EPSRC Future Manufacturing Research Hubs

September 2019 CEO’s Foreword

“EPSRC wants to make the UK Major EPSRC investments such recognised as the place where as the Manufacturing Hubs play the most creative and talented a key part in helping businesses researchers can deliver world- respond to future opportunities and leading engineering and physical drivers. The Manufacturing Hubs sciences research. A place where complement wider partnership these researchers can work to opportunities funded by EPSRC, accelerate innovation for the benefit forming a suite of interventions of society and the economy. supporting closer partnerships with industry, contributing to a Over half of our portfolio involves prosperous UK. collaboration with business and other non-academic partners, By bringing people together from providing around £1.2 billion of across disciplines, by breaking leverage on our portfolio of £4.6 down intellectual boundaries and billion. Within this collaborative by working closely with private portfolio, EPSRC-supported and public sector partners, our researchers and business and other investments are contributing to stakeholders work in partnership to the nation’s prosperity through solve shared research challenges, productivity, connectivity, health and and build on these breakthroughs to resilience. From the development of deliver transformative technologies. new technologies and materials, to improvements in medical diagnostics The research and innovation and faster and more secure landscape EPSRC operates in communications, our funding is includes our partner councils in changing lives for the better.” UKRI, the research and development base within business, SMEs, Lynn Gladden government departments, charitable Executive Chair of the organisations and international Engineering and Physical Sciences partnerships, all of whom feature as Research Council partners in the Future Manufacturing Research Hub portfolio.

3 Manufacturing the Future

Manufacturing is a major contributor industry plays a significant role Our Hubs help connect the to the UK economy; in addition to in shaping the research and is landscape within UK Research and directly contributing 11% of GVA, well placed to take forward the Innovation (UKRI), with contacts a 2018 Oxford Economics study outputs. Our Future Manufacturing within Innovate UK attending Hub showed that 23% of UK GDP is Research Hubs have this aim at meetings to stimulate discussions dependent on the sector. The their heart; they are co-created about industry interactions and UK is currently the ninth largest with business and the research how research will be taken forward manufacturing nation in the world programme is driven by the long- towards commercialisation. We and our manufacturing industries term challenges of industry. Hubs also connect into the Biotechnology must continue to innovate to stay undertake innovative programmes and Biological Sciences Research ahead of their competitors, as well of multidisciplinary research, with Council (BBSRC) through as to attract new investment into a focus throughout on the pathways their co-funding of the Future the UK. to manufacture. This focus supports Biomanufacturing Research Hub. the commercialisation of early-stage The Hubs collaborate closely EPSRC’s Manufacturing the Future research, and faster adoption of new with the Innovate UK funded theme plays a pivotal role in technology and business models Catapults, including the High ensuring the UK remains prosperous by industry. Value Manufacturing Catapult, Cell and our manufacturing industries and Gene Therapy Catapult and are ready to tackle future challenges The scale of the Hubs, £10m of Compound Semiconductor Catapult. and respond to new opportunities. EPSRC investment plus industrial We support cutting-edge research support, and duration of seven years, Our Hubs are an essential and the development of highly skilled sets these investments apart within component of the UK manufacturing people; both crucial to supporting the theme’s portfolio. This scale and landscape and vital to the future manufacturing innovation and longevity enables the Hubs to take success of our manufacturing catalysing growth. We are unique a leadership role in the national industries. in supporting basic manufacturing research and innovation landscape, Katie Daniel research through to the stage where convening the research and business Head of Manufacturing, EPSRC applications can be developed community to collectively identify by companies or Research and new opportunities. They conduct Technology Organisations. outreach activities and influence other stakeholders in the innovation We encourage a richer dialogue chain, such as Innovate UK and between world-leading Catapults, to ensure acceleration manufacturing researchers and of impact. industry partners, to ensure

4 Contents

6 LiME – the Future Liquid Metal Engineering Hub

10 The Future Photonics Hub

14 Future Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation Research Hub (CMAC)

18 Future Composites Hub

21 Future Targeted Healthcare Manufacturing Hub

25 MAPP – Future Manufacturing Hub in Manufacture using Advanced Powder ProcessesFuture

29 Advanced Metrology Hub

33 The Future Compound Semiconductor Hub

37 Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub

41 Future Research Hub in Electrical Machines

45 SUSTAIN – Strategic University Steel Technology And Innovation Network Manufacturing Hub

49 Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research (FVMR) Hub

53 Vax-Hub Future Vaccine Manufacturing Hub

5 LiME – the Future Liquid Metal Engineering Hub

Recycling metals to retain properties while reducing energy use.

The long-term vision of the Future University London, Uxbridge, “BCAST is the largest metal LiME Hub is full metal circulation, Middlesex. Its ‘academic spoke’ solidification research centre in the in which global demand for metallic partners are Imperial College UK and one of the largest in the materials is met by a full circulation London and the universities of world,” said Dr Mark Jones, LiME of secondary materials, with only Oxford, Leeds and Manchester. Hub Manager. “It incorporates two limited addition of primary metals purpose-built facilities: the Advanced Brunel University London’s legacy each year. It seeks to drive reduced Metal Casting Centre (AMCC), which of relationships with industry – usage and increased reuse, was built with £4 million EPSRC, particularly automotive – was the remanufacture, closed-loop recycling £7M Brunel and £6.5M industrial foundation for BCAST’s designation and effective recovery and refining. investment and opened in 2016; as an EPSRC Centre for Innovative and the Advanced Metal Processing LiME is based at the Brunel Manufacturing in 2010, and as the Centre (AMPC), built with a Centre for Advanced Solidification Future Manufacturing Liquid Metal £15 million award from the Higher Technology (BCAST), which was Engineering Hub in 2017. Education Funding Council for established in 2002 at Brunel

6 England and significant support from durability, workability and behaviour the private sector.” in use. The two centres have facilities to While most research has been in the BCAST is the largest demonstrate laboratory-based crystal growth phase of solidification, advanced technologies at LiME is focused on nucleation – the metal solidification industrial scale. point at which metal crystals begin to form. Improving the fundamental research centre in Areas of focus – nucleation, understanding of these processes the UK and one of the crystallisation will help develop better methods of management and control, leading to largest in the world LiME has special expertise in finer-grained metals with more working with aluminium and predictable and controllable magnesium and their alloys. properties. LiME is concerned with the “Making finer structures in This research is important in the sustainable use of metals in industry. metals requires more nucleation quest to make aluminium and It is researching ways to improve events, which will consequently be magnesium alloys more tolerant to recycling rates, to identify and smaller,” explained Dr Ian Stone, iron, and therefore more recyclable. remove or tolerate impurities and to Co-Investigator and a member of It has been looking at how particles develop “closed-loop” remanufacture the Hub management team. “LiME based on iron nucleate; and has and reuse, which will ultimately is seeking to understand how to been developing techniques, such reduce ‘downcycling’, wastage and enhance the nucleation process as applying high shear forces to disposal rates. Metals are crystalline at an atomic level, and to develop the metal, to enhance the rate of in structure. The crystalline phases techniques that can be used to formation to make them finer, more present and their shape, size and do so.” compact and more disperse. distribution affect properties such as

7 Recent advances “In collaboration with aluminium Recycling material that has already manufacturer Constellium, LiME been used saves nearly 95% of Manufacturers are frequently developed the HSA6 series of the energy used in making virgin challenged to manage the conflict aluminium alloys that combines material. It also produces only 5% of between the strength of alloys to the high strength of 7xxx series the CO2 and reduces manufacturing be used in critical applications, aerospace grades with the costs as well. such as passenger protection and extrudability of medium-strength “While it is relatively easy to recycle crash management systems, and 6xxx series” said Dr Stone. their ‘workability’ in production. metals, impurities collected during BCAST has contributed to solutions use tend to lead to downcycling, for crash management, where an Sustainability i.e. its use in progressively less aluminium alloy’s behaviour in Making primary metal involves advanced applications, until it is high-stress situations is crucial to mining, refining and processing the discarded and ends up in landfill,” passenger survival. metal ore to create usable “virgin Dr Jones explained. material”. This is extremely energy- Very high strength alloys typically The LiME centre is researching intensive, especially in the case of contain copper, zinc and other how to utilise end-of-life vehicle aluminium and magnesium, both of elements, which make them more scrap metal. The Hub has already which require a lot of electricity in difficult to work. developed technologies that can the conversion from ore to metal. remove impurities, such as iron,

While it is relatively easy to recycle metals, impurities collected during use tend to lead to downcycling, i.e. its use in progressively less advanced applications, until it is discarded and ends up in landfill

8 which compromise the strength and Research, rapid prototyping and and demonstrate them at scale in as resilience of aluminium alloys. industrial scale little as six weeks,” Dr Jones said. “The REALITY project, in partnership Commercial factory production “This means that new designs for with Jaguar Land Rover, achieved cannot be interrupted in order components can be inserted into significant results in turning scrap to facilitate radical research and production cycles much faster – into that would previously have been project development, no matter how this model year, rather than in two downcycled into metal fit for reuse in potentially valuable. years’ time, for example,” Dr Stone automotive manufacturing and other explained. “The value of such rapid industries,” he said. Access to BCAST’s AMCC and AMPC prototyping is demonstrated by enables LiME to take projects all the Constellium receiving orders from Reducing raw material usage way from fundamental, lab-based several OEMs for the supply of crash research, through working prototype management systems based on the Using less raw material reduces to demonstration at industrial scale, HSA6 alloys.” the impact of manufacturing on much faster than industrial partners the environment but the lightness could achieve in their factories. These projects have applications of recycled material is not always beyond the automotive industry, compatible with required strength. “LiME has been able to support its including a crash management partners in taking take projects from system for railway rolling stock. “Manufacturers can use less of a design concept to working prototype material if it has greater properties required for particular applications,” said Dr Stone. “One of the ways to provide the properties required is to control the microstructure.” Contact details Less material requires less Future Liquid Metal processing, further saving energy Engineering Hub Brunel University London, costs and CO2 emissions. Lighter vehicles deliver secondary savings, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH in the form of reduced fuel and Tel: 01895 268880 exhaust emissions but also in E-mail: [email protected] delivering the same performance Website: www.lime.ac.uk from smaller power units, thus requiring lighter braking, steering and control systems.

World’s lightest body in white (BIW) structure

Carbon Aluminium Automotive Working with BCAST were lead into one, reducing welds and joints, Hybrid Structures, or CAAHS - a partner Gordon Murray Design, and reducing prototype lead times; £2.9 million, 24-month Innovate Bentley Motors, Constellium, and Electromagnetic pulse technology UK sponsored lightweight, high Innoval Technology. (EMPT) for high-speed joining using strength vehicle chassis research The project focused on developing non-contact welding or mechanical collaboration programme. an automotive structure that was joining; 40% lighter than the Fusion welding with Cold Metal steel equivalent, using Transfer (CMT) to maximise weld Gordon Murray Design’s strength. iStream® technology. Two new frames were completed BCAST’s AMCC and APCC and manufactured by Gordon facilitated the following: Murray Design: one to undergo Direct Chill casting and crash tests and the second for 1:1 scale extrusion of showcasing at events. billets to their net shape; The finished structure showed Free Form (3D) bending, weight savings of 40% over steel- combining several parts based systems.

9 The Future Photonics Hub Advancing the manufacturing of next- generation light technologies

The Future Photonics Hub’s mission is to transfer new, practical and commercial process technologies to industry, to accelerate the growth of the UK’s £12 billion photonics sector and to support the £600 billion of UK manufacturing output that depends upon this key enabling technology.

The Future Photonics Hub is a integrating technology platforms to Sir David said. “Our job is to ask: is partnership between the enable new devices and components there a better way of doing this?” Optoelectronics Research such as lasers; sensors; new light Centre (ORC) at the University sources; modulators; transceivers; Novel research of Southampton and the photonic subsystems; etc. EPSRC National Centre for III-V “Most of the limitations of optical Technologies1 at the University of Historical legacy fibre are to do with the glass used in Sheffield. The ORC is the largest, its construction. So we asked: what if longest-standing and most The erbium-doped fibre amplifier, we take the glass out of the middle?” prominent optoelectronics and a key enabling technology that he continued. “Fibre guides light by photonics group in the UK and eliminated the need for optical- total internal reflection, from high one of the most respected in the electrical-optical repeaters and refractive index to low – and there’s world, while Sheffield has a long enabled the internet we know today, nothing with a lower refractive index history of compound semiconductor was invented in 1986 by Professor than a vacuum.” The Centre has not innovation. Sir David Payne (now Principal perfected the hollow-core concept Investigator of the Future Photonics yet but it’s getting close. “They The Hub’s initial funding from Hub) and his team at the University could be useful for traders, when EPSRC and industry over seven years of Southampton, who demonstrated transit speed is of the essence,” amounts to £21.2m. Its latest income optical amplifiers built into fibre- said Professor Gilberto Brambilla, figures (1 Jan 2016 – 1 Jan 2019) optic cabling itself. It was later manager of the Future Photonics consists of £10.2m competitively won developed by Emmanuel Desurvire Hub. “If a company is willing to grants (EPSRC) and £11m industrial and his team at Bell Laboratories cut through a mountain, simply to funding from over 50 industry in the USA. The first transatlantic reduce the distance between Chicago partners, from the UK, the USA and telephone cable that made use of the and New York – as happened recently other countries. Payne-Desurvire amplifier went into – then they are likely to be interested The Hub works with academic operation in 1988. In 1997 the Fibre in light travelling in a vacuum, faster partner teams on a per-project Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) than in a material with a higher basis. It is currently engaged became the longest single-cable refractory index.” There would also with 56 projects over its four network in the world and provided be less degradation in signal quality Technology Platforms. the infrastructure for the next and the ability to carry higher optical generation of Internet applications. power. Areas of focus “The solid core fibre that drives the “A hollow-core fibre can carry light entire internet extends to around well beyond the visible spectrum in The Future Photonics Hub’s 300 million km and has been so either direction – infra red or Grand Challenge is photonics commoditised that it costs about ultra violet,” Professor Brambilla integration: developing cost-efficient US$8 a km. It’s cheaper than copper explained. manufacturing processes and wire and has fantastic bandwidth,”

1 The III-V group of semiconductors are compounds made of elements in columns III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements.

10 Cross-section of hollow core fibre (HCF)

11 Top right: Scientist Marco Petrovich prepares the Fibre Draw Tower for its next task Bottom right: Examining fibre in the Fibre Draw Tower

Bridging the gap from optical characteristics that nature qualities. It might be 100km research to industry forgot to provide. but sounds can be localised with remarkable accuracy by “We have to respect both cultures The Future Photonics Hub is range-gating. not engaged simply in ‘blue sky – academic and industrial – and fill thinking’. in that “valley of death”: the chasm “Working with Network Rail, we between the two, where fascinating noticed a frequency of about eight “We’re well aware of the difference ideas go to die,” Sir David said. “The Hertz; it was an engine that was between experimentation in the lab research councils fund high-risk pulling six carriages, about six and something manufacturable, research; our job is to de-risk it.” miles away from where we were ” Sir David continued. “We have located,” said Professor Brambilla. developed advanced clean room Thinking differently “We can use this technology to hear processes that enable us to take if the engine is working properly, if ideas from experimental benches While optical fibres are primarily there is some malfunction in the and make them faster, cheaper and about light, they also have rolling stock; or a fault in a rail. We better.” Those hugely expensive applications in sound. can identify to within a metre the clean rooms are rented out to Distributed Acoustic Sensing uses origin of the sound. What we are industry, for research, development acoustic pickup in an optical fibre investigating now is applications for and small scale manufacture. that may already be in place; running the UK’s motorway network. With Great ideas have to work, at a along a railway track, for example. this technology we can determine commercial level. The ORC’s The fibre acts like a microphone where a pothole is, how far away and metamaterials work fabricates along its entire length, and without across which lane, to a resolution of materials at the nanoscale with compromising its light-transmitting one metre.”

12 The entire length of the M3 could and wider manufacturing. The be monitored from Southampton, ORC’s fibres and fibre lasers are The ORC hosts the University’s with a single fibre optic; the whole of to be found all over the world and £120 million Cleanroom the London Underground could be on spacecraft, on Mars, and on Complex, covering four floors, monitored from a single location. satellites at all orbit levels. with 50 laboratories on one level and a range of clean rooms and Future perfect? manufacturing facilities. The Future Photonics Hub is already Hollow core fibres were looking at alternatives to hollow The Southampton developed at the ORC in the core fibres. Would many cores in early 1990s. Initially just a few single fibres be better than just one, ‘Photonics Valley’ metres long, the ORC developed for example? has created over the means to scale up the “The answer is: maybe,” Sir David technology. said. “There is also the commercial 500 jobs and is The ORC is the largest research consideration. A fibre with 12 cores generating revenues organisation fabricating and would cost roughly 12 times as much manufacturing fibres in the UK, as a single core – and the lineman in excess of £100m possibly in Europe and maybe in up a pole in a Canadian winter would the world. have to splice these things together. Can we do it simply, at low cost and at a system level?” The Future Photonics Hub is working on proving those ideas for customers in defence, oil & gas, telecommunications, energy, medicine, metrology, automotive

A hollow-core fibre can carry light well beyond the visible spectrum in either direction – infra red or ultra violet

Hollow core fibre (HCF) Preform

Specialist optical fibre product Contact details producer Fibrecore is one of Optoelectronics Research Centre a number of successful ORC University of Southampton spin-out companies. Room 4029, Building 46, Another, SPI Lasers, sells Highfield Campus around 1000 fibre lasers every Southampton SO17 1BJ month. www.orc.soton.ac.uk The Southampton ‘Photonics www.photonicshubuk.org Valley’ has created over Rebecca Whitehead 500 jobs and is generating EPSRC Relationship and revenues in excess of £100m. Research PR Officer Looking down from the top of OCR’s Fibre [email protected] Draw Tower

13 Future Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation Research Hub (CMAC)

The manufacture of pharmaceuticals traditionally relies on batch processes that can lead to costly oversupply, shortages or waste.

However changing this embedded medicines which in turn require Overview and Partners system exposes pharma to potential more agile, flexible manufacturing technical, cost or regulatory risks, so at reduced cost in less than half the CMAC evolved from the Centre the incumbent system is sustained timescale of traditional methods. of Innovative Manufacturing in by industry. Today pharma’s CMAC’s approach is to develop Continuous Manufacturing and manufacturing systems must predictive design tools, digital twins Crystallisation, which laid the respond to the growing demand and integrated, modular continuous groundwork in developing new, for smaller volume, personalised microfactory platforms. efficient and flexible processes to

14 continuously make pharmaceuticals and comprises more than 120 The challenge more responsively and less staff and researchers, including wastefully. The EPSRC Hub was academics, post docs, 50 PhD Traditional pharmaceutical created in 2017 and is centred at students and an experienced manufacturing is based on the £89 million Technology and operational support team. The Hub making medicines in batches with Innovation Centre at the University will deliver predictive design tools inefficient and costly approaches of Strathclyde with six academic and novel integrated continuous to scale-up for example where partner institutions; the universities processing platforms for the there is uncertainty around the of Bath, Cambridge, Imperial supply of next generation high demand for the product. CMAC is College, Loughborough, Leeds and performance personalised products. transforming medicine development Sheffield. The eight Tier 1 industry and manufacture and its growing The Hub answers the grand partners are AstraZeneca, Bayer, portfolio of radical scientific challenge of: “Rapid performance- GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Novartis, and technical developments will based design and continuous Pfizer, Roche and Takeda. The accelerate the pace at which new manufacture of high performance Hub also has a wide range of Tier chemical entities can be transformed structured particulate products”. 2 partners including technology into safe, effective, high quality and providers and innovation spokes. increasingly personalised products. CMAC operates a precompetitive In CMAC’s first iteration as an collaboration model for industry and Traditional EPSRC Centre for Innovative academic partners to deliver novel Manufacturing it mastered new manufacturing technology that will pharmaceutical approaches for continuous enable industry to deliver better manufacturing is crystallisation of drug active products, quickly, economically and pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) sustainably. This will: and continuous manufacturing based on making of particulate drug products, i.e. • design and formulate active medicines in batches formulation into medicines. The pharmaceutical ingredients Hub builds on this knowledge to to make drug products more with inefficient and deliver predictive digital design efficiently (from years to months) costly approaches to tools and novel integrated, • reduce the amount of material modular continuous processing used in the development of scale-up for example platforms for the supply of next continuous pharmaceutical generation high performance drug manufacturing (from Kg’s to g’s), where there is products. The research will deliver and prototype demonstrators: lab-scale uncertainty around continuous integrated end-to-end • employ digital technologies microfactories and their digital including computational models the demand for the twins for exemplar drug products. to enable this. product Each microfactory consists of a set To date it has leveraged a £150m of standardised workflows per unit funding portfolio across all partners operation that can be employed in a modular fashion to form future microfactories. Workflows are being developed for continuous processes including crystallisation, particle engineering, filtration, drying, blending, injection moulding, 3D printing and compression. CMAC has targeted three specific scenarios with the aim of working towards a long term goal of enhanced understanding of material- process-performance relationships for drug manufacturability, stability and performance. These are: 1. Drug substance with performance characteristics improved by formulation as drug/ polymer suspension

15 2. Drug substance with to be delivered to a wider variety of physical microfactory demonstrator challenging in vivo performance smaller patients groups. that was designed to continuously characteristics improved by produce a product that overcomes formulation as amorphous solid Digitalisation in pharma API physical properties with poor dispersion in polymer manufacturing manufacturability. Being able to provide a digital simulation to 3. Manufacture of drug product from A key focus for the Hub is digital assist end-to-end product and drug substance with challenging twins and predictive design, to process design is key to supporting physical properties, for example design products and processes adoption of the technology being needle-like crystals. using fewer experiments and hence developed in CMAC. Predictive “The CMAC CIM laid the foundation much less material with a reduced development pathways for novel for our collaborative approach, reliance on traditional experimental molecules, modelled using digital and the Hub is about how we build methods. “Digital twins to simulate tools, help shorten the R&D cycle further capabilities and technologies a product or a process are key,” said and when coupled to new continuous to achieve an integrated end-to-end Professor Florence. They will allow manufacturing processes help to manufacturing chain to transform a us to exploit a deep understanding of overcome barriers to adoption. constant flow of materials into high the materials properties and process “The concept of digital twins in quality products using the integrated conditions to achieve the required discrete manufacturing is perhaps process chain,” said Hub Director outcomes and develop innovative more mature,” Professor Florence Professor Alastair Florence. micro-factories. These comprise smaller flexible modular platforms said. “Translating that into process The Hub is the pharmaceutical that couple different manufacturing industries is challenging. It’s not industry’s response to the operations together to deliver the currently possible to predict and development of personalised required product performance analyse all the steps in the process medicine, which is matching drugs consistently and at a small scale digitally given the large number to smaller patient populations. This that can be easily varied to meet of factors involved and the often is seeing an increasing number changing demand,” he added. complex and poorly understood of new products being approved relationships between them. for release into the market Developing the models for individual These priority challenges guide although at smaller volumes than unit operations and integrating our research, developing optimal previous ‘blockbuster’ medicines. these to create a digital twin of the approaches for experimental design, The challenge is to deliver mass end-to-end manufacturing process improved methods for generating customisation through advanced for a microfactory is a significant and managing data to exploit ML/ development and design and using challenge. CMAC has demonstrated AI tools, improved understanding flexible, well controlled continuous an end-to-end prototype digital of material attributes and the processes to enable these products twin simulation that supports a influence of process history, better

16 understanding of fundamental technologies emerging from of the Hub’s mechanistic model process transformations to build the CMAC to accelerate the adoption of to target the experiments to capabilities to realise the potential new technology.” understand the design space, of digital design and continuous four days of real experiments The Hub leveraged further investment manufacturing for the supply of were replaced by roughly four from EPSRC of the closely future medicines.” hours of [digital] computation. aligned ARTICULAR project (EP/ To deliver the Hub Grand Challenge R032858/1) which is investigating • CMAC open day in October 2018. Research, the Hub has divided the ARtificial inTelligence for Integrated Demonstrated that the Hub had job into three main work packages: ICT-enabled pharmaceUticaL worked on and delivered key mAnufactuRing. challenge aspects. • Predictive Design & Digital Twin (WP1) Key recent achievements include: • Supply chain development: The Hub’s Work Package 3 looks at • Future Microfactories (WP2) • Launched the MMIC, which will be new supply network configuration matured by working with vendors • Future Supply Chain (WP3). design options and strategies and demonstration facilities. aligned with emerging medicines Impact and progress • Microfactory proving: manufacturing technologies, Development of an integrated advanced production process CMAC has achieved translation platform for crystallisation, control and analytics and data of process design into R&D and agglomeration, filtration and integration opportunities across in some cases adoption of novel drying in a single integrated unit. the end-to-end supply chain processes into manufacturing by its This was able to demonstrate the enabled by ICT/digitalisation. Tier one partners. Full production performance of the material in a deployment is part of the long-term compression stage. challenge. CMAC’s case studies • The first digital twin-integrated are mostly connected to organisations Contact details R&D depts informing continuous continuous production of process development, testing and Lovastatin, a treatment for EPSRC CMAC Future demonstration. The University of lowering cholesterol. Lovastatin Manufacturing Research Hub Strathclyde is also the strategic crystallises as “needles” that University of Strathclyde research partner for the world-first, have poor flow properties. The Technology and Innovation Centre industry-led Medicines Manufacturing Hub implemented particle Level 6 Innovation Centre (MMIC). engineering approaches that 99 George Street crystallises the substance Glasgow, G1 1RD “There is a mix of adoption at the and deliberately controls the moment,” said Professor Florence. formation of an agglomerate – https://www.cmac.ac.uk/ “We worked with CPI (Centre for replacing the needles with more Annual report 2018: https://www. Process Innovation), part of the High spherical, free-flowing particles. cmac.ac.uk/files/media/CMAC_ Value Manufacturing Catapult and This improves compaction Annual_Review_2018_spreads.pdf the MMIP (Medicines Manufacturing performance that allows you to Twitter: @EPSRC_CMAC Industry Partnership) to help win improve the dosage form, the funding to establish MMIC. The initial secondary manufacturing stage. https://www.linkedin.com/ investment was secured from the company/cmac-future- • Progress with digital twin Industry Strategy Challenge Fund manufacturing-research-hub/ under Wave 1. MMIC has gone on modelling and microfactory to secure support from Scottish building in other pharmaceutical Professor Alastair Florence, Enterprise, GSK and AZ. MMIC manufacture. For example: Director and Principal creates a new industrial testing In the development of one Investigator ground for innovative manufacturing crystallisation process, the use e: alastair.fl[email protected] t: +44 (0)141 548 4877 Craig Johnston, Industrial Director The CMAC CIM laid the foundation for our e: [email protected] t: +44 (0)141 548 2240 collaborative approach, and the Hub is Dr Andrea Johnston, EPSRC Hub about how we build further capabilities and Programme Manager e: [email protected] technologies to achieve an integrated t: +44 (0)141 548 4506 end-to-end manufacturing chain National Facility Enquiries e: [email protected] t: +44 (0)141 444 7102

17 The development of automated dry fibre placement technology at the University of Bristol Future Composites Hub

Advanced composite materials consist of reinforcement fibres, typically carbon or glass, embedded within a polymer matrix, providing a structural material. They are attractive to a number of sectors, in particular transportation, because they offer significant weight savings for reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

Whilst the composites sector is underlying science and technology change in the production of polymer projected to grow considerably to deliver robust manufacturing matrix composites, while training over the next 10 years, current processes, offering appropriate the next generation of composites manufacturing processes are labour production rates, cost effectiveness engineers. Building on the success intensive and slow in comparison and component performance. of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative to those for competing materials. Manufacturing in Composites It is challenging to deliver large Overview (CIMComp), the Hub will drive structures at suitable volumes the development of advanced with quality levels acceptable for The EPSRC Future Composites manufacturing technologies demanding applications. The Future Manufacturing Research Hub to deliver robust and high rate Composites Manufacturing Hub aims represents a £10.3m investment manufacturing across a broad range to underpin the growth potential to expand the national research of industry sectors. of the sector by developing the effort towards delivering a step

18 The Hub is led by the universities Research within the Hub is driven by 3 further projects at Hub of Bristol and Nottingham, and by five themes which represent universities in 2018. For the 2019/20 includes eleven other Spokes priority areas determined the UK’s programme, 7 further projects have at Brunel University London, composite community: been selected, with over £750k of the University of Cambridge, Catapult funding being committed 1. High rate deposition and rapid Cranfield University, the University to date. processing technologies of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, 2. Design for manufacture via Example projects include: the University of Manchester, the validated simulation University of Sheffield, the University • SimpleCure (University of Bristol 3. Manufacturing for multifunctional of Southampton, Wrexham Glyndw ^ r & University of Bath): A 1D FEA composites and integrated University and Ulster University. heat transfer solver that can structures predict the degree of cure and The Hub’s industrial partner network 4. Inspection and in-process temperature distribution through is critical in ensuring that research evaluation the thickness of manufactured undertaken within the Hub is aligned composite components. with industry needs and seeks to 5. Recycling and re-use. • Multi-axial braiding for optimum overcome barriers faced throughout Within these themes, research is the supply chain. The Hub’s growing fibre lay-up and improved initiated via 6-month Feasibility consolidation (University of partner base includes four HVM Studies, enabling researchers Catapult centres (NCC, AMRC, MTC, Manchester): Development of to explore the potential of high- advanced quadraxial braiding and WMG) in addition to: Airbus, risk ideas. Larger Core Projects Aston Martin, BAE Systems, Bentley, techniques to develop industrially offer a route for proven Feasibility relevant components. Composites Integration, Coriolis, Studies to progress to the next ESI, GE Aviation, GKN, Hexcel, Luxfer stage of technology readiness (TRL), • DiSenC (Cranfield University): Gas Cylinders, M. Wright & Sons, typically as a collaboration between Linear and woven dielectric Network Rail, Pentaxia, Rolls-Royce, two academic institutions and a sensors that can be used for flow Scott Bader and Sigmatex. consortium of industrial partners. and cure monitoring in liquid Since its inception, the Hub has moulding processing of carbon Objectives funded three Core Projects and fibre composites. Promote a step change in thirteen Feasibility Studies. Provide training for the next composites manufacturing science Create a pipeline of next generation generation of composites and technologies technologies addressing future manufacturing engineers The Hub’s core research focuses on industrial needs A key objective of the Hub is two Grand Challenges: In collaboration with the National to provide the UK composites manufacturing industry with 1. To enhance process robustness Composites Centre (NCC), Research Engineers equipped with via the understanding of process a Technology Pull-Through the necessary advanced technical science to deliver and accelerate Programme has been established and leadership skills required for growth to scale up technologies with high commercial potential and introduce effective adoption of new knowledge 2. To develop high rate processing them to a wider industrial audience. and technologies in composites technologies for high quality The programme was successfully manufacture. The Industrial structures to develop new piloted in 2017 with 9 projects from Doctorate Centre in Composites technologies and diversify into the University of Bristol followed Manufacturing at the University emerging sectors. of Bristol is an integral part of the Hub, developing outstanding research engineers through its EngD programme. These students are embedded within industry and work on projects of relevance to the sponsoring company, providing excellent preparation for their future careers. Current projects include: • Advanced 3D woven lightweight composites structures for future automotive high rate programmes (Albany Engineered Composites & University of Bristol)

19 • Advanced CFRP simulation for Postgraduate and Postdoctoral exceeding £15.0 million. Notably, for the development of fabric Researchers funded by the this includes £6.9 million for an architectures and process Composite Hub to undertake a EPSRC Programme Grant led by improvement (Hexcel Composites three month visit to one of the 23 the University of Southampton, & University of Nottingham) International Partner Institutions. involving Bath, Bristol and This ensures that Composite Hub Exeter. ‘Reshaping the Testing • Optimisation of 3D woven textiles personnel are exposed to the latest Pyramid’ aims to enhance the in relation to binder architecture technologies championed by leading UK’s international position in during the compaction process academic and research institutes. the aerospace industry by (M. Wright & Sons Ltd. & To date, sponsorships have been providing a route for lessening University of Manchester). provided to three candidates: regulatory constraints for Build and grow the national material certification. • University of Bristol, to the and international composites University of British Columbia • Safety equipment cabinet communities (UBC), Canada - April 2014. High manufacturer Jo Bird & Co. Ltd The Hub continues to strengthen speed impact on composites were presented with the Queens’ links with the international research Award for Enterprise: Innovation • University of Edinburgh to the community. In 2018 the Hub hosted in 2018. This was thanks to the University of Auckland, NZ - an open day in conjunction with EngD project carried out by July 2019. Impact behaviour the 11th International Conference Laxman Sivanathan, with the of carbon fibre reinforced on Manufacturing of Advanced support of Dr Carwyn Ward thermoplastic composites Composites (ICMAC 11). This 3-day at Bristol. event brought together composite • University of Southampton to • In March 2018, Hexcel manufacturing scientists, engineers Defence Science and Technology Reinforcements exhibited an and end users from academia and (DST), Melbourne, Australia – July automotive seat demonstrator industry to hear about the latest 2019. Characterisation of damage component at JEC World in Paris, developments from pioneers within using a strain-based, non- part of a collaboration with the the field. It was attended by over 120 destructive evaluation approach. University of Nottingham. This people and had a truly international was the result of a Feasibility feel, with delegates travelling from Highlights from 2018/19: Study funded by CIMComp which as far as New Zealand, Japan and aimed to develop a forming USA to present papers. • Members of the Hub have been successful in securing additional simulation tool for complex 3D The Hub’s International Exchange research funding, with the total preforms manufactured from Programme provides an opportunity value for leveraged grants now multiple plies of non-crimp fabric.

The development of optimised fibre architectures using Texgen, the University of Nottingham’s open source software

20 Partner endorsements “Hexcel believes that the initial Hub Since 2017 there has been feasibility studies provide critical elements that will support the UK composites manufacturing industry. It is evident that the Hub has made a strong start and we look forward to + + supporting future projects”. 82% 47% Chris Harrington, Research & Technology Manager, Hexcel number of postdoctoral Composites Ltd. PhD student researchers “Thank you for setting up the Industrial Doctorate Centre in Composites Manufacture. Together with all the academics, + + university members of staff, and the 50% 43% sponsoring companies, you have created a stimulating four-year project based additional leveraged programme that gave me the skills, competencies and confidence to take partners grant income on a leadership position at NCC and now to move into a commercial role.” Dr Mattia di Francesco, Business 28 110 1 Development Manager, Airborne B.V. journal papers first annual patent you have created a accepted Open Day application filed stimulating four- delegates year programme that gave me the skills, International Conference on Manufacturing of Advanced competencies and 110 Composites (ICMAC) delegates confidence to take on a leadership position and move into a 13 7 commercial role new Feasibility new academic partners Studies awarded joined the Hub Contact details Hub Director £1m £2m Professor Nick Warrior, University of leveraged of leveraged of Nottingham institutional support industrial support Hub Manager for studentships Dr Lee Harper, University of Nottingham Website: cimcomp.ac.uk £15m Tel: 0115 951 3823 of additional leveraged grant income [email protected] Twitter: @EPSRC_CIMComp

21 Future Targeted Healthcare Manufacturing Hub

Personalised medicine – medicines designed to treat sub- populations or individuals more accurately than one-size-fits-all medicines – is a growing field of science that represents both a huge public health and business opportunity for the UK.

Overview to ensure that new, targeted patient groups through to truly biological medicines can be personalised cell-based medicines. The EPSRC Future Targeted developed quickly and manufactured This national asset is valued in Healthcare Manufacturing Hub at a cost affordable to society. excess of £20 million over seven is addressing the manufacturing, years (2017–2023), with £10 million The research spans stratified protein business and regulatory challenges from the EPSRC. medicines targeted to particular

22 University College London (UCL) bioprocesses, analytics and means that the Hub’s progress will Biochemical Engineering hosts the control algorithms. impact manufacturing practice. Hub in collaboration with leading This paradigm shift in manufacturing Notable successes include its UK academics as spokes. The practice will provide the manufacturing work with biotech company Sutro Hub brings together a team of infrastructure needed for sustainable Biopharma on the capacity to adopt dedicated PDRAs and associated healthcare. cell-free synthesis to facilitate academics with expertise that manufacture of targeted therapies. spans bioprocessing, decisional “The Hub’s close co-operation with tools, process control and analytics Impact Sutro has given us unparalleled through to health economics and The Hub will identify the access to their proprietary cell lines public policy. technological and logistical solutions and reagents, ensuring that the The Hub is unique in biomanufacturing necessary to make targeted Hub’s studies remain focused and and has an industrial consortium of healthcare a reality. Targeted industrially relevant,” says Hub lead, over 35 users ranging from SMEs to interventions will provide a step Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker. leading manufacturers and suppliers change for many patients in terms of in the biotherapeutics industry as widened access to new treatments. Highlights so far include: well as sector organisations. The range of targets is huge and Formulation: New biophysical includes treatments for cancers and analysis methods have been The vision the re-programming of degenerative developed that are able to monitor disorders such as dementia. The • By 2025 targeted biological the degradation of protein Hub represents a radical departure medicines will transform mixtures. The co-formulation from existing research activities. the precision of healthcare of multiple proteins can lead to prescription, improve patient care The Hub has an ambitious set of improved stability of proteins to and quality of life. strategic research targets, where its aggregation and fragmentation. focus includes: pioneering studies Novel nanoparticle manufacturing • The current “one-size-fits-all” in the utility of cell-free synthesis has been established that is able approach to drug development is for just-in-time manufacture of to encapsulate and co-formulate being challenged by the growing valuable therapeutics; engineering multiple proteins. ability to create stratified and characterisation of novel bioreactor personalised medicines targeted Cell-free synthesis protocols: geometries for effective process to specific sub-populations and Scalable cell-free synthesis with development and delivery of cell and even individuals. model proteins can be achieved gene therapy products; as well as consistently using in-house protocols • Without significant manufacturing advanced software tools to help in and the formation of product-related and supply innovations, the decision-making. impurities can be mitigated by promise of targeted healthcare The Hub is working closely with altering the synthesis conditions. will remain inaccessible for many. its user community to deliver user The negative impact on health Cell-free synthesis economics: feasibility studies that are designed and well-being are profound. Case studies have highlighted the to test the Hub’s methods, and to differences in cost of goods and • The Hub will be the first gauge the utility of new approaches performance targets for cell-free globally recognised consortium in an industrial setting. The first synthesis compared to traditional for the creation, delivery and batch of nine such studies are mammalian processes for antibody- dissemination of innovative defined and approved for execution drug conjugates. manufacturing research to deliver within the next 12-months. The targeted therapies. results of these studies will further CAR T-cell manufacturing platforms: the Hub’s understanding of the T-cells can be cultivated in an Collaboration and evolving manufacturing landscape. automated stirred-tank bioreactor Deliverables Close integration with industry system, and their growth has been The Hub’s core research focuses on: • Grand Challenge 1: Transforming supply chain management and economics for targeted medicines The range of targets is huge and includes with novel computational decision-support tools treatments for cancers and the • Grand Challenge 2: Sustainable re-programming of degenerative disorders manufacturing for future targeted medicines with novel such as dementia

23 shown to be consistently and Yescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) significantly better than in T-flask and Kymriah® (tisagenlecleucel) has static culture, with equivalent The Hub will work been mapped out and analysed for cell quality. its longer-term feasibility. CAR T-cell predictive models and to help the sector Clinical production planning of control: T-cell cultures have been stratified proteins: An economic characterised by both mechanistic bridge the gap from model has been constructed and multivariate statistical models, academia to industry to understand incentivization which enables improvements to the mechanisms for the development consistency and productivity of and drive forward of companion diagnostics for these processes. with bioprocessing stratified proteins. CAR T-cell process and supply chain economics: Decisional tools technologies and get UCL Hub Leadership have identified the current cost of The Hub director and co-directors goods (COG) of CAR T-cell therapies, them into industrial are Professor Nigel Titchener- which manufacturing platforms are applications Hooker (Dean of the Faculty of most cost-effective at different dose Engineering Sciences, UCL), scenarios, the key cost drivers, and Professor Suzanne Farid (Deputy the risk-reward trade-offs between therapies related to factors such as Head of Department (Education), centralised manufacture versus marketing application review times UCL Biochemical Engineering) and GMP-in-a-box configurations? and flexibility around CMC and post- Professor Paul Dalby (Deputy Head Regulation: Significant differences marketing requirements. of Department (Research), UCL between Europe and the United Biochemical Engineering). Reimbursement: NICE’s approach States have been found for to appraising CAR T-cell therapies regulatory pathways of cell and gene

24 User and Partner quotes and innovation in future targeted healthcare and the associated Contact details “The Hub provides an opportunity manufacturing needs. It has helped for interaction and networking with shape some exciting research Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ both people in industry and leading challenges for us in the field of biochemical-engineering/ academic groups that are interested effective supply chains to deliver research/research-and-training- in continuously strengthening the personalised medicine” centres/future-targeted- UK’s position in this sector. When healthcare-manufacturing-hub we look into the future at what we - Professor Nilay Shah, Imperial need in 5-10 years, we can look College Twitter: @FutureHealthHub to influence and steer the Hub’s “The Hub brings together Department of Biochemical research agenda.” researchers with a range of expertise Engineering - Dr Bo Kara, Head of Process across different disciplines, creating University College London Development of Cell & Gene Therapy a unique capability for the UK. For Bernard Katz Building Platform Chemistry, Manufacturing the research team at the University Gordon Street and Controls, GSK of Manchester it provides us with London, WC1E 6BT the opportunity to determine “The Hub will work to help the Tel. +44 (0)20 7679 5280 whether the control systems that (internal: 45280) sector bridge the gap from academia we have designed over the last to industry and drive forward with few years are able to address Hub Project Manager bioprocessing technologies and get the complex challenges that are Dr Eleanor Bonnist them into industrial applications.” introduced in the production of [email protected] - Dr Oliver Hardick, CEO and personalised medicines.” Hub Director Founder, Puridify Ltd - Professor Barry Lennox, Professor Nigel Titchener- “The Hub is a unique UK resource School of Electrical and Hooker, FREng that brings together academia, Electronic Engineering, University Executive Dean of the UCL industry and service providers of Manchester Faculty of Engineering Sciences and sets the agenda for research Hub Co-Directors Professor Suzanne Farid, FIChemE Professor of Bioprocess Systems Engineering The Hub is a unique UK resource that brings Deputy Head of Department (Education) together academia, industry and service Professor Paul Dalby providers and sets the agenda for research Professor of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology and innovation in future targeted healthcare Director of the Centre for Doctoral Training and the associated manufacturing needs Deputy Head of Department (Research)

25 MAPP – Future Manufacturing Hub in Manufacture using Advanced Powder Processes Additive manufacturing is a disruptive & transformative technology that is still in its infancy

MAPP’s vision is to deliver on the promise of powder-based manufacturing to provide low energy, low cost and low waste high value manufacturing routes and products to secure UK manufacturing productivity and growth.

26 The £20 million Manufacture using MAPP’s “grand challenge” themes more expensive, by weight, than Advanced Powder Processes EPSRC are designed to address the equivalent material in billet form; Future Manufacturing Hub (MAPP), longer-term challenges faced by AM’s advantage is that the level of which was launched in 2017, is its industry partners. The first is wastage is typically 90% less than led by the University of Sheffield. focused on enabling ‘Right First conventional machining. Collaborating academic institutions Time’ manufacturing and enabling AM needs to reduce uncertainties are the Universities of Leeds, advanced powder processes to and increase confidence in supplies Manchester and Oxford; Imperial deliver on their potential for UK and composition of materials, College London; and University industry. The second will foster in order to improve uptake College London. The founding and encourage the development of substantially. group includes 17 industry partners new, homegrown manufacturing and seven of the UK’s High Value technologies for industry. Powders will become active and Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC) designed rather than passive “MAPP is trying to create the Centres. elements in their processing. ‘expert systems of tomorrow’,” said Control of surface state, surface £10 million of funding from EPSRC Professor Iain Todd, Director, MAPP chemistry, structure, bulk chemistry, is matched with more than £7 million EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub. morphologies and size will result of financial support from industry “In investigating ways to ensure in particles designed for process and HVMC partners, and over components manufactured with efficiency and reliability, as well as £3 million in total from the powders have the characteristics product performance. collaborating universities. required and that components can be made in the shape and with the “MAPP’s approach is to deliver Areas of focus behaviours desired, it has freedom to certainty and integrity, with final design and to ‘make mistakes’.” products at net or near net- Powder-based processes such as shape and with reduced scrap, additive manufacturing (AM), Attractions and challenges lower energy use, and lower CO2 have the potential to be disruptive emissions,” Professor Todd said. technologies, and AM is already The promise of powder-based “Recoupling materials science transforming traditional processes such as AM is that they with manufacturing science will manufacturing processes. Many will reduce material usage and offer enable the realisation of the emerging technologies make use a more efficient manufacturing potential of current technologies of powder processes but uncertainty process. MAPP’s focus is on and develop new, homegrown remains concerning whether variability of materials, where manufacturing processes.” it will work or not in particular improvement of quality control is applications. a particular concern. Powder is Collaboration and development “The challenge of powder processing is that material supplies are made up of literally millions of pieces,” Professor Todd explained. “MAPP’s extensive programme of experimental work is driving the design of new technologies.” The project involves working with collaborators and partners on aspects of metrology and control. MAPP’s research agenda covers emerging powder-based manufacturing technologies, such as: spark plasma sintering (SPS); freeze casting; inkjet printing; layer-by-layer manufacture; hot isostatic pressing (HIP); and laser, electron beam and indirect additive manufacturing (AM). MAPP covers a wide range of engineering materials where powder processing has the clear potential to drive disruptive growth, including advanced ceramics, polymers and metals, where common problems must be

27 Fast-forge is a novel process of forging that takes titanium particulate material directly from powder to final component, without energy- intensive remelting

addressed. Its initial applications are in Oxfordshire, to undertake direct equipment with artificial intelligence, in aerospace and energy. imaging and measurement. to ensure material is right first time,” said Professor Todd. Within the project, spokes are There are a number of aligned focusing on their particular areas projects associated with MAPP, of specialisation. including DARE (see box). MAPP’s Detailed research aligned projects range from lower The team at the University of Leeds Granular media are complex, TRL projects funded by research is seeking to improve understanding non-equilibrium systems; their councils through to innovation and descriptions of powders, in order behaviour does not conform to linear projects with industry partners to determine if they will work in forecasts. MAPP’s focus in this area supported by Innovate UK. Further particular processes. It is investigating is on powder starting materials and details of all aligned projects are on the manipulation of powder developing a systems-level approach the MAPP website. composition, in order to improve to describing their behaviour. its suitability for a wider range of Novel approaches “A lack of clear process control applications - understanding at the results in a high incidence of particle level will deliver ‘powders by As powder-based manufacturing component rejection due to design’ that reduce waste. in metal and polymer-based manufacturing defects,” Professor Oxford University is looking at industries is a novel technology, Todd said. “Innovative processing, processes that may be appropriate MAPP is looking outside traditional control and modelling approaches for the manufacture of batteries; manufacturing supply chains at will be developed and applied to Imperial College is focused on methods and means used by other processes including powder bed AM ceramic materials for use in, for productive industries. ‘Quality by and spark plasma sintering (SPS).” design’ is common practice in the example, catalytic converters. The Research areas, teams and production of pharmaceuticals, University of Manchester has individuals now associated with for example. Data is collected and a project focused on gaining a MAPP have been involved in the analysed at every stage; materials’ proper depth of understanding of development of patented, partnered behaviours are closely studied material behaviour. IP such as high-speed sintering and and checked. University College London is using diode area melting; Partners in these the Diamond Light Source science “MAPP’s vision is to use process and similar projects include Zeiss; facility, located at the Harwell analysis technologies to construct Rolls-Royce plc and Renishaw. Science and Innovation Campus

28 MAPP’s vision is to use process analysis technologies to construct equipment with artificial intelligence, to ensure material is right first time

Demonstration artefact showing varying orientations of meso-structures. Pham, M-S., Liu, C., Todd, I., Lertthanasarn, J., (2019). Damage-tolerant architected materials inspired by crystal microstructure. Nature. 565, 305-311

DARE (Designing Alloys for The challenge of Resource Efficiency) powder processing is that material DARE is addressing the future the Project will have a generic challenge of a limited pool of applicability to most metal supplies are made resources (e.g. Rare Earth alloys and will therefore impact up of literally millions Elements) required for the on a wide range of industrial development of alloys used sectors, including manufacturing, of pieces in modern manufacturing transport, energy, healthcare technologies. Companies in technologies and defence. the UK and Europe that DARE is a £4 million project, manufacture and process running from September 2014 to metals to form components are September 2019. Organisations faced with a growing problem of involved: University of Sheffield; Contact details securing supply chains linked King’s College London; University to particular materials. Manufacture using Advanced of Cambridge; Imperial College; Powder Processes EPSRC Future DARE’s aims are: to design, Magnesium Elektron Ltd; Manufacturing Hub manufacture and test new alloys Siemens; Tata Steel; Firth Rixon; ready for implementation into ArcelorMittal; Timet Ltd; Rolls- Sir Robert Hadfield Building, industry; reduce the reliance on Royce PLC; Messier-Dowty Ltd; University of Sheffield, Mappin strategic metals; and minimise and Sheffield Forgemasters Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD waste in the metals industry. Engineering Ltd E-mail: mapp@sheffield.ac.uk The methods developed within Website: www.mapp.ac.uk Twitter: @mapphub

29 Future Advanced Metrology Hub

For many industrial applications and increasingly in manufacturing, measurement needs to maintain the very highest levels of accuracy while becoming both faster and more accessible to industry users.

Non-contact metrology technologies universal metrology informatics The Hub is based within the Centre are developing fast to speed up systems to be applied across the for Precision Technologies at the factory measurement and there manufacturing value chain. The University of Huddersfield with is a growing trend to move more resulting embedding and integration spoke partners at Loughborough quality product validation “within the of manufacturing metrology by University and the Universities process” rather than in a separate the Hub will have far reaching of Bath and Sheffield. The Hub is end of process stage, reducing costs. implications for UK manufacturing supported by over 40 companies as maximum improvements in and research centres both nationally Overview and the grand product quality, minimisation of and internationally that can be challenges waste/rework, and minimum found here: lead-times will ultimately deliver https://epsrc.ukri.org/research/ The vision of the Future Advanced direct productivity benefits and centres/manufacturinghubs/ Metrology Hub is to create ground- improved competitiveness. breaking embedded metrology and metrologyhub/

30 The Hub aims to solve two ‘grand calibration of the machine. Both of challenges’ in engineering and these reduce machine down time, physical sciences: and the time it takes to remove a part and measure it as an additional 1. The development of optical process. It also addresses skills, and non-contact metrology, by perhaps removing the need for a e.g. interferometry and stereo specific, separate QC engineer. deflectometry systems to increase speed of accurate measurement. Professor Andrew Longstaff leads the Hub’s research in machine tool Challenges to overcome include metrology. In an early CIM case study physical barriers of the optical working with Rolls-Royce, novel defraction limit, and dynamic range techniques were used to reduce measurement, where multiple the down-time taken to calibrate features must be measured in a machines from days to hours = Time dynamic, moving environment. is money. 2. Closing the divergences in metrology information. adaptation of original quote by Feasibility study calls scientist Lord Kelvin. This looks at design for metrology In 2018 the Hub launched the first in and measurement in the whole Each year £622bn worth of goods a series of research feasibility study engineering process, from are sold on the basis of the calls. The first focused on three product design in a virtual / digital measurement of their quality topics closely linked to the Hub’s environment to manufacturing, final according to the Department research themes: verification and conformity. “This is for Business, Energy and especially relevant in a customised Industrial Strategy. Metrology is • Photonic integration for digital environment when you look especially important in high-value metrology sensors at one-off or low volume production manufacturing and, the Hub says, • Novel methods for automating of individual items, and autonomous the UK must remain at the forefront metrology manufacturing environments,” said of metrology capability if it is to • Measurement in challenging Hub Manager Christian Young. differentiate itself from low-cost environments. overseas competition. There are growing trends, researched by the Hub’s predecessor Following a rigorous review and the EPSRC Metrology CIM, for both Why metrology is important selection process, four applications were selected for funding: developing in-process metrology, • 75% of companies take embedding sensors on machines measurements during product 1. Immersive Metrology System to measure throughout the design and development (IMS) manufacture, as well as design PI: Dr Vimal Dhokia for metrology, or using better • 80% of companies test bought 2. High-temperature, highly measurement data to inform a components to ensure suppliers integrated, aerosol printed company’s design practices and meet quality standards metrology sensors on-a-chip embedding this knowledge in • 76% of companies take PI: Dr Jon Willmott the design. measurements during the production process 3. Compact tailored scatterings Advancing necessary spectrometer Factory metrology is changing to PI: Dr Martynas Beresna knowledge allow measurement of parts during “If you can’t measure, you can’t the manufacture – or in-process 4. Automating process optimisation manufacture” quote from Future – but also to both understand the from a metrology digital twin Metrology Hub Annual Report 2018, effect of the machine tool on the PI: Professor Jörn Mehnen part’s accuracy and to improve

Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers unrivalled flexibility in terms of part geometry, material composition and production volumes which could revolutionise the high value manufacturing sector.

31 Developing UK-wide aims to develop advanced monitoring Industry partner comment metrology networks technology and analytics for both the machine and manufacturing “The creation of the Future The Hub is working closely with the process, with metrology and digital Metrology Hub in Huddersfield has UK’s national measurement agency, manufacturing being the heart of provided us with access to a range of the National Physical Laboratory, the solution. low TRL research that augments our and the UK’s Catapult centres to own, extensive, in-house activities. accelerate the early progression and 2. Reliable Additive Manufacturing The strength of the Hub is that it adoption of its research outputs as technology offering Higher can concentrate on the early stage, well as being able to maximise the Productivity and Performance high risk, projects that would be very long term impact of the Hub. (RAMP-UP) difficult to justify within the confines (Lead partners: Reliance Precision, of the commercial and business Impact plus Autodesk, the MTC, Delcam and considerations faced by a large The University of Huddersfield) UK based manufacturing company The Hub’s core research is currently such as Renishaw. The Hub also in the early stages and has 2-3 Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers provides us with direct access to more years to run before it is ready unrivalled flexibility in terms of part some of the world’s leading experts to be translated into impactful geometry, material composition in their field, whose willing support outputs. In addition to the core and production volumes which helps us to maintain our edge in a research programme the Hub is could revolutionise the high value fiercely competitive high-technology engaged in a wide range of projects manufacturing sector. Unfortunately, marketplace.” applying metrology techniques and despite the clear potential, until technologies to real world problems recently AM has been largely Clive Warren, Corporate restricted to the production of Development, Renishaw plc Among the projects with the Hub’s prototypes and components for rig industry partners that are able to testing. This project focusses on show impact, are: a comprehensive programme of 1. Metrology and Digital experimental work to address the Manufacturing for Servitisation of critical challenges which must be Manufacturing Machines overcome for widespread adoption Lead partners: Machine Tool of AM for the production of “flying” Technologies, plus Newburgh production parts within the civil Precision, the AMRC, Cranfield aerospace sector. University and the University of The Hub is also engaged in a range Huddersfield. of platform applications projects. Servitisation of machine tools is These range from small, short term a new business model where a projects typically worth £5,000 to manufacturer purchases productive £10,000, to large scale projects time available on a machine, rather involving multiple partners that can than the capital asset. This project range from £30,000 to over £200,000 in value.

Contact details Hub director Professor Jane Jiang Hub manager Christian Young [email protected] Tel: 01484 473709 The Future Metrology Hub University of Huddersfield School of Computing and Engineering Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH Web: www.metrology.org.uk Email: [email protected] Twitter: @hudmetrology

32 33 The Future Compound Semiconductor Hub

Super materials can go beyond silicon with CS Hub and cluster expertise.

Compound semiconductor (CS) are constantly increasing, and it is to effectively translate research to technology has so far underpinned only by combining silicon with CS manufacturing. the internet, and enabled that industry will produce a second The Future CS Hub, led by Professor megatrends including smart phones, revolution in the information age. Peter Smowton, capitalises on tablets, satellite communications, The Future CS Hub will form the expertise at Cardiff University, GPS, direct broadcast TV, energy primary global manufacturing the University of Manchester, the efficient LED lighting, high capacity research hub for compound University of Sheffield and University communication networks, and much semiconductors, bringing together College London (UCL). The Hub is more. Expectations on these systems academic researchers with industry bridging the gap between academia

34 and industry, forming an essential processing to facilitate new devices In extensive electromagnetic non- part of the first CS Cluster that and integrated systems, opening up destructive testing benchmarking spans technology readiness levels completely new areas of research, against established Magnetic (TRL) 1 to 9. only possible with reliable and Particle Inspection (MPI), Eddy reproducible fabrication. Currents (EC) and Alternating Silicon is fast approaching its limits Current Field measurement’s as a semiconductor material. The (ACFM) techniques (sponsored by Hub addresses the need to integrate Key partner comments BAE Systems and with participation CS and silicon (Si) manufacturing, “The CS Hub will provide a pipeline from Rolls-Royce and EddyFi), apply the manufacturing advances of new technologies and talent the Hub’s magnetic imaging was made in one type of CS across for the Compound Semiconductor demonstrated to be superior to a CS families, and combine CSs for Cluster. This University technology range of industrial projects. The optimum functionality. alliance will focus the capabilities QWHE imaging technique introduces In the long term, the most efficient of four leading UK Universities, new image modalities not available manufacturing solutions will involve Manchester, Sheffield, UCL and in traditional NDT techniques and building up crystals of different Cardiff. The CS Hub will utilise the will have applications in concealed materials epitaxially, atom by atom. resources of a major cleanroom weapon and threat detections. The challenge is to complete this investment at ICS Cardiff in over very large areas using materials combination with extensive knowledge Business engagement with less mechanical strength and manufacturing expertise of the than Si, and to find methods to CS Connected companies (NWF, IQE, The Future CS Hub began with 24 manufacture materials in the same SPTS & Microchip). industrial sponsors, and now works with more than 40. crystal structure that have very Working with the CS Hub, Newport different crystal lattice spacing Wafer Fab will establish the next A key successes is the development and thermal expansion coefficients generation CS Technologies. This of the CS Cluster. The Cluster brings without compromising electrical combined resource will bridge the together an entire supply chain and optical efficiency. In parallel TRL “valley of death”, developing CS from academia to business, sharing the Hub will develop integrated and manufacturing to deliver next gen the common goal of positioning combined electronic and photonic CS technologies while providing South Wales and the wider UK devices to advance performance for a pipeline of future UK CS CS community as the European applications and based on these Technologists for the Cluster” CS leader, providing cutting edge new materials. facilities that help researchers and Sam Evans, Director of External industry work together. Together Affairs, Newport Wafer Fab Making a difference to the Hub will address the industry/ industry user requirement to facilitate new Impact to date: Case studies technologies via CS development. The development of CS VCSELS are semiconductor laser Originally formed by the Future CS manufacturing is vital to the further chips that emit laser light from Hub, Compound Semiconductor development of key enabling the top surface of the chip rather Centre (CSC), the Institute for technologies underpinning modern than the edge, allowing tens of Compound Semiconductors (ICS), society including security, solar thousands of tiny lasers to be the CS Applications Catapult, and power generation, data storage manufactured on a single wafer IQE, the CS Cluster has grown to and ground breaking healthcare of semiconductor material in a include local business in the form of and biotechnology. simplified process. VCSELs can Newport Wafer Fab, SPTS, Microchip The development of larger scale be tested on-wafer during the and Swansea University. processes and high yield individual production process, resulting in The CS Hub has participated in more devices by the Hub will reduce lower fabrication costs compared than 20 outreach activities to develop manufacturing costs, extending to other laser technologies. engagement with business and the range of applications that can The Hub has developed two key academic parties alike. be supported. Scale and yield also process modules that will enable support the transition from devices industry to transition from small- Achievements to large scale integrated chips diameter manufacturing processes mimicking the developments in Si currently used for VCSELs, up to a The Hub has: but now supporting photonic and high-uniformity 150mm (six inch) • Played a key role in developing optoelectronic integrated chips for semiconductor wafer platform. and consolidating the first ever applications such as smart lighting. These are an oxidation tool and fast- CS Cluster, essential to enable fab characterisation approach. The Hub is working to solve the a complete manufacturing challenges in wafer size scale up, Quantum Well Hall Effect (QWHE) supply chains for compound process statistical control and sensors represent a new class semiconductor applications in the integrated epitaxial growth and of very small highly sensitive semiconductor magnetic sensors.

35 UK. This is ongoing work where further achievement will be recorded. • Delivered 31 academic publications and over 80 conference presentations (to date). • Successfully bid for a CDT in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing in CSM (see below), awarded in February 2019. • Delivered Continuing Professional Development training in Advanced Radio Frequency Devices and Generic Photonics on 10 occasions to a total of more than 100 industry staff via Hub experts Professor Khaled Elgaid and Dr Daryl Beggs (sessions during 2018). CDTs CSconnected The Hub has been successful in its The World’s first compound bid to EPSRC for a new Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Compound semiconductor cluster, based in Wales Semiconductor Manufacturing (CSM). This includes contributions CSconnected represents the Institute for Compound from the four Future CS Hub organisations directly associated Semiconductors (ICS), the partner universities and 22 industry with research, development, Compound Semiconductor collaborators, with a total value of innovation and manufacturing of Centre (CSC), the Centre for over £8m. The CDT will train around compound semiconductor-related Integrative Semiconductors, 64 students and will be vital in technologies as well as the supply the Compound Semiconductor bridging the skills gap in the growing chains enabled by compound Applications Catapult, IQE, UK CS industry, and in developing semiconductor-related products Newport Wafer Fab, MicroSemi next generation technologies and services. and SPTS. http://www.csconnected.com/ essential for enabling the functioning Partners include the EPSRC of future society. Compound Semiconductor Hub,

Contact details Professor Peter Smowton EPSRC Future Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub School of Physics and Astronomy College of Physical Science and Engineering Cardiff University Queen’s Buildings The Parade Cardiff CF24 3AA Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 5997 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http:// compoundsemiconductorhub.org/ Twitter: @FutureCShub

36 37 Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub

Shifting from petrochemicals to biochemistry

Food, pharmaceuticals and from the Engineering and Physical Manufacture (CoEBio3), the EPSRC/ chemicals manufacture consumes Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) BBSRC Synthetic Biology Research huge amounts of energy and emits and the Biotechnology and Biological Centre (SYNBIOCHEM) and the environmentally harmful carbon Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Centre for Collaborative Mass and chemicals. The Hub has key ‘spokes’ at Imperial Spectrometry (MBCCMS). MIB/ College London, University College SYNBIOCHEM is also pioneering The mission of the Future London, University of Nottingham, fundamental research programmes Biomanufacturing Research Hub UK Catalysis Hub, the Industrial in synthetic biological materials. The (Future BRH), headquartered Biotechnology Innovation Centre new Future BRH will bring much of at the Manchester Institute of (IBioIC) in Scotland, and the Centre this expertise together. Biotechnology (MIB) at the University for Process Innovation (CPI). It of Manchester, is to develop Sustainable chemical has around 30 founding industrial innovative technologies for high- manufacturing: shifting from partners, ranging from SMEs to value manufacturing to sustainably petrochemicals to biochemistry large organisations, including produce pharmaceuticals, pharma and food companies. “The petrochemical base of many chemicals, biofuels and materials. existing process industries is energy The Hub started operations on MIB already hosts several Centres intensive and associated with 1 April 2019. of Excellence that support innovative environmentally-damaging solvents biomanufacturing, including the The project is set to run for seven and other chemicals. Climate Centre of Excellence in Biocatalysis, years, with co-funding of £10 million change targets and the drive to Biotransformation and Biocatalytic

38 39 reduce and reverse the output of CO2 to the UK manufacturing base to the benefits of IB with the aim of make that model unsustainable,” deliver new, sustainable processes replacing petrochemical-based said Professor Nigel Scrutton, to industry, as well as providing processes with new sustainable Future BRH Director. training to upskill people to support manufacturing initiatives,” outlined a transition to a bioeconomy. Dr Kirk Malone, Future BRH Director The Hub will develop new of Commercialisation. biotechnologies that will accelerate Biomanufacturing promises to bio-based manufacturing in reduce resource consumption and The Hub will use demonstration

important industrial sectors: CO2 generation, reliance on precious days and other outreach events to pharmaceuticals, value-added metals and decrease petrochemical attract more industrial partners into chemicals, biofuels and engineering consumption, through the use of developing bio-based manufacturing. materials. It will bring together sustainable feedstocks. Long-term innovation will be appropriate academic institutions, “The Future BRH will deliver cross- addressed through collaborative pre- the HVM Catapult and industrial disciplinary research, bringing competitive research projects at a partners, to enable a complete together chemistry, molecular fundamental level. Challenge-based and integrated biomanufacturing biology and microbiology, synthetic applied research will be carried innovation pipeline. Since the use biology and process engineering,” out in the form of industry tailored of biochemical processes takes a Professor Scrutton said. “The confidential projects. This integrated, radically different approach, the knowledge of industrial partners targeted and more predictable ultimate objective is a shift from will be called upon to help develop delivery approach will shorten the petrochemical-based processes to process conditions to inform enzyme time from research concept to safer, cleaner and greener bio-based and industrial chassis designs.” validated demonstration, to allow manufacturing routes. rapid growth in biomanufacturing in Many of the polymers the Hub is “Engineered biochemical reactions the next 10 years. developing and will make in future occur in water, rather than chemical are and will be biodegradable. This solvents, and take place at lower is a vital core competency that is A valuable market temperatures – 35°C - 40°C, for embedded in the centre. example – thus using far less The UK chemical industry employs energy than conventional chemical around 158,000 people and has processes,” said Dr Ros le Feuvre, annual sales in excess of £50bn. It Director of Operations for the is one of the UK’s largest exporting Future BRH and SYNBIOCHEM Recent developments industries and it has a positive Centre for Synthetic Biology in enzyme catalysis trade balance. Around one-twelfth Research. “Feedstocks can even of UK fossil fuel consumption is include waste streams from have revolutionised used in manufacturing the full industry and other environmentally range of chemicals, including damaging materials”. the scientific pharmaceuticals. A recent landscape review estimated Targeted synthesis community’s ability that UK industrial markets for which IB presents a future alternative Recent developments in enzyme to synthesise have current revenues of £34bn, catalysis have revolutionised the excluding pharmaceutical markets scientific community’s ability to molecules of choice but including perfume and cosmetics synthesise molecules of choice. manufacturing (£4.6bn), organic This opens the door to novel basic chemicals (£12.2bn), and chemistries, allowing desired primary form plastics and plastic characteristics to be selected and Getting from the lab to the packing goods (£8.1bn). The global tuned, therefore facilitating the use market IB market is forecast to be worth up of more benign reaction conditions. Sustained efforts will be made to to £360bn by 2025. These developments can be coupled meet the challenge to get novel, to advances in the field of synthetic biomanufactured polymers from In summary: Alternative biology to generate novel microbial early stage research through to biomanufacturing methods will production routes, supported industrial adoption and onto the allow virtually any carbon containing by computational design tools, market and at commercial scale, material to be converted into automation and state-of-the-art within the lifetime of the Future pharmaceuticals, chemicals and analytics, which allows accurate, BRH project. all materials essential to modern high-throughput verification of life, in processes with lower energy products and processes. “Future BRH intends to extend consumption, fewer emissions and the reach of biomanufacturing by not dependent on fossil fuels. The Future BRH is supporting “clean engaging with companies unfamiliar growth” by connecting innovation with the approach, highlighting in industrial biotechnology (IB)

40 SYNBIOCHEM – Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre

In 2014 The University of partners, ranging from SMEs and fragrances (e.g.: pravastatin, Manchester received more than to large corporate companies, menthol and monoterpenes), and £10 million of funding from BBSRC and will work with Future BRH new component enzymes for fuels and EPSRC for SYNBIOCHEM, the to scale these technologies. production and biofuels. Synthetic Biology Research Centre SYNBIOCHEM has sought from Spin-out company C3 Bio- for fine and speciality chemicals the outset to commercialise Technologies Ltd was set up for production that was built on world- its research activity through the commercial bio-synthetic leading fundamental research at Intellectual Property disclosures production of propane. It is headed the University of Manchester’s and patents, with subsequent by MIB/SYNBIOCHEM Director Institute of Biotechnology. licensing agreements available to Professor Nigel Scrutton, and Mike companies. This has provided new SYNBIOCHEM is de-risking Smith, Director of PressureTech bio-parts and production platforms synthetic biology-based Transport Services Ltd, a specialist that are delivering new routes to biomanufacturing strategies at regional supplier of liquid antimicrobial compounds, drug early stages of translation by petroleum gas. precursor chemicals, flavours co-development with industrial

Contact details Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL Tel: 0161 306 5122 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.futurebrh.com

The Future Biomanufacturing Research Hub is ideally placed to take advantage of the outstanding academic talent available within the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and their many strong links into other key UK biotechnology centres, both academic and industrial. Its core grand challenges are of great interest to the industrial community, with fast enzyme evolution having the potential to transform the pace at which biotechnology becomes embedded into R&D and manufacturing industries. Dr Joe Adams, GlaxoSmithKline

41 Future Research Hub in Electrical Machines A hub for the electrification of transport and renewable energy

The world is witnessing huge shifts towards cleaner growth and more resource efficient economies. The drive to lower carbon emissions is resulting in big changes in how we travel and the ways we generate and use energy.

Electrical machines (EMs) – the Purpose and Objectives Newcastle and Strathclyde. The Hub more catch-all term for a large aims to put UK manufacturing at family of motors and generators The Future Research Hub in the forefront of the electrification – are at the heart of accelerating Electrical Machines is a new EPSRC revolution. trends in the electrification of Hub representing a £28 million Launched in April 2019, the Hub transport and the increased use pound investment, underpinned by aims to design new electrical of renewable energy including a £10m award from EPSRC with machines with improved offshore wind. further investment from industry and the universities of Sheffield, performance, for applications

42 such as offshore wind turbines, • Newcastle University’s Electrical of large volume manufacture electric vehicles and hybrid-electric Power Research Group (NCL), and it will seek opportunities for aircraft propulsion. Crucially, it and technologies and processes that spill brings together research expertise over into the mass market,” he adds. • University of Strathclyde’s from the academic and High Value Advanced Forming Research Such a specialist EM centre is new Manufacturing Catapult partners Centre (AFRC). and perhaps unique. Professor and manufacturing knowledge, Jewell says there is barely a research including digital, to address cross- The Hub is led by Professor Geraint discipline called electrical machine sector manufacturing challenges Jewell, who is also the long- manufacture. As a “manufacturing in the production of high integrity standing director of the Rolls-Royce research discipline” it is in its infancy. and high value electrical machines University Technology Centre in for the aerospace, energy, high Advanced Electrical Machines. The There are inevitable barriers to value automotive and premium University of Sheffield’s involvement entry for manufacturing these consumer sectors. is threefold, as Professor Jewell machines. But, unlike with internal pulls together expertise from combustion engines (ICE), the The core research activities of the the Department of Electrical special applications open the door. Hub are focused around two Grand Engineering, in digital manufacturing “It’s currently playing out that the Challenge themes: Manufacturing- from the Department of Automatic established players in ICE vehicle led Innovation in Electrical Machines, Systems and Control Engineering, manufacture will become the biggest and Process Innovation, Monitoring as well as manufacturing knowledge in the manufacture of electric and Simulation. from the AMRC. vehicles because they have the deep The Hub will seek to address some automotive volume manufacturing In addition there are expert electrical common and fundamental barriers expertise and a dealer and service machines groups at Newcastle limiting manufacturing capability and network to support it,” says Jewell. University and the AFRC and the capacity. These include: Department of Electronic and Manufacturing: There are specific • the need for in-process support Electrical Engineering at Strathclyde technological challenges around for manual operations in University. how to make the manufacture of electrical machine manufacture, EMs more repeatable and hence The Hub will bring these separate such as coil winding, insertions, more reliable in service, using in- disciplines – digital, assembly at electrical connections and wiring process monitoring and validation. AMRC and forming at the AFRC, There are manual craft skills in the • to improve productivity and with electrical machine research manufacture of such machines, so provide quality assurance expertise – together to compete these processes must be certified internationally. • the sensitivity of high value and at a level that is acceptable to the high integrity machines to small end user and certifying bodies. changes in tolerance and the The novelty and barriers For example, using sensorised requirement for high precision in There are many designers and workbenches, how are these manufacturing for safety critical manufacturers of motors and controlled in a suitably accurate way. applications generators globally. This EPSRC Hub • the increasing drive to low batch focuses especially on low to medium Applications volume (quantities in the hundreds size, flexibility and customization The most promising applications and low thousands per annum) and are aerospace, offshore wind • the need to train the next high value electrical machines (or – where Siemens Gamesa is a generation of manufacturing EMs). “The centre is researching partner for very large generators in scientists and engineers. more flexible solutions for electrical small quantities – automotive and machines, including materials and consumer / domestic. One area of The Structure manufacturability,” says Professor focus is very high integrity machines Jewell. “This is not to the exclusion Industry and research partners were chosen for their world-leading expertise in electrical machines and manufacturing. They include: • University of Sheffield’s Electrical There are specific technological challenges Machines and Drives Group around how to make the manufacture of (UoS/EMD) and Department of Automatic Systems and Control EMs more repeatable and hence more Engineering (UoS/ACSE) reliable in service, using in-process • The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), also at monitoring and validation the University of Sheffield

43 44 that provide very high reliability in 4. Training: The Hub has a remit to role in developing the advanced critical applications. train a large number of people, technologies and processes needed including the completion of PhDs, by Rolls-Royce and across industry In aerospace, EMs are used in promoting RAs to fellowships, to bring exciting new products to ancillary systems and in hybrid student and staff destinations market, deliver cleaner growth and propulsion, where several interesting across the three universities ensure the UK is at the forefront of powertrains have recently surfaced, and two HVM Catapult centres. the electrification revolution.” such as the Rolls-Royce EVTOL “We have pledges of 23 PhD (electric take-off and landing) system - Rob Watson, Director of Rolls- scholarships from industry and and the E-FanX project with Rolls- Royce Electrical 10 from the universities,” says Royce, Siemens and Airbus. Professor Jewell. Partners in high value automotive Key people are McLaren and ZF. Research in Professor Geraint Jewell (UoS/EMD) this sector will focus on exploiting is Director of the Rolls-Royce UTC in advanced manufacturing technology Electrical machine Advanced Electrical Machines, a and materials to achieve the very position he has held since 2006. He highest levels of power density manufacture, the previously held an EPSRC Advanced and reliability. expertise to make Research Fellowship (2000-2005) and a Royal Society Industry Target output – KPIs these in different Fellowship at Rolls-Royce (2006-2008). The Hub only launched in April 2019. sizes and volumes, Target outputs include: Other key people include Dr Glynn Atkinson and Professor Barrie 1. To establish the Hub as the is barely a subject at Mecrow at the University of leading centre for research into the moment. Newcastle, Professor Ash Tiwari electrical machines manufacture. –Professor Geraint Jewell (Sheffield) , Professor Rab Scott 2. User engagement: number of (AMRC), and Dr Michael Ward (AFRC). collaborating partners, leveraged industry funding, leveraged collaborative funding (Aerospace Contact details Technology Institute, Innovate UK), Industry partner endorsement number of hosted/co-partnered “Electrification is a global trend Professor Geraint Jewell events, delegates at workshops across industrial technology and, as Department of Electronic & and dissemination events, a result, championing electrification Electrical Engineering secondments and incoming is a key part of Rolls-Royce’s The University of Sheffield industrial visits. strategy. This is why we are delighted 3 Solly Street Level 1 3. Commercial outputs: case studies to be partner in the EPSRC’s Future Electrical Machines Manufacturing Sheffield where research outputs are used S1 4DE by industry partners, licensing Hub. This new centre will help and assigning of IP & knowhow, develop the next generation of highly g.jewell@sheffield.ac.uk articles in professional / industry skilled engineers and scientists. Tel: +44 (0)114 22 25845 based publications. They will play an important

45 SUSTAIN – Strategic University Steel Technology And Innovation Network Manufacturing Hub Steel production will get leaner, greener, more flexible and smarter

Steel is the most widely-used structural material in the world; if a product isn’t made of steel, it will have been made using it. The industry is challenged in the medium term to become more environmentally sustainable. In the longer term, it has to achieve carbon neutrality.

46 scale and highly energy-intensive; its Sustainable future Announced in February 2019, materials have a significant carbon SUSTAIN – the Strategic University footprint. The evolving market Outputs from the SUSTAIN Hub Steel Technology And Innovation demands more agility. Steelmaking will be important in reducing Network Future Steel Manufacturing requires big facilities for economies global carbon emissions and on Hub – is based at Swansea of scale but, at the same time, it the application, use and reuse of University, with spokes at the has to change from large output of steel. Outcomes are also expected University of Sheffield and the standard products to smaller delivery to benefit key foundation industries University of Warwick. It is tasked units, with much less wastage. (including glass, concrete and with developing ways of making petrochemicals) with similar steel more effective in its use, “If industry can adapt processes carbon, energy and commoditisation making processes more flexible and to meet the demand for smaller challenges. responsive, and reducing carbon and batches, it will drive production other emissions. towards late-stage product definition, providing flexibility, and SUSTAIN has EPSRC funding of away from the current, resource Better understanding £10 million over seven years, along intensive, large batch model,” with £25 million funding from the said Dr Cameron Pleydell-Pearce, of the composition five leading steel producers (TATA, Deputy Director of SUSTAIN. The Liberty, British Steel, Celsa and steel supply chain will become more of scrap used in Sheffield Forgemasters) and more responsive, use and reuse energy than 20 other industry partners. and resources more effectively and steel production will move from reliance on CO -intensive 2 reduce the oxygen commodity products. A steel plant required to blast out New steel produces enough impurities, which “Twenty-first century steel will be a waste heat bulk, nanostructured material, with will also help reduce interfaces as critical as those in to power around silicon chips, surface characteristics CO2 emissions as flat as glass, and novel structures 300,000 homes that boost magnetic and thermal properties,” Dr Pleydell-Pearce continued. “Environmentally sustainable steel is central to the transformation of SUSTAIN will focus on two particular A steel plant produces enough UK manufacturing and is aligned to “Grand Challenges”: waste heat to power around 300,000 the Clean Growth pillar of the UK’s homes. A production process that Zero Waste, Carbon Neutral Iron Industrial Strategy,” Dr Pleydell- can retain and harvest more heat, & Steel Processing challenge Pearce said. “Steel is already the through integrated thermo-electric focuses on developing solutions for world’s most recycled material but materials, for example, will reduce carbon reduction, conversion and the network will investigate new steel’s whole-life carbon footprint. utilisation, energy re-use, scrap and ways of making processes and societal waste utilisation, new iron Nano-level technology will enable products even greener, such as making processes, and improved the development of lighter but harvesting untapped energy sources, material durability. stronger steel, for safer and more capturing carbon emissions and Smart Steel Processing challenge energy efficient vehicles. re-processing societal and industrial is about creating value through next waste streams.” generation production processes. SUSTAIN will develop new ways of Improving recycling acquiring and using the masses Recycling steel requires less than of data generated during steel Environmentally 50% of the energy of processing from processing in new metallurgical sustainable steel ore and, consequently, also cuts processes, intelligent production, emissions by about half. digital fingerprinting and late-stage is central to the product definition, which can deliver The problem with using recycled bespoke high value products. transformation of UK scrap steel in current processes is that its composition and levels of Challenges of products and manufacturing impurities are harder to control. production “Working with manufacturers, SUSTAIN will seek to develop new With minimum batch sizes of around techniques to trace materials 300 tonnes, steelmaking is large

47 throughout the products’ lives, from manufacture to reclamation, recycle and reuse,” Dr Pleydell-Pearce explained. “Better understanding of the composition of scrap used in steel production will reduce the oxygen required to blast out impurities, which will also help

reduce CO2 emissions.” Improving monitoring SUSTAIN is helping to integrate digital technology and use non-steel materials in novel ways to improve process monitoring and product quality, without requiring production to be interrupted, and dispense with time-consuming laboratory examination and analysis. It is investigating alternative refractory materials in liquid steel convertor linings, furnaces and ladles. The susceptibility of current refractory metal oxides to deterioration during processing composition of their products, along can affect the usable life of the its entire length and depth for a vessels themselves; managing lining coil or billet,” he explained. “An performance impacts upon process excess of unwanted particles in one efficiency and product quality. section will no longer compromise the whole delivery.” Integrating data Big Data technologies will enable more effective monitoring of the product in process and will also Live monitoring of reduce the amount of scrap and direct measurements rejection. “Existing process monitoring models will enable more can use indirect or inferred data; live opportunities to monitoring of direct measurements will enable more opportunities to produce better produce better information,” said Dr Pleydell-Pearce. information “Customers could be provided with information covering the precise

48 Change of ownership The Digital Steel Innovation In addressing sustainability Advanced Steel Research Centre Initiative opens up the possibility issues, SUSTAIN’s objective is to at the Warwick Manufacturing of steel in use being leased, in the enable the industry to be carbon Group (WMG). SUSTAIN has context of closed-loop manufacture, neutral in steel production by identified key industry sectors for use and recycling. Blockchain 2040. this project, with Sheffield leading on infrastructure and aerospace technology has the potential to SUSTAIN will be building on with the Henry Royce Institute, provide immutable and totally the findings of aligned projects WMG leading on Automotive with accurate documentation on every such as Resource Efficiency and the HVM catapult and Swansea item presented for remanufacture. Hydrogen in Metals research, leading on construction with the Improved input will improve quality, conducted at the University of Active Building Centre. helping to create true recycling Sheffield and Real-Time In-Line rather than “downcycling”, where Microstructural Engineering in the material would be used for lower- grade applications.

Contact details SUSTAIN Hub will be working including new alloy chemistries SUSTAIN Future Steel with SPECIFIC IKC (Sustainable and coatings giving a world- Manufacturing Hub Product Engineering Centre leading 40 year guarantee. Steel and Metals Institute for Innovative Functional The vision of SUSTAIN is to Room 42 Talbot Building Industrial Coating), the Warwick draw on these foundations to Singleton Campus Manufacturing Group, the boost Gross Value Added in the Swansea University Materials Processing Institute, steel sector by £2.4bn; improve Swansea Henry Royce Centre, HVM Catapult productivity by 15% and create Wales and Active Building Centre. 35,000 jobs in the industry by 2030. United Kingdom Swansea will build on a track SA2 8PP record of steel innovation E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sustainsteel.ac.uk

49 Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research (FVMR) Hub Helping improve vaccine manufacture in the developing world

Vaccines are widely recognised as one of the most effective mechanisms to prevent ill-health and control infectious disease outbreaks. However, many vaccine manufacturing processes are designed and manufactured for developed, high income markets, which makes them ill-suited or too costly for use in low and middle incomes countries (LMICs).

There are also challenges around the Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Overview and purpose lack of technologies that allow for standardisation and scale-up. rapid scale-up of production in the The task of the FVMR Hub, based The Future Vaccine Manufacturing event of an epidemic or pandemic at Imperial College with several Research (FVMR) Hub was and the difficulty of transitioning academic and industry spokes, is established in December 2017 to promising early technologies from to accelerate the development of take on this work. the lab effectively through to Good and access to novel manufacturing

50 technology for vaccines in lower and Hilleman institute in India. “As a insect cell culture, which provides middle-income countries (LMICs). partner in manufacturing research a rapid pathway for generating projects, we are truly hoping that recombinant vaccines,” says “For vaccines, manufacturing the new vaccine manufacturing Professor Shattock. technology has not changed very hub will increase immunisation much in the last 40 years,” says Fermentation – A third platform is coverage around the globe and principle investigator and Hub lead, using flexible yeast fermentation, respond to disease outbreaks with Professor Robin Shattock at Imperial a platform technology that is safe and cost-effective vaccines,” College. “We are trying to introduce accessible to millions of people. says Davinder Gill, CEO, Hilleman novel approaches that will make the The Hub is also working with Laboratories process faster, cheaper or both – and GlaxoSmithKline on a new method therefore more accessible to LMICs.” The other primary task for the to make bacterial vaccines from Hub is to investigate technology to tiny vesicles that bud off the main respond rapidly to outbreaks, for bacteria that can be modified into example of Ebola or the zika virus, a vaccine. “We are delighted to be For vaccines, or a new virus that people have collaborating with the Hub on this not anticipated. “This is to improve important vaccine platform,” says manufacturing preparedness for both the LMICs Francesca Micoli, GSK Vaccines and the UK to help respond to an Institute for Global Health. technology has not outbreak,” Professor Shattock says. changed very much Funding comes from the Department of Health and Social Care as part of in the last 40 years. its Official Development Assistance The problem in budget administered through We are trying to EPSRC. Unlike the other Future developing countries introduce novel Manufacturing Hubs, it has primary commonly lies in funding for just over three years approaches that rather than seven. “the last mile” where will make the To quantify its impact, FVHR Hub vaccines diminish process faster, uses this hypothetical scenario: If there were a new pandemic of due to the lack of cheaper or both influenza, that the World Health refrigeration as Organisation would call Disease X or an “unknown respiratory they get closer to pathogen”, modelling suggests One theme is the speed of that within six months there could their often remote manufacture and access to new be 30 millions fatalities. While vaccines. The Hub’s task is to not ready yet, the Hub forecasts destinations develop quick manufacturing that its technology, with the right methods where there is no infrastructure, would allow a existing vaccine, for which there response within one month to make are sometimes harsh economics. the vaccine and have it deployed Beyond better access, the FVMR “There are some infections that are within four months, potentially Hub is working on tools to geographically isolated, so while saving several million lives. remove or shorten the cold chain important from a global health (transportation and storage), which perspective a pharmaceutical Themes and Platform most vaccines require to preserve company would not see it with the technologies their properties. The problem in same return as a global disease,” developing countries commonly says Professor Shattock. On the speed and access of new lies in “the last mile” where vaccines theme, the Hub is researching vaccines diminish due to the lack of The Hub’s principle remit is several new platform technologies refrigeration as they get closer to to help countries that have no for manufacturing vaccines. their often remote destinations. vaccine programme where big pharmaceutical companies do Synthetic RNA – genetic material, not see a market opportunity. One RNA, which can be manufactured in Innovation in engineering example is finding a vaccine for a matter of weeks. The flu vaccine, Synthetic RNA manufacture is a fully hand, foot and mouth disease in for example, can take up to a year to synthetic process – the Hub has Asia, another is to develop vaccines generate a new vaccine for every new calculated it could make a million to fight diarrhoeal diseases like strain that develops. “We are also human doses with a maximum of 10 cholera in partnership with the using a baculovirus system, using litres of material. “With conventional

51 technology, that would require 1,000 quickly and successfully to a new formulations. Also, in advancing the litres up to 10,000 litres – it is reducing flu pandemic would only work if the RNA platform. This has now been this from large scale, high volume affected areas were equipped with picked up outside the Hub, with plant to smaller more modular small, modular factories to produce funding from Innovate UK to move processes,” says Professor Shattock. the synthetic vaccines rapidly. This a trivalent vaccine against Ebola, requires high investment and prone Marburg and Lassa fever virus. This The new RNA manufacturing countries may not choose to invest vaccine will move to human trials by represents completely different in the plant. So the Hub is developing the end if 2019. technology. The older process a blueprint for building these requires the culture of mammalian Clinical trials: The Hub is focused modular plants. cells and production of viruses on manufacturing the vaccine rather in large volumes. For influenza, than field trials and human trials. companies are still making that by Impact and progress One KPI is that the Hub will get a propagating the vaccine in eggs. Where is the Hub advancing the number of vaccine candidates to New synthetic manufacture reduces most? a state of readiness where, with the plant size and potentially the additional external funding these cost by a magnitude. “There is some One example of impact is hand could be moved into clinical trials. evidence it will lower costs – you foot and mouth disease, which “In February the Hub presented its can always lower costs in terms of affects children in some Asian work to the World Economic Forum scale economies by getting better countries. There is a commercial in Davos, which is now building deals on materials etc, so we need to market in Asia but there is only a bridges with other funding sources prove this in an absolute way,” says small commercial argument for a and international visibility to achieve Professor Shattock. vaccine because risk to the northern hemisphere is very low. support from other agencies,” Both a unique feature and constraint Professor Shattock says. with FVMR Hub’s approach is the Progress has been most advanced use of modular factories. Reacting with producing liquid, heat resistant

52 A pandemic of an unknown airborne pathogen, says the WHO, could lead to 30 million fatalities in six months. The Hub forecasts that its technology would allow a response within one month to make the vaccine and have it deployed within three to four months, with the right infrastructure, potentially saving several million lives

Hub Structure for Global Health, Hilleman manufacturing hub will increase Laboratories, India; the Uganda immunisation coverage around The Hub comprises a core group Virus Research Institute (UVRI); the globe and respond to disease of seven senior researchers at Dalian Hissen BioPharm Co., Ltd, outbreaks with safe and cost- Imperial College, experts in the field China; Incepta, Bangladesh; and effective vaccines,” of mucosal infection, chemical and VABIOTECH, Vietnam. biosystems engineering, immunology Davinder Gill, CEO, Hilleman and biomedical materials. They are Laboratories supported by senior researchers Industry partners’ at the University of Nottingham, endorsements: University of Bristol, Cambridge GSK University, Cranfield University, the Centre for Process Innovation, The Hub is also working with the NHS Blood and Transplant GlaxoSmithKline on a new method Clinical Biotechnology Centre and to make bacterial vaccines from Contact details tiny vesicles that bud off the main the National Institute for Biological Professor Robin Shattock bacteria that can be modified into Standards and Control. Email: [email protected] a vaccine. “We are delighted to Phone 0207 594 5206 The Hub is also working in be collaborating with the Hub on Web site: https://www.imperial. partnership with the Developing this important vaccine platform” ac.uk/future-vaccine-hub/ Countries Vaccine Manufacturing Francesca Micoli, GSK Vaccines Network (DCVMN) and African Institute for Global Health. Dr Benjamin F Peirce Vaccine Manufacturers Initiative Hub manager Hilleman Laboratories (AVMI) to maximise dissemination of Email: [email protected] knowledge. Current manufacturing “As a partner in manufacturing Web site: https://www.imperial. research projects are being carried research projects, we are truly ac.uk/future-vaccine-hub/ out with: GSK Vaccines Institute hoping that the new vaccine

53 First Volunteer in Ebola Vaccine trial, Bamako, Mali Vax-Hub Future Vaccine Manufacturing Hub

Vaccines are the most successful public health initiative of the 20th century. They save millions of lives annually, add billions to the global economy and extend life expectancy in countries where lethal disease is prevalent by an average of 30 years.

Even so, globally six million children health emergencies, most notably EPSRC in 2018, also known as each year die before their 5th the swine flu pandemic in 2009 and “Vax-Hub”, was first announced in birthday, according to UN estimates. the recent Ebola outbreak in West March 2018. Vax-Hub was launched While vaccines do exist to prevent Africa. While major investment and began recruitment in August these deaths, it is limitations in has been made into early vaccine 2018. Like the other vaccine Hub, manufacturing capacity, technology, discovery, this research has not funding of nearly £7 million will costs and logistics that prevent us been matched in the manufacturing allow the Hub to operate for three reaching the most vulnerable. sciences or capacity. years unlike the normal seven years for most Future Manufacturing Hubs. The UK is a world leader in vaccine The Future Vaccine Manufacturing research and has played a significant Hub, one of two vaccine leadership role in several public manufacturing Hubs approved by

54 Purpose and objectives Within this structure, the Hub has manufacture in Europe or North two main research themes: America to the country where they Vax-Hub, with a team of 12 full-time will be used, adding to the cost. researchers, is designed to bring 1. The development of tools and The Hub’s purpose is to change the together expert academics and technology to de-risk the scale-up manufacturing method to a better, policy makers to consider and devise of manufacture to provide a more batch, on-demand process, and novel ways to develop new vaccines rapid response to disease, and increase the number of vaccines that for pandemic diseases for low and 2. On the economic / business are manufactured closer to where middle-income countries, or LMICs. side: to develop economic tools they will be used. “We are trying to improve the local to ensure a reliable supply of response to serious diseases before vaccines and low cost supply. they become global emergencies,” Engineering challenges says the Hub’s lead Dr Martina The Hub will propose new Micheletti, Vax-Hub Co-Director technologies to speed up from the Biochemical Engineering development work on three vaccine Department at University College Globally six million platforms, namely VLP-based London (UCL). vaccines, glycoconjugates and viral vectored vaccines. As an example, Vax-Hub addresses the following children each year microscale process optimization vaccine manufacturing challenges: die before their 5th tools, which allow parallel Ÿ Accelerates the time to market experimentation and can be used for vaccines birthday, according to test multiple candidate vaccines Ÿ Guarantees the supply and to the UN or to evaluate different operating improve the shelf-life of vaccines conditions for process optimisation. Automation and miniaturisation tools Ÿ Reduce the risk of failure when developed by UCL researchers could different vaccine types are Manufacturing be adopted by industrial partners to produced simultaneously and speed up their development work when scaling up manufacture Vaccines have traditionally been and more efficiently translate the manufactured in large quantities and process to GMP. “These technologies Ÿ Mitigating cost as much as many doses can expire before they possible – essential for LMICs let the Hub do more experiments at are used. “There is cost in storage a much lower cost, by using smaller Ÿ Better response to pandemic and also they might expire in the amounts of material and achieving threats. Using single use sub-optimal way they are stored, rapid results,” says Dr Micheletti. medicine can increase the supply for example with no refrigeration,” of a vaccine more rapidly when says Dr Micheletti. Many of the needed and develop a “make it vaccines used today are transported when needed” system. long distances from the site of

Vax-Hub Users Group meeting in May 2019. Attendees included the Vax-Hub Grand Challenge research team, management group and invited companies who provided letters of support for the original Vax-Hub grant.

55 Automated ultra-scale down process development for vaccine manufacture in the UCL Biochemical Engineering labs.

The use of single-use technologies develop and scale a Dengue vaccine its leadership in Global Health has also been proposed to reduce at affordable costs. The Hub also programmes. Projects that validation costs and facility footprint acts as platform funder for these and Vax-Hub is currently working on while increasing responsiveness other LMIC members. include a single dose rabies vaccine, to demand. In an emergency thermostabilisation technology to The Hub was initially supported scenario single-use upstream and avoid the need for cold storage, and by 21 companies, networks and downstream equipment, which is a low cost malaria vaccine being NGO organizations. The industrial now commercially available for developed with the Serum Institute partners are SMEs as well as large culture down to purification steps, of India. biopharmaceutical companies like will be rapidly scalable and easily Merck, Glaxo Smith Kline and Pfizer. integrated at the manufacturing site. Industrial members are part of the Users Group and have access to Structure and key partners research outcomes as well as the The Vax-Hub is collaboration opportunity to shape the research between UCL Biochemical directions. “But in order to get this Engineering and the Jenner access, the research needs to Institute at the University of Oxford. demonstrate benefit to LMIC countries. It has a number of academic The core aim is to demonstrate partners, including the University benefit to those countries,” says of Leeds, Imperial College and Dr Micheletti. A number of the London School for Hygiene companies and networks which and Tropical Medicine, and two were not part of the original bid have translational spokes, the Serum contacted the team to get involved in Institute of India, a large immune- the Hub as it gains traction. biological pharmaceutical manufacturer and the world’s Impact largest vaccine producer by number The impact of this Hub will be felt of doses, and Biofarma Indonesia. internationally, as the outputs of These are interested in the new the Hub reach the most vulnerable manufacturing methods and are populations, especially children, looking closely at the Hub’s tools to in LMICs, with the UK reaffirming

56 Industry endorsements “PT Biofarma is very excited to Contact be a translational spoke within Dr Martina Micheletti, PhD FHEA the Vaccine Manufacturing Hub AMIChemE and to collaborate with the team Biochemical Engineering on developing new technologies Department to improve the expression of our Dengue vaccine, shorten Bernard Katz Building development times and benefit from University College London economic models to achieve low Gordon Street costs.” London, WC1H 0AH Tel: +44(0)207 679 9787 (09787) | E-mail: [email protected] Grant link: https://gow.epsrc. ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant. aspx?GrantRef=EP/R013756/1

Future strategy for rationalised design and manufacture of vaccines

Grand Challenges Research Outline

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