Archive : 24 November 2015 год

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson has announced two £10million manufacturing research hubs that will address major, long-term challenges facing the UK's manufacturing industries, and capture opportunities from emerging research.

The Hubs will be based at the University of Southampton and Brunel University in London and will work in collaboration with academics at universities across the country and are funded for the next seven years by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

EPSRC's £20m investment will be enhanced by £14m from the universities and a further £58m from industry.

Universities and Science Minister, Jo Johnson said: “With this £92m investment, these new manufacturing hubs will develop the next generation of high tech products in communications and healthcare, as well as tackle industry challenges such as rising materials costs.”

The first of the two Hubs is The EPSRC Manufacturing Hub in Future Liquid Metal Engineering led by Professor Zhongyun Fan at Brunel University.

The UK metal casting industry adds £2.6bn per year to the UK economy, employs 30,000 people, produces 1.14m tons of metal castings per year and underpins the competitive position of every sector of UK manufacturing.

However, the industry faces severe challenges, including increasing energy and materials costs, tightening environmental regulations and a short supply of skilled people. The Future Liquid Metal Engineering Hub will address these challenges.

Impact of the Hub will initially be in the UK automotive industry and its supply chain and then the wider transportation industry. The Hub will be a technology proving ground, and will provide: shortened lead time from technology concept to industrial production; advanced manufacturing technologies to provide technological advantages over competitors; recycling-friendly advanced metallic materials with reduced cost; and improved sustainability due to reduced CO2 emissions, conservation of natural resources and consequently reduced environmental impact.

This is expected to make a major contribution to rebalancing the UK economy. Further economic impact will be through retaining and recycling aluminium scrap into high value automotive castings, extrusions and sheet for lightweight vehicles with an opportunity to add £800m in terms of added value each year.

The second hub is and The EPSRC National Hub in High Value Photonic Manufacturing led by Professor Sir David Payne at the University of Southampton, which aims to underpin the growth of the UK's £10bn photonics industry and support the £600bn of UK manufacturing output that depends on photonics.

It will do this by improving existing manufacturing processes for production of photonics components; supplying prototype components and sub-systems to their designs; and being a one-stop-shop for trialling user ideas and developing new manufacturing processes

The primary economic impact of the Hub will be the creation of photonics manufacturing processes that will enable commercialisation of emerging photonics technologies. This will result in new products and services and new UK manufacturing jobs, both directly in the photonics industry and in the industries enabled by photonics.

Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC's chief executive, said: “These two new manufacturing Hubs will help manufacturing industries respond to the opportunities and drivers in the sector. We are confident universities and industry collaborators will embrace this new opportunity to invest in the future of UK manufacturing through research.”

Pic: Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson

Author
Tom Austin-Morgan

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk

Cambridge Wireless (CW), CENSIS, Data City and Sunderland Software City have been chosen by IoTUK to deliver its Boost programme, a series of Internet of Things (IoT) innovation challenges and rapid incubation activities taking place over the next five months aiming to convene and amplify the UK’s IoT industry to help business and economic growth.

Maurizio Pilu, executive director for collaborative R&D, Digital Catapult, said: “The companies chosen to be our Boost partners mirror our passion and interest for IoT as a transforming approach to business and society.”

The companies will work with IoTUK to identify up to 20 SMEs and bring them together with large companies or public sector organisations to help find solutions to specific challenges. Each Boost will culminate in two one-day workshops and innovation contests, with winners gaining access to business, technical and mentoring support from the IoTUK team. CW will work alongside SETsquared Partnership to coordinate this activity, focussing on the topic of assisted living, with workshops in both Bristol and Guilford.

Robert Driver, CEO of CW, said: “Through the IoT boost programme we want to demonstrate how IoT product design for assisted living might transform the UK’s health economy; empowering citizens, improving independence, and saving money.”

IoTUK Boost will be delivered in early 2016, followed by one month of support activities which are set to take place until the end of March.

Out of the 20 shortlisted SMEs selected to take part in these workshops four finalists will be chosen to receive further mentorship. SETSquared centres will also offer support and virtual mentorship to the finalists with access to its network of centre based experts, business mentors, investors and industry specialists.

Author
Tom Austin-Morgan

Source:  www.newelectronics.co.uk