The official announcement was made on 10th October, with the closing date set for 30th November. Grants will be announced on 22nd December for up to two feasibility studies to conduct research at TRL 1 to 3 in two distinct areas:
- Recycling and Waste Reduction: Proposals may focus on demonstrating a manufacturing methodology with the potential to produce structural components from recyclates at industrial production rates, or reducing the amount of in-process waste by developing more efficient processes to reduce the consumption of virgin fibre.
- Microwave Processing: Proposals should focus on reducing cycle time, cost and energy.
Feasibility studies are short-term (up to six months) projects to investigate ambitious and challenging ideas seeking to create a step-change in composite manufacturing. They are the primary mechanism for new partners to engage with the Hub and may lead to longer-term Core Projects if feasibility is demonstrated. Alternatively, support is available through the Hub’s Strategic Development Committee to secure further external funding to develop the technology readiness.
This announcement follows on from a call for Feasibility Studies in May 2017, where six new projects were funded, introducing three new Spoke members to the Hub; the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow:
- 'Can a Composite Forming Limit Diagram be Constructed?', Dr Michael Sutcliffe, University of Cambridge (pictured)
- Multi-Step Thermoforming of Multi-Cavity, Multi-Axial Advanced Thermoplastic Composite Parts, Dr Philip Harrison, University of Glasgow
- Layer by Layer Curing, Dr Alex Skordos, Cranfield University
- Simulation of Forming 3D Curved Sandwich Panels, Professor Nick Warrior, University of Nottingham
- Manufacturing Thermoplastic Fibre Metal Laminates by the In-Situ Polymerisation Route, Dr Dipa Roy, University of Edinburgh
- Active Control of the RTM Process Under Uncertainty Using Fast Algorithms, Professor Michael Tretyakov, University of Nottingham
www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/calls/fcmrfeasibilitystudiescall2
www.cimcomp.ac.uk
