EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (CIMComp) Funds Six New Feasibility Studies

Published: 9th April 2013

Following on from the call for feasibility study proposals issued towards the end of 2012, CIMComp are pleased to announce the funding of six new studies.

In order to grow the national research effort in composites manufacturing CIMComp has allocated the finance needed to develop these feasibility studies. Over 40% of CIMComp’s activities are focussed on outreach, dissemination and crucially the bringing in of new ideas by growth of the network facilitated by feasibility studies, hosted by any UK academic institution. Proposals were invited from UK academic researchers for projects that addressed identified key composites manufacturing challenges. 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. Each award was funded up to £50,000 and represents a maximum of six month research.  The feasibility call received 45 proposals from 25 academic institutions across the UK.

The feasibility studies chosen for funding are:

• String Manufacturing: Monitoring of Automated Composites Manufacturing In-Situ – Prof Keith Worden, Sheffield University
• Dimensionally Stable Textile Preforms for Use in Liquid Resin Infusion Manufacture – Dr Dmitry Ivanov, Bristol University
• Step Change in Performance of Complex Carbon Fibre Weave Geometries using Cellulose Fibre Precursors – Prof Stephen Eichhorn, Exeter University
• Intelligent Composite Lay-up by the Application of Discrete Technologies – Prof Ash Tiwari, Cranfield University
• Low-Cost Manufacture of High-Quality Steered-Fibre Laminates – Dr Philip Harrison, Glasgow University
• Feasibility Study to Investigate the use of Recycled Carbon Fibre Co-Mingled with Polymer Fibres in Non-Woven Mats – Dr Thomas Turner, 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.