CIMComp Funds Five Feasibility Studies to Develop Step-change Technologies

Published: 28th July 2015

CIMComp is funding five new feasibility studies from their recent call for feasibility studies looking to fund TRL 1 to 2 research in the identified themes, which will facilitate fundamental step-change technologies for composites manufacturing.

The identified themes were aligned with CIMComp’s priority areas and the 2014 UK Composites Strategy. According to CIMComp, the feasibility studies examine a subject area in the field, review activity in it, identify key challenges and research questions, conduct fundamental research and look to develop full proposals for funding by established routes. Each award was funded up to £50,000 and represents a maximum of six month research. The feasibility call received 43 proposals from 20 academic institutions across the UK.

The intention is that CIMComp involvement will help to bring these studies forward to a point where new funding opportunities are created. In this way, these studies should grow the capabilities of the UK, CIMComp and its network of users. This current round follows on from a very successful first round of feasibility studies which ended in 2014, where nine projects were funded, which have now gone on to collectively secure over £3 million in research grants from a variety of National and EU funding sources.

CIMComp explains the 2nd round feasibility studies chosen for funding are:

• Manufacturing Advances for Smart Through-Thickness Reinforced Composites – Prof S Hallett, University of Bristol
• Design Rules Challenge to Deliver a Step Change in Composites Manufacture – Prof K Potter, University of Bristol
• Efficient Composite Curing by Intelligent Microwave Processing – Dr J. Lees, University of Cardiff
• Discovery of Optimum Textile Composites – Prof A Long, University of Nottingham
• Investigate the Potential for the Recycling of Carbon Fibre Composites by Solvolysis at Atmospheric Pressure – Prof S Pickering, University of Nottingham

These awards are within CIMComp’s remit as a National Centre and engage with prominent researchers in the UK academia in the field of composite manufacturing.