The University of Bristol

The University of Bristol’s Composite’s Institute was established in March 2017, building on the work of the Advanced Composites Collaboration for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), and bringing together composites activities across the University of Bristol in all fields from aerospace to medical and civil engineering. The Institute combines cutting-edge fundamental science with strong industrial links for exploitation and knowledge transfer, provided a focus for collaboration internally, nationally, and internationally. The Institute’s vision is to be a world-leading institute for composites research and education.

Recent and current programmes include the Rolls-Royce Composites University Technology Centre (£4.4 million), the Vestas Strategic Partnership on design and manufacture of composite wind turbine blades (£1.1 million), EPSRC-GE Aviation University Technology Strategic Partnership (£1.3 million), a key element of which is low cost manufacturing, the £2.7 million ELRIPS programme, coordinating work at the Universities of Bristol, Imperial, and Cranfield together with six industrial partners; and the EPSRC ACCIS Advanced Composites Doctoral Training Centre (£7.1 million), plus many other EPSRC, TSB and industrial grants (including EP/G015848/1, EP/DO3423X/1, EP/H026371/1 EP/G003599/1).

The University of Bristol and industrial partners led the establishment of the National Composites Centre. The academic team members are Professor Kevin Potter, Professor Ivana Partridge, Dr Carwyn Ward, and Dr Byung Chul Eric Kim.

Partner interests and experience:

• Automated reinforcement deposition
• Process monitoring, development and control
• Manufacturing of multifunctional composites

The University of Bristol