Four new manufacturing centres
4 Mar 2013
London –The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is funding four new research centres (see panel) that will develop manufacturing technologies in the areas of electronics, laser use in production processes, medical devices and food production.
The grant, worth a total of £21 million, is part of a £45-million package of investments in manufacturing research in important sectors of industry, said David Willetts, minister for universities and science, in a press announcement.
The centres, which will begin work later in the year, will involve academics from 15 universities across the UK and over 60 project partners from industry.
EPSRC already supports 12 centres across a range of fields, from additive manufacturing to industrial sustainability to continuous manufacturing and crystallisation.
“These new centres are in areas that are strategically important to the UK and the work there will push research boundaries and drive growth,” said professor David Delpy, chief executive of the EPSRC.
The centres are:
EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Large Area Electronics - led by Dr Chris Rider at the University of Cambridge - starting October 2013. Grant value £5.6 million
EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Food - led by Dr Tim Foster at the University of Nottingham - starting September 2013. Grant value £4.5 million
EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Laser-based Production Processes - led by Professor Duncan Hand at Heriot-Watt University - starting October 2013. Grant value £5.6 million
EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices - led by Professor John Fisher at the University of Leeds - starting October 2013. Grant value £5.7 million.
