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NPL suggests ways to strengthen UK's composite sector

06 Nov '19
2 min read
Pic: Shutterstock
Pic: Shutterstock

With a view to increase UK’s competitiveness in composites, the National Physical Laboratory has recommended a ten-year roadmap which focuses on 11 key areas aimed at translating existing technologies into widely acceptable and usable documentation in the form of guides, specifications and standards, and developing new technologies where these do not exist.

These areas reflect the most immediate needs expressed by industrial stakeholders and will have a direct impact on how composite material products are designed and made. The report also envisages a close collaboration between industrial stakeholders, research organisations and academia to realise this roadmap, coordinated by an independent overarching centre.

The NPL report ‘Increasing UK competitiveness by enhancing the composite materials regulatory infrastructure’ has been produced in consultation with industry, through a cross sector workshop organised by NPL on behalf of the Composites Leadership Forum and review of relevant studies. The report identifies a series of actions that will increase the UK’s competitiveness through greater uptake of composite materials.

The report also advocates development of a digital tool and a mentoring scheme that, acting in tandem, will address the disjointed RCS framework as well as the lack of industry awareness of what is available in terms of agreed specifications, codes and standards and how these connect to the relevant regulations. The introduction of such a digital tool and mentoring scheme will also increase the number of Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) that would guide companies, especially SMEs, through the product approval process, saving time and cost.

An appropriate partnership that will bring together regulators and industrial stakeholders will steer the initiative through the design and implementation phases. However, its longevity will only be guaranteed through ownership by an independent and overarching centre, the report says.

The report recommends establishing an overarching advanced materials assurance centre that will bring together regulators and the materials supply chain, that is materials suppliers, product manufacturers and end-users to specify and qualify materials for several different industry sectors.

The centre will act as the focal point for curating and digitally organising already existing material data enabling ease of access to organisations, while coordinating composite RCS activities between different groups and centres. It will assume responsibility for the realisation of the RCS roadmap and ensure longevity of the digital tool and mentoring scheme, connecting the RCS infrastructure through ownership and continuous improvement.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)

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