Aerospace

For companies within the, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemicals sectors, the network of CICs offers a multitude of opportunities for collaboration across the entire drug discovery, development and delivery process.

Advanced Aerospace Materials

As manufacturers continually seek and apply new manufacturing materials that are lighter and stronger - and therefore more fuel efficient - developments in polymer science are offering new solutions. The Polymer CIC, based at the University of Bradford, is investigating novel materials to be used both for compartment interiors of commercial aircraft and also aircraft engine components, which offer benefits such as reduced weight versus metals and lower cost manufacturing methods.

Design Optimisation

The ability to generate high performance structures with least weight is a primary driver in the aerospace industry and expertise in design optimisation resides in the Engineering Design CIC, based at the University of Hull. In a recent collaborative project undertaken with BAE Systems, the Centre developed a unique stress concentration evaluation software system to replace hard copy data and text book analysis of stress concentration aspects of new aircraft structures, leading to significant reduction in research pipeline timescales.

Precision Engineering

The need for more rapid and precise manufacturing of aerospace materials is also a major driver in the aerospace industry. The Precision Technologies CIC, based at the University of Huddersfield, offers an internationally-acclaimed one-stop-shop for precision engineering and metrology. The centre boasts the cutting edge ‘Nanolab’, the only metrology lab of its kind in the UK and one of the most advanced in Europe.

Cutting Tool Development

With the development of new materials, it follows that cutting tool makers must develop tools that can machine the new materials at the highest possible levels of productivity. The Materials Analysis & Research Services CIC has developed a new generation of nanoscale, multilayer physical vapour deposition (PVD) high-performance coatings which can used to protect cutting tools used for the dry-drilling of aerospace alloys. One company that has benefited from the technology is leading tool manufacturer Hydra Clarkson Ltd.

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