Four research hubs tasked with improving sustainability of key manufacturing processes with technology will be backed by £44m of funding delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Each hub will focus on a critical area of manufacturing and will support businesses adopting new technologies and transition to the net zero economy.
IGNITE
The first of these is the Indigenous Green-steel for Net Zero Innovation, Technology and Enterprise hub.
Led by Professor Cameron Pleydell-Pearce at Swansea University, IGNITE will explore how to grow the UK’s domestic steel industry without comprising environmental practices.
The hub will develop methods to manage, track and recycle the national supply of scrap whilst reshaping steel design and use to preserve its quality for longer.
Partners of the hub include Rolls Royce, Nissan and Network Rail.
Co-AIMS
The Research Hub on Collaborative AI for Manufacturing Sustainability will look at how AI can be used to make manufacturing more regenerative and less wasteful.
Led by Professor Niels Lohs of the University of Birmingham, Co-AIMS will examine how processes in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, clean energy and food and beverages can be improved with AI.
The hub will include support from universities in Bristol, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield and Cranfield as well as the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
EPSRC
The Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics will look to improve the way durable plastics, the kind used in cars, buildings and electronics, are created, reused and recycled.
Led by Professor Ton Peijs of Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, it aims to reduce waste and promote a circular plastic economy.
Supporting industry partners include Jaguar Land Rover, Polestar, Siemens, BEKO, Bellway and Biffa.
Carbon-Loop
The Carbon-Loop Hub will develop engineered microbes capable of converting industrial waste into high-value sustainable chemicals and materials.
Led by Professor Stephen Wallace at the University of Edinburgh, the hub will launch the UK’s first BioFactory, which will advance bioprocessing innovations to reduce landfill and the need for fossil fuels in manufacturing.
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