In developed economies the manufacture of high added value critical components is rapidly shifting to the design and fabrication of micro and nano structured and freeform surfaces. The market for components possessing these surfaces is huge (the annual turnover is over 75 billion in the UK) and growing by 25% per year (1996-2005) with great investment in the UK, USA, Germany, France and East Asia. The rapidly increasing use of nano scale and ultra-precision structured surfaces is wide ranging and covers optics, hard disks, medical devices and the micro moulding industries that all critically rely on ultra precision surfaces. The scale of the products does not limit the need for the surface precision. The James Webb Space Telescope project for instance requires 1.3 metre size complex freeform surface segmented telescope mirrors with less than 10nm form deviation.Ultra-precision multi-axis machining and micro-fabrication technologies are enabling technologies that allow the designed surfaces to be fabricated with the required sub-micrometer form accuracy and nanometric surface topography. There is however a fundamental limiting factor to manufacture of such surfaces, namely the ability to measure product with high level accuracy, and also on-line.The proposed project attempts to create a novel in/on line surface measurement system, which integrates the essential optical components of an interferometer, such as, light source, optical components, a detector, into a solid state chip device. The key and novel aspect of the research, within the project, is to study and develop techniques to fabricate and integrate optical elements onto the same motherboard chip. The feasibility of building a robust and miniature surface measurement system and applying it to on-line micro and nanoscale surface measurement will then be explored. The proposed project will involve an interdisciplinary team of researchers and industrialists: the Surface Metrology Group at the University of Huddersfield (UoH), the Centre for Integrated Photonics (CIP), instrument manufacturer Taylor Hobson Limited (TH) and Ultra-Precision Surfaces at the OpTIC Technium (OpTIC) in North Wales. The group's combined activities include 'state of the art' capabilities in surface metrology, integrated optics, metrology instruments and ultra-precision surface manufacturing. The aim is to demonstrate a unique and novel technique for micro, nano scale manufacture that represents a step change in the field of surface metrology, integrated optics, nanotechnology, and instrumentation. The inclusion of the partners demonstrates the supply chain required in such systems / the research group (Huddersfield) developing the fundamental measurement system approach, a technology translator and device manufacturer (CIP), a measurement tool manufacturer (Taylor-Hobson) and an end user (OpTIC). Should the project succeed as planned, then there is an excellent chance of downstreaming this approach into commercialisation.CIP is a subcontractor on this project responsible for the delivery of the advanced optoelectronic devices used in the project and the final optoelectronic hybrid chip. CIP - a not for profit organisation - has a track record of working with university groups in this way for the development of advanced components for research. Previous examples being the EPSRC funded projects PRINCE and PORTRAIT where CIP were (and are) responsible for the development of leading edge research devices for telecommunications, terahertz imaging, biophotonics and sensing applications within these projects. The centre provides an open acess R&D facility for industry and universities. The EPSRC have agreed to support the access to CIP for academics by funding full economic costs on individual research grants.

In the last decade, the design and fabrication of high value, micro- and nanoscale devices (in photonics, telecommunication, aerospace, automotive, defence, biotech, medical and consumer applications) has gradually moved from academic research to industrial manufacturing sectors. Enabling technologies such as computing design technology and ultra-precision and micro/nano- manufacturing capabilities have facilitated the design of these components. However, a fundamental barrier to achieving the potential growth of these products is in providing the metrological infrastructure to measure and characterise these components with the required accuracy so that their manufacturing quality can be controlled. Enterprises that achieve high levels of quality control will secure a larger market share.This proposed two-year project attempts to provide tools to enable the geometrical characterisation of these ultra precision and micro/nano-scale products. The project will develop novel non-linear geometrical filtration techniques. It will focus on robust approaches for micro/nano geometrical features that cope with deterministic engineered surface features/structures, create fast accurate algorithms (implementation in the manufacture context) and reference algorithms (for establishing traceability to national metrology standards) for non-linear filtration, together with best practice guidance for their implementation and use.The consortium for the proposed project is comprised of the Surface Metrology Group (SMG) at the University of Huddersfield, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL, the UK's national metrology institute) and the instrumentation manufacturer Taylor Hobson Limited (TH). The three partners together address the requirements for innovation, development of the national measurement infrastructure, with emphasis on validated algorithms and software, and industrial relevance and applicability. The research will enable UK industry to establish new quality control systems for high-tech products and support the mission of the government for high-added value manufacture: 60% shorter throughput time; 60% shorter time to market and 50% reduction in product costs.

This fellowship will create a academic team to lead a new research theme dedicated to manufacturing the future. It focuses research on geometrical product specification and verification (GPS) systems to control geometrical variability in manufactured products that facilitate emerging industrial requirements in 21st century. For example, geometrical products used in: next generation freeform optics, interfaces in fluid-dynamics (energy-efficient jet engines, aircraft fuselages and wings), long life human-joint implants, microelectronics and MEMS/NEMS devices in nanotechnology applications. The UK frontier industry is seeking next generation of products having much higher functional capabilities with much lower manufacturing costs. This is driving manufactured products to have more integrated properties but more complex geometries. Without the tools to specify, optimise and verify the allowable geometrical variability, the ability to manufacture complex geometries is not possible. This Fellowship is to explore the mathematical fundaments for the decomposition of geometry (i.e. size, shape and texture) and create ground-breaking technology to control geometrical variability in manufactured products. The novel approach is to link fundamental geometrical mathematics direct to key component's design, manufacturing and verification from different industrial sectors (i.e. aerospace, optics, healthcare and catapult centre). In this case, the different types of geometrical decompositions (at the ultimate causation level via information content) to specified geometrical surface requirements (spectrum, morphological and segmentation decompositions). This fellowship attempts to establish this emerging new theme that has never happened before, that requires sophisticated industrial manufacturing skills with in depth fundamental academic knowledge. In practice no surface is manufactured perfectly: there is always some variability in the surface. Tolerance zones only control the size of this variability and not its shape. The approach proposed for the Fellowship is to break up (decompose) the surface variability, for each of the symmetry classes, to enable the shape to be controlled. The challenge is to produce a complete range of geometrical decompositions (together with the associated theory and practical algorithms) that will solve the mathematical grand challenge. For example contact (mechanical, electrical, thermal, etc.) requires the surface envelope to be decomposed. Other functions require decomposition into surface features ('hills and dales') at different scales. This system aims to provide the necessary mathematical foundations for a toolbox of techniques to characterise geometric variability: going far beyond simple tolerance zones as currently defined in national and international standards. The eight letters of support from different sectors: Rolls-Royce, NPL (Engineering Measurement), NPL (Mathematics and Modeling), Taylor Hobson, British Standards Institute, Catapult - Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, UCL (Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science: Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital), Prifysgol Glyndwr (OPTIC) all highlight that there is an urgent need for the proposed technology from a point of view of wide UK industry.

The market for photovoltaic (PV) solar modules is experiencing astonishing growth due to increasing energy demand, security of supply issues, increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns over global warming. The world market for photovoltaics grew by 139% to 21GW in 2010. Although this extraordinary pace of growth is unlikely to be maintained in the short term it will advance rapidly again at the point where grid parity is achieved. It is important that the UK retains a strong research presence in this important technology. It is proposed that the SUPERSOLAR Hub of Universities be set up to co-ordinate research activities, establish a network of academic and industrial researchers, conduct cross-technology research and provide a focus for international co-operation. SUPERSOLAR is led by CREST at Loughborough University and supported by the Universities of Bath, Liverpool, Oxford, Sheffield and Southampton. This group is active in all of the PV technologies including new materials, thin film chalcopyrite, c-Si, thin film a-Si, dye sensitised solar cells, organic PV, concentrator PV, PV systems performance and testing. SUPERSOLAR will set up a solar cell efficiency measurement facility for the benefit of the PV community in the UK. The consortium contains a deliberate balance of expertise, with no bias towards any one technology.

The vision of the proposed EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing (CIM) is to break new ground by creating the concept of the factory on the machine to deliver to UK industry disruptive solutions in advanced manufacturing for the next generation of high added-value products. Embracing and developing the factory on the machine concept will be a critical step in enabling a sustainable manufacturing sector for the next generation of engineered products dependent on precision and micro/nano scale geometrical accuracy and functionally optimised surfaces.Key challenges to achieving the concept of the factory on the machine are: Challenge I: Elevation of machine tool accuracies beyond the present formidable barriers to those currently only achievable by advanced metrology equipment in stable operating environments, through embodiment of our leading research in machine error modelling and reduction. Challenge II: Building sound foundations for the factory on the machine by developing new metrology instrumentation, used within the machine environment and a novel toolkit, for geometrical characterisation (size, geometry and texture) for the next generation of engineering products.In order to answer the challenges and vision of the CIM, the overall research programme is divided into key research themes and platform type activities. The two major thematic areas of research within the CIM are:Theme I - factory on the machine : to create a configurable and scalable platform for implementing advanced manufacturing and measurement technologies on machines ranging from nano, micro to large volume capability. Analogous with the lab on a chip concept, the delivered system will fuse production capability with high-precision metrology to provide an automatic quality control feedback loop for both product quality and machining process sustainability. Theme II - underlying techniques for factory on the machine : The aim here is to create new measurement and specification methodologies and products (smart software and hardware systems) and to deliver an underpinning new technology in measurement science for micro/nano scale surfaces on macro/meso dimensioned objects with Euclidean or non-Euclidean (non-rotational and non-translational symmetry) geometry and deterministic texture all to be applied within the factory on the machine environment. Platform activities will encompass: (i) Retention and recruitment of key identified research and technique staff; (ii) Generation of new knowledge and instrumentation derived from fundamental EPSRC, EU and TSB funded research projects (iii) Support blue sky research and feasibility studies in machine tool/surface technology and (iv) Knowledge exchange to key partners through specific projects, collaboration agreements, licensing, workshops, training, national networks, sand pits and open days. Platform activities will be targeted towards key partners firstly, their supply chains/end users, then secondly wider sectors of UK industry, as well as national and international standardisation bodies. Overall, this CIM research will link measurement and production in a unique way to minimise cost whilst at the same time enabling the manufacturing base to meet the challenge of ever increasing complexity and quality in manufacture. It will provide coherent research solutions to the manufacturing sector to ensure that advanced UK manufacture is at the forefront of emerging technologies. Partnership with UK industry will provide a research focal point, a national network to disseminate the outcomes and a link with other networks, CIMs and IKCs to ensure that the research provides the required outputs to drive industry forward. This would boost the capabilities of the project proposers to an unrivalled and unique position within the field of machine tool accuracy and surface metrology, allowing the research team to command a global leading role in the foreseeable future.