The aim of the this project is to introduce the concept of "small is beautiful" into a conservative relatively low technology manufacturing sector where the "economies of scale" argument has been used for the last decade to build ever more so-called efficient process lines. This will be a major challenge. The new philosophy, "small is beautiful", starts by encouraging the use of high quality feedstock, only melting what is required and only when it is required. Recycling of internal scrap is not necessarily acceptable but an aim for higher yields is. Applying counter gravity casting methods to improve yield and give enhanced quality is encouraged as is the recovery low grade heat from solidification. The project will achieve this by the development of a software tool incorporating a new philosophy/methodology and metric for the handling of materials and energy throughout the process in foundries using computer numerical process simulation to support the decision making. The project would also look at the full energy chain from charge materials through to waste heat and energy in the process and identify the opportunities for scavenging waste heat and the costs associated with the whole process. This will therefore enable cost/benefit analysis to be undertaken so that companies will be able to make informed decisions about design, material and process at a very early stage.

A wide range of forming techniques have been developed for composites. There is a correspondingly large number of composite materials available, e.g. dry material or material pre-impregnated with resin, while the textile architecture can take many forms such as unidirectional or woven. A key motivation for introduction of these processes is increased automation, giving reduced cycle time and cost and increased repeatability and quality. However the development of the appropriate material and process for a given application has often proved problematic, with process development being a costly, empirical activity with a rather uncertain chance of success. The goal of this project is to gain a fundamental scientific understanding of friction in composites forming, to develop standard tests which capture the appropriate mechanisms, and to demonstrate how these tests and models can be applied to manufacture of a case-study component. The value of the research will be demonstrated by application of the experiments and modelling to the case study component to quantify potential improvements in product quality. Uni-directional and woven carbon will be used in dry form and as pre-prepreg. Friction between the tool or vacuum bag and the composite and between plies will be considered. Processing routes that will be explored will be a consolidation-type of deformation and a draping-type of deformation. In both cases idealised forms of geometry will first be used to gain the underlying scientific understanding. Observations of the contact conditions in laboratory-scale tests will be used to uncover the mechanisms leading to friction in composites forming. Tribological models of the contact between the various elements (tool to ply and ply to ply) will be developed and validated via tribological lab experiments. Standardised tests will developed to measure friction in a way that replicates the mechanisms found in the tribological tests. A case study geometry will be used to understand the implications for forming of components. The work will be in close collaboration with the industrial partners who will assist with supply of materials, definition of appropriate tests methods and help with the case study formulation and implementation.

To achieve carbon reduction targets as we move increasingly away from the use of fossil fuels, the infrastructure of electricity generation and transport will change as wind generation and electric vehicles become more important. Both of these require very specific materials, the so-called E-tech elements, and the ability of the mining industry to supply these is a matter of strategic significance. The provision of new technology on the required scale carries a significant risk of failure to secure materials needed to deliver the politically-agreed targets. Our proposal sets out to develop a generic approach to understanding and modelling the supply chain through Material Flow Analysis, uniquely adding a geological component with associated spatial visualisation and uncertainty. We will use standard methodology (ISO 14041), which is part of the ISO 14001 family; and these management systems are familiar to stakeholders. We add to these layers descriptions of geological (and so geographical) distribution of sources of selected E-tech elements, following through to consider the implications of space (geographical location) and time (including lead times from exploration through mining to product) at all stages of the supply chain. Using this approach, we will produce a tool that enables users to understand where bottlenecks arise in the supply chain, informing decisions that relate to resource use that include end-of-life recovery of these elements and providing constraints that inform policy makers. Our proposal involves close liaison with key representatives of non-academic users of E-tech elements.

Hydrogen is the lightest of the elements and has some remarkable properties and uses. Its isotopes will provide the nuclear fusion fuel for humanity in the next half century. Even now, it is probably the cleanest available fuel for motor cars and its extraction from sea water using solar power and subsequent transport around the globe is mooted as a potential solutions to our energy crisis. Because of its atomic size, hydrogen is not easy to contain as it diffuses readily through the lattice of solid materials, frequently by quantum mechanical tunnelling. The problem has a darker side; hydrogen has been known for over a hundred years to cause catastrophic failure in high strength steels. All welders know to keep their manual metal arc electrodes dry to avoid the generation of hydrogen from the decomposition of water during welding. The alloys resulting from our experiments and modelling will impact directly on the fuel efficiency of the next generation of automobiles, the service lifetimes of wind turbines and pipelines and lead to the development of new valve gear, and hydrogen handling and transport systems. We expect this to lead to improved profitability of our project partners and the sustainability of UK industry. The project will develop new design procedures for ultra-high strength steels that resist embrittlement due to the presence of hydrogen for use in the above applications . This will be achieved through a series of advances in materials characterisation, testing and modelling. New experimental techniques will be developed to identify the structure of defects in engineering alloys and how they trap hydrogen. Understanding this trapping process is a key step in understanding how and why hydrogen embrittles steels. A range of modelling techniques from the atomistic through to the continuum will be developed and employed to provide detailed information about the embrittling mechanisms and how these depend on the steel microstructure. This will allow microstructures to be identified that are resistant to hydrogen embrittlement. This information will be employed to guide the development of new procedures for the design of alloys and heat treatments that result in steels that are resistant to attack by hydrogen. These techniques will be validated by processing a range of new alloys designed using our new methodology and examining their mechanical performance in the presence of hydrogen.

Inclusive design aims to push the market whose traditional focus is the young and able to include older people and those with disabilities. Inclusive design benefits everyone. The wider uptake of inclusive design will enhance UK's competitiveness and improve the quality of life of the whole population. The level of inclusivity of products across businesses is still very low. Existing resources for inclusive design have been focused on novice designers but little support is available for experienced designers who need in-depth user data. Few existing inclusive design tools have integrated conventional anthropometric data that designers typically adopt when applying inclusive design principles. In order to facilitate wider uptake of inclusive design, integrating anthropometric data into inclusive design tools has to be considered. However, visualisation of user data for inclusive design has been a challenge. There is a need to find innovative methods and tools to effectively present anthropometric data for designers. The proposal is to explore the unmet needs of experienced designers and develop a prototype Inclusive Design Support Tool (IDST) integrating anthropometric data in a novel way. The Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) constructor software will be used to implement the IDST. The effectiveness of the IDST will be evaluated with design students and experienced designers. The research will develop:1) new understanding of experienced designer needs for use of inclusive design data. 2) novel methods for dynamic data integration and manipulation.3) new forms of visual representation of anthropometric data to enhance use by designers. Industry is struggling to adapt to the new demands from a rapidly increasing proportion of older people. The IDST will provide timely support for designers to practice inclusive design, helping the UK maintain its leading role in inclusive design research and practice, and benefit from the profits generated by the wider adoption of inclusive design.