Aachen, Germany and concerned the wear of automotive valvetrain components.

In 2007, Tom became a University Teaching Associate, was appointed Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering in 2011, promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2018 and to a Personal Chair in 2022. Tom is a member of the Leonardo Tribology Centre and is a Co-Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Integrated Tribology (iT-CDT).

Research interests

Professor Slatter continues to be involved in automotive tribology research; continuing work on valvetrain wear with a number of automotive OEMs, investigating the wear of other powertrain components (eg. chains, crankshafts), the damage caused by sooty oil, the life of engine lubricants and assessing the performance of environmentally acceptable lubricants.

Recent research and consultancy work in these areas has included projects with companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Caterpillar, Jacobs Vehicle Systems, and several F1 teams.

Tom's research interests also include tribology in manufacturing with projects investigating the design, performance and instrumentation of manufacturing machines, processes and tooling with organisations such as Sandvik Coromant, Collins Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Kennametal, the University’s two HVM Catapults (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC)), and a number of specialist engineering SMEs.

Outside of these applied areas, Tom works at a more fundamental level investigating topics including: friction, the role of surfaces in contact transmission, impact wear and the cryogenic treatment of metals (with Dr Rob Thornton, University of Leicester

Publications

Journal articles

Chapters

  • Lewis R, Zalzalah M & Slatter T (2021) Impact Wear Failures, Failure Analysis and Prevention (pp. 730-744). ASM International RIS download Bibtex download
  • Slatter T & Thornton R (2016) Cryogenic Treatment of Engineering Materials In Hashmi S (Ed.), Reference Module in Materials Science and Materials Engineering (pp. 421-454). Elsevier RIS download Bibtex download
  • Lewis R & Slatter T (2012) Design for Reduced Wear In Tung SC & Totten GE (Ed.), Automotive Lubricants and Testing (pp. 293-315). Eagan, MN, USA: ASTM International. RIS download Bibtex download

Conference proceedings papers

  • Davison S, Carrell J & Slatter T (2022) Feasibility of Bio-Lubricants Under Mixed Lubrication Conditions. STLE 2022 Digital Proceedings. Park Ridge, IL, USA, 15 May 2022 - 19 May 2022. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Davison S, Slatter T & Carrell J (2021) Experimental comparison of EALs for marine vessel stern tubes. STLE 2021 Extended Abstracts, 17 May 2021 - 21 May 2021. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Herrera P, Hernández-Nava E, Thornton R & Slatter T (2019) Abrasive Wear of Cryogenically Treated Commercial Wrought and as-Built by Electron Beam Melting Ti-6Al-4V. Extended Abstracts from the 2019 STLE Tribology Frontiers Conference. Chicago, IL, USA, 14 October 2019 - 16 October 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Slatter T, Marshall M, Curtis D & Alhadeff L (2019) Tool Coatings and their Influence on the Length of Steady-State Wear Region for Micro End Mills. Extended Abstracts from the 2019 STLE Tribology Frontiers Conference. Chicago, IL, USA, 21 October 2019 - 23 October 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Seemuang N & Slatter T (2019) Air Leak Detection in Pipe by Using AE Technique. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering - ICMRE'19, 16 February 2019 - 19 February 2019. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Alhadeff LLM, Curtis DT, Marshall MB & Slatter T (2018) The Application of Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM) in the Prototyping of Miniature Brass Gears. Procedia CIRP, Vol. 77 (pp 642-645), 25 June 2018 - 27 June 2018. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Herrera P, Thornton R & Slatter T (2018) Abrasion Resistance of 304L and 316L Stainless Steel Subjected to Deep Cryogenic Treatment. STLE 2018 Extended Abstracts & Presentations (pp 96-98). Minneapolis, MN, USA, 21 May 2018 - 24 May 2018. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carrell J, Lewis R & Slatter T (2018) The Compatability of Multilayer Surface Treatments with Bio-Lubricant Base Oils. STLE 2018 Extended Abstracts & Presentations (pp 156-158). Minneapolis, MN, USA, 21 May 2018 - 24 May 2018. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carrell J, Lewis R & Slatter T (2016) The Interaction of Bio-lubricants with Elastomers, Tested Through Hanson Solubility Parameter and Stress Relaxation Tests.. Proceedings of 17th Nordic Symposium on Tribology - NORDTRIB 2016 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Seemuang N, Mcleay T & Slatter T (2015) The Relationship between Spindle Sound and Tool Performance in Turning. International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Vol. 2(8) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Slatter T, Lewis R & Broda M (2011) The Influence of Induction Hardening on the Impact Wear Resistance of Compacted Graphite Iron (pp 124-124) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Slatter T & Lewis R (2006) Valve Recession - Investigating the Importance of Impact Wear. Tribology 2006: Surface Engineering and Tribology for Future Engines and Drivelines. London, UK, 12 July 2006 - 13 July 2006. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Slatter T & Lewis R (2005) Valve Recession: From Experiment to Predictive Model. Experimental And Numerical Methods For Powertrain Development. Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, UK, 28 September 2005 - 29 September 2005. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Davison S, Lanigan J, Dwyer-Joyce R & Slatter T () Novel Green Friction Modifiers for Aqueous Lubricants. STLE 2023 Digital Proceedings. Park Ridge, IL, USA, 21 May 2023 - 25 May 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tomlinson K, Clarke B, Karunakaran A, Slatter T, Carre M & Lewis R () The Effectiveness of Chalk as a Friction Modifier for Finger Pad Contact With Rocks of Varying Roughness. STLE 2023 Digital Proceedings. Park Ridge, IL, USA, 21 May 2023 - 25 May 2023. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tomlinson K, Davison S, Morris N, King P & Slatter T () Measuring the Frictional Behaviour of Lubricants with an Antiwear Additive and Different Friction Modifiers. STLE 2023 Digital Proceedings. Park Ridge, IL, USA, 21 May 2023 - 25 May 2023. RIS download Bibtex download

Posters

  • Herrera P & Slatter T (2018) Small Form Factor and Customisable Dry-Sand/Rubber Wheel Test Rig. University of Sheffield Engineering Researcher Symposium 2018. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carrell J, Lewis R & Slatter T (2018) The Performance of Bio-Lubricants with Common and Novel Automotive Coating. Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2018. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hilton N, Slatter T & Goodfellow M (2015) Development of deep hole drilling technologies for extreme length-to diameter ratio holes. University of Sheffield Engineering Symposium. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carrell J & Slatter T (2014) Bio lubricants in Automotive Applications. SAE Powertrains, Fuels & Lubricants Meeting, Birmingham, UK. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Seemuang N & Slatter T (2013) Evaluation of Case-depth Layer in Coated Cutting Tool by Using Barkhausen Noise and Electromagnetic Acoustic Emission Techniques. 2nd Annual EPSRC Manufacturing the Future Conference. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thornton R, Slatter T & Lewis R (2013) The effects of cryogenic treatment on the sliding wear performance and microstructure of ferrous alloys. 19th International Conference on Wear of Materials. RIS download Bibtex download
  • HIlton N, Slatter T, Dawson S & Lobato H (2012) Development of Deep Hole Drilling Technology for Extreme L/D Ratio Holes with R&D into Tool Tip Tracking and Steering Technology. EPSRC Manufacturing the Future Conference 2012. RIS download Bibtex download

Theses / Dissertations

  • Slatter T (2010) Reducing Automotive Valve Recession Using Surface Treatment. RIS download Bibtex download

Presentations

  • Alhadeff L & Slatter T Tool coatings and their influence on the length of steady-state wear region for micro end mills. EUROMAT 2019, Stockholm, Sweden. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carrell J, Lewis R & Slatter T The Interaction of Bio-lubricants with Elastomers, Tested Through Hanson Solubility Parameter and Stress Relaxation Tests. The 17th Nordic Symposium on Tribology - NORDTRIB 2016, Aulanko, Hämeenlinna, Finland. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hilton N, Slatter T, Goodfellow M, Shaw J & Hitchens C Development of deep hole drilling technologies. Sheffield. RIS download Bibtex download

Other

Research group

Supervisions

  • Ellis Taylor – ‘Optimised cryogenic machining processes for light metals’.
  • Sam Davison – ‘Bio-lubricant performance in machine contacts’.
  • Luke Osmond – ‘Ceramic milling of superalloys.’
  • Leon Proud – ‘Cryogenic and CO2 Coolants during machining of next-generation aircraft grade materials’.
  • Jason Burnap – ‘Advanced manufacturing methods for aerospace actuation systems’.
  • Luke O’Donnell – ‘Ultrasonic Assisted Machining of Composite Materials’.
  • Rob Bramley - 'Advanced Hole Generation'
Grants
  • STFC - By gum it's cowd! (Translation: Lancashire, 'It's surprisingly cold.') - Cryogenic treatments for hard wearing engineering materials (3 days access to ISIS Beamline) (CoI).
  • Air Products - Cryotreatment of AM produced titanium alloys & effect on microstructure) (£6k) (CoI).
  • EPSRC (Metrology Hub) - In-Situ Ultrasonic Sensors for Monitoring Tool and Workpiece During Grinding Processes (2020) (£50k) (CoI).
  • Jaguar Land Rover - Valvetrain Tribology (2019-20) (£53k) (PI).
  • InnovateUK (KTP) - Online inspection and monitoring of production processes (2019-2022) (£249k) (PI).
  • Rolls-Royce plc – Impact Wear (2019-20) (£40k) (PI).
  • EPSRC (Programme Grant) - Friction – the Tribology Enigma, (2017-22) (£5.3M) (CoI).
  • EPSRC (CDT) - Centre for Doctoral Training in Integrated Tribology (iCDT), 2013-22 (£7.3M) (CoI).
Teaching activities

Tom's teaching activities are in the areas of automotive engineering (MEC447), manufacturing (MEC304) and design (MEC307, GEE301). He was the Deputy (and Acting) Director of Learning & Teaching for Mechanical Engineering in 2014-17 and in 2012 he was awarded a University Senate Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Tom is also the Year 3 & 4 Tutor for General Engineering degree programmes, and is the Faculty Advisor for the University's Formula Student team, 'Sheffield Formula Racing'.

Professional activities and memberships

Tom is a Member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the Society for Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).

He is also a voting member of ASTM International’s Committee G02 with whom responsibility for a number of common standards for friction and wear testing rests rests (e.g. ASTM G65, ASTM G99, ASTM G133).