Professor David Curtis

MEng (hons), PhD

Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre

Professor of Subtractive Manufacturing

A head and shoulders photo of David Curtis
Profile picture of A head and shoulders photo of David Curtis
d.t.curtis@sheffield.ac.uk
Factory of the Future, Advanced Manufacturing Park

Full contact details

Professor David Curtis
Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre
Factory of the Future, Advanced Manufacturing Park
Wallis Way, Catcliffe
Rotherham
S60 5TZ
Profile

In 2005, David completed a MEng in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham, UK, which included a Year in Industry placement. Upon completion he remained in Birmingham and studied for a PhD funded by EPSRC, Rolls-Royce and other industrial partners. His research concerned the application of point grinding technology for the production of aeroengine disc features.

David is currently the Professor for Subtractive Manufacturing within the AMRC and is based out of the Machining Group. Since joining in 2009, he has progressed from a Project Engineer through to Technical Fellow in key functions. He has led or played a key role in the development of independent research areas including: Abrasive Machining; Emerging Machining Technology; Machining Science; Aerofoil and Gear Manufacturing Technology. He also leads activity within the AMRC on the machining of Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) materials, focusing on translational research which takes Machining Science fundamentals into an industrial context.

David has an extensive applied research portfolio centred around Aeroengine, Aerostructure and Transmission commodities. His work applies current technology for immediate exploitation and works towards developing fundamental capability into exploitable outputs across UK manufacturers. He is also the AMRC Co-Director for the EPSRC CDT in Machining Science (IDC in Machining Science).

Qualifications

MEng (hons) in Mechanical Engineering, PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Research interests

David’s research interests include: Subtractive Processes (cutting, abrasive, hybrid, physical), Subtractive Technology (materials, near net shape, sustainability, digital, zero defect, machines) and Subtractive Implementation (alignment to industrial needs, maturing manufacturing capability, supply chain resilience, workforce and skills). In an academic perspective, his specific research areas include abrasive processes, micro machining, ceramic matrix composites and the subtractive manufacturing of advanced materials.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Dominguez-Caballero J, Ayvar-Soberanis S & Curtis D (2025) . Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing.
  • Rooke J, Bonnell R, Pickford E, Brown A & Curtis D (2025) . Advanced Manufacturing: Polymer & Composites Science, 11(1).
  • Priest J, Ayvar-Soberanis S, Dominguez-Caballero J, Onawumi P, Kilic ZM & Curtis D (2024) . CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 55, 210-223.
  • Duro JA, Ward R, Rooke J, Pickford E, Bonnell R, Brown A, Purshouse RC & Curtis D (2024) . Procedia CIRP, 130, 1358-1363.
  • Brown M, Crawforth P & Curtis D (2024) . CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 52, 296-306.
  • Brown M, Lieder M, Crawforth P & Curtis D (2024) . Procedia CIRP, 123, 357-362.
  • Liu Z, Lang Z-Q, Gui Y, Zhu Y-P, Laalej H & Curtis D (2024) . IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 73, 1-13.
  • Osmond L, Cook I, Curtis D & Slatter T (2024) . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 238(6-7), 1069-1083.
  • Gui Y, Lang Z-Q, Liu Z, Zhu Y, Laalej H & Curtis D (2023) . IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 72, 1-13.
  • Dominguez-Caballero J, Ayvar-Soberanis S, Kim J, Roy A, Li L & Curtis D (2023) . The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 125(3-4), 1903-1916.
  • Taylor CM, Secker J, Sajid SA, Curtis D, Liskiewicz T & Khan T (2023) . Tribology - Materials, Surfaces & Interfaces, 17(1), 34-47.
  • Pietrow N, Curtis D, Novovic D, McGourlay J & Ghadbeigi H (2022) . Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 144(12).
  • Brown M, Crawforth P & Curtis D (2022) . NDT & E International, 131.
  • Tapoglou N, Clulow J, Patterson A & Curtis D (2022) . CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 38, 172-185.
  • Woo W-S, Curtis D, Bagni C, Lee C-M, Lee J-H & Kim D-H (2022) . Metals, 12(4).
  • Tapoglou N, Clulow J & Curtis D (2022) . CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 36, 227-235.
  • Tóth M, Sims ND & Curtis D (2022) . Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 162.
  • Brown M, Curtis D, McKee G & Crawforth P (2022) . Procedia CIRP, 108, 7-12.
  • Sun C, Dominguez-Caballero J, Ward R, Ayvar-Soberanis S & Curtis D (2022) . Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, 75.
  • Osmond L, Curtis D & Slatter T (2021) . Wear, 486-487.
  • Ward R, Sun C, Dominguez-Caballero J, Ojo S, Ayvar-Soberanis S, Curtis D & Ozturk E (2021) . The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 117(11-12), 3615-3629.
  • Alhadeff L, Marshall M, Curtis D & Slatter T (2021) . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 235(10), 1588-1601.
  • Curtis D, Krain H, Winder A & Novovic D (2021) . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 235(10), 1668-1681.
  • Sims N & Curtis D (2021) . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 235(10), 1531-1532.
  • Smith ED & Curtis D (2021) . Procedia CIRP, 101, 162-165.
  • Yao S, Ozturk E, Curtis D & McLeay T (2020) . The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 106(1-2), 741-752.
  • Alhadeff L, Marshall M, Curtis D & Slatter T (2019) . Wear, 420-42, 54-67.
  • Palmer JW, Ghadbeigi H, Curtis D & Novovic D (2018) . Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 31, 348-355.
  • Curtis DT, Soo SL, Aspinwall DK & Sage C (2009) . CIRP Annals, 58(1), 173-176.
  • Aspinwall DK, Soo SL, Curtis DT & Mantle AL (2007) . CIRP Annals, 56(1), 335-338.

Conference proceedings

  • Vedanthu A, Ayvar-Soberanis S, Crawforth P, Curtis D, Ouyang X & Long H (2025) . Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Vol. 3104(1). Munich, Germany, 7 July 2025 - 7 July 2025.
  • Coimbra Goncalves MC, Alsters R, Curtis D, M'Saoubi R & Ghadbeigi H (2024) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 123 (pp 221-226). Bremen, Germany, 15 May 2024 - 15 May 2024.
  • Cousins B, Curtis D, Farmery M & Cook B (2023) Power Skiving Tool Offsets and the Feasibility of Using a Calculator for Manipulating the Resulting Geometry. American Gear Manufacturers Association Fall Technical Meeting 2023 Ftm 2023
  • Pietrow N, Curtis D, Ghadbeigi H, Novovic D & McGourlay J (2021) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 101 (pp 190-193). Virtual conference, 24 May 2021 - 24 May 2021.
  • 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.
  • Toth M, Sims N & Curtis D (2019) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 82 (pp 214-219). Sheffield, UK, 13 June 2019 - 13 June 2019.
  • Alhadeff LL, Curtis DT, Marshall MB & Slatter T (2018) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 77 (pp 642-645). Budapest, Hungary, 25 June 2018 - 25 June 2018.
  • Palmer J, Curtis D, Novovic D & Ghadbeigi H (2018) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 77 (pp 239-242). Budapest, Hungary, 25 June 2018 - 25 June 2018.
  • Curtis DT, Soo SL, Aspinwall DK & Mantle AL (2016) . Procedia CIRP, Vol. 45 (pp 47-50)
  • Curtis D, Soo S, Aspinwall D, Huber C, Fuhlendorf J & Grimm A (2008) Production of complex mounting slots in turbine disks using novel machining techniques. 3rd CIRP conference on high performance cutting
  • Curtis D, Aspinwall D, Soo S, Davis C & Mantle A (2007) Performance of electroplated cbn grinding points machining udimet 720. 10th International Symposium on Advanced Abrasive Technology (ISAAT)
  • Curtis DT, Aspinwall DK, Soo SL, Kitchin D & Wilson M (2007) In-process electro discharge dressing (IEDD) of metal bonded superabrasive grinding wheels. Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Electromachining Isem 2007 (pp 591-596)

Patents

  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D (2020) Component manufacturing using a grinding tool following a trochoidal path. GB2579784B Appl. 08 Jul 2020.
  • Khan S & Curtis D (2020) Grinding cylindrical bores. EP3659746A1 Appl. 03 Jun 2020.
  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D (2020) Manufacturing method. US11267096B2 Appl. 18 Jun 2020.
  • Sufyan K & Curtis D (2020) Grinding cylindrical bores. US20200156202A1 Appl. 21 May 2020.
  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D (2019) Mold assemblies of the fastening for the method for the workpiece of machining operations and for this workpiece. CN109514747A Appl. 26 Mar 2019.
  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D (2019) Method and an assembly. US20190084104A1 Appl. 21 Mar 2019.
  • Khan S & Curtis D (2019) Grinding cylindrical bores. GB201818823D0 Appl. 02 Jan 2019.
  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D (2017) A method and an assembly. GB201714976D0 Appl. 01 Nov 2017.
  • Novovic D, Kelsey J & Curtis D () A method of securing a workpiece for a machining operation and a mould assembly for such a workpiece. EP3456465A3 Appl. 01 Jan 1970.
  • Curtis D, Pietrow N, Ghadbeigi H, McGourlay J & Novovic D () Surface assessment. EP4293448A1 Appl. 01 Jan 1970.
  • Curtis D, Pietrow N, Ghadbeigi H, mcgourlay J & novovic D () Surface Assessment. GB202208573D0 Appl. 01 Jan 1970.
  • Curtis D, Pietrow NIKITA, Ghadbeigi HASSAN, mcgourlay J & novovic D () Surface Assessment. US20250173957A9 Appl. 01 Jan 1970.

Reports

  • Cousins B, Sun C, Curtis D, Farmery M, Staley S & Cook B (2021) Power Skiving - A Step Changing Manufacturing Process Applicable to Multifunctional 5-Axis Machine Tools

Preprints

  • Gonçalves MCC, Alsters R, Curtis D, Bushlya V, M’Saoubi R & Ghadbeigi H (2025) .
  • Sun C, Dominguez-Caballero J, Ward R, Ayvar-Soberanis S & Curtis D (2021) , arXiv.
Research group

Machining