EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites Showcase Latest Developments at the Composites Engineering Exhibition

Published: 23rd October 2012

The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites will be exhibiting at the upcoming Composites Engineering Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, from the 7th – 8th November 2012 from stand 1144.

The stand will showcase technologies developed within the Centre’s current research activities such as through thickness stitching, automation for prepreg and dry fibre preforming, multi-scale infusion simulation.

The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites, led by Professor Andrew Long at the University of Nottingham, delivers a co-ordinated programme of research at four of the leading universities in composites manufacturing, namely the Universities of Nottingham, Bristol, Cranfield and Manchester. The EPSRC Centre is the focus for fundamental innovative composites manufacturing research in the UK, underpinning the development of next-generation composites manufacturing processes based on low cost, short cycle times, efficiency and sustainability.

The EPSRC Centre currently employs 10 academics, and 19 researchers, across the four core member sites. A new activity integral to the EPSRC Centre is the Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) which has attracted new funding of £3.8M from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, supporting over 30 EngD programmes for research engineers based in industry, of four years duration.

Following the Composites Engineering show, the Centre will launch a call through the EPSRC to fund up to eight six month feasibility studies in highlighted areas of composites manufacturing research. A number of these will be awarded to universities outside of the core partnership.