As one of the three new Synergy Promotion projects funded by the EPSRC Future Composites Manufacturing Hub, the project entitled “Energy Efficient Composite Tooling with Integrated Self-Regulating Heating and Curing Capabilities based on Recycled Composite Waste (ECOTOOL)” led by Queen Mary University of London has been launched with the kick off meeting held in Oct 2022. The project will contribute to achieving Net Zero with a significantly enhanced energy efficiency during composite manufacturing, with reduced cycle and lead time from traditional tooling.

The Future Composites Manufacturing Research Hub is a £10.3m investment by the EPSRC to engage academics from across the UK to deliver a step-change in the production of polymer matrix composites. With this project, Queen Mary University of London has become a new academic partner of the Hub.

The project will develop great synergies between ongoing hub research activities and three new academic contributing institutions, achieving novel collaborative research on energy efficient and cost-effective composite manufacturing with a clear contribution to advance the UK’s composite manufacturing capabilities.

This project links the expertise and experience of seven academic and industrial contributors, addressing the need of sustainable development of composite sector alongside multiple hub priority research themes. The academic partners include University of Nottingham, University of Strathclyde and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, and Loughborough University. Industrial partners of this research include Expert Tooling and Automation Ltd., Gen 2 Carbon Ltd., and LMK Thermosafe Ltd.

Dr Han Zhang, Senior Lecturer at QMUL and the PI of the project, said: “with the joint effort of our investigators and industrial partners, we will develop not only a sustainable manufacturing tooling, but more importantly to deliver a clear route to reach Net Zero with significantly reduced energy consumption and cycle time, contributing to the clean growth of the UK manufacturing and composite industry.”

Updated by: Han Zhang