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Nottingham to lead £10.3 million composites hub

16 Dec '16

2 min read

The University of Nottingham has announced that the university’s team has secured £10.3 million Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant as government funds for new research into pioneering composite manufacturing techniques. Professor Andrew LongProfessor, pro-vice-chancellor for the faculty of engineering will lead the hub.

The multi-million pound EPSRC grant is a major research investment for the UK community, hosted by the University’s faculty of engineering and working closely with the University of Bristol, both of which have established reputations for composites research.

The EPSRC future composites manufacturing hub aims to accelerate the potential of advanced polymer composite materials for automated manufacturing technologies, addressing automation and high rate processing; state-of-the-art simulation techniques; multifunctional materials and structures; advanced inspection technologies; recycling and re-use.

The new materials will also feature in components and structures for demanding applications, particularly in the aerospace, transportation, construction, and energy sectors.

The hub is formed from a partnership between Nottingham and Bristol Universities, with initial partners or “spokes” at Cranfield, Imperial College London, Manchester and Southampton. Hub researchers will work in close partnership with multiple industrial partners.

At Nottingham, the hub will draw together more than 70 composites experts and house them at the University’s new flagship Advanced Manufacturing Building, which is currently under construction on its Jubilee Campus and due for completion next year.

Andrew LongProfessor said, “We are absolutely delighted to be leading this initiative, which aims to underpin the growth of the British composites sector. This award will ensure that the UK academic community remains at the forefront of composites manufacturing research well into the next decade.”

The future composites manufacturing hub is one of six EPSRC-funded research hubs announced by BEIS that will explore and improve new manufacturing techniques. The other hubs will be led by Cardiff University, the universities Huddersfield, Sheffield and Strathclyde, and UCL. (GK)

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