Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing
Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing
Overview
We are a globally recognised centre of engineering research excellence with expertise and facilities in digital engineering, additive layer manufacturing, smart manufacturing, hybridisation, advanced simulation, vibration management, complex autonomous systems, mining, civil engineering and artificial intelligence.
The University of Exeter has an extensive array of regional, national and international industry partners, including multinational primes to micro SMEs, all engaged in innovation of hybrid /electric powertrain products, including whole vehicles/vessels, and components such as electric motors, battery packs, and controllers. This spans sectors such as off-highway, defence, rail, inland marine and civil/naval offshore marine.
Partnerships and Collaborations
We work closely together on the industry-academic partnership supports future research and technology development initiatives, the sharing of expertise, capability and will facilitate the collaboration in developing new insights. The partnership also provides opportunities to employees, researchers and students through knowledge exchange, project placements and sharing of facilities.
BMT is a leading international scientific and engineering technical services and consulting business, with deep specialism in defence and security, specialist ship design and surveys, critical infrastructure design and support, and environmental assessment and modelling.
Victrex and CALM have a long standing working relationship, working together on development of Victrex PAEK polymers for various 3D printing processes through a 5year multimillion pound partnership. Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) is working at multiple Technology Readiness Levels depending on materials and processes, on both fundamental and applied research. Focused on the development of advanced HPP materials for AM and with a background in material science and manufacturing, CALM is highly experienced in (AM) materials research and development.
Collaboration between Renishaw and University of Exeter is wide ranging, from degree apprenticeship students to being on the Engineering Industrial Group.
GKN are partners on University of Exeter’s Prof Tim Dodwell’s Fellowship, which runs for five years and is worth £1.3 million of government investment. The fellowship will conduct pioneering research into building a more sustainable aviation industry.
The Northern Bushveld Limb Exploration (NoBLE) consortium is a large research program on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex to be undertaken over a period of four years by a consortium of UK universities in conjunction with Anglo American. The consortium aims to provide outstanding supervision for research students, and access to unrivalled analytical facilities (including SEM, EMPA, ICP/ICPMS, LA-ICPMS, QEMSCAN, micro-CT radiogenic and stable isotopes, LECO analyser. In addition, mineral processing and geotechnical facilities) for the study of Ni-Cu-PGE ore systems in the northern Bushveld Complex to address outstanding questions on the genesis of mineralisation within the area that benefit Anglo mining and exploration operations.
Quattro Plant Ltd and University of Exeter are working together on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership. The project aims to develop a new generation of hybrid powered construction plant vehicles. Developing hybrid powered construction plant machine, as a potential replacement for the current generation of conventionally powered construction plant vehicles adapted for road-rail use.
Quattro Plant Ltd is a leading UK infrastructure specialist providing equipment services in rail, road and construction industries. It has world-class expertise in delivery of reliable maintenance and construction services, and operates the largest fleet of such vehicles in the UK. Built on core principles of safety, reliability and collaboration, Quattro Group is committed to investing in both equipment and people.
The University of Exeter has been working with Imerys as part of the EU FP7 STOICISM project and the research is having a direct impact on resource efficiency, including mine design. A key innovation is the application of remote mapping methodologies as part of improved in-pit characterisation to understand the shape of the area to determine if and how a given slope may fail and the orientation of the topographic surface or excavation face, with respect to geologic features.The in-pit characterisation research builds on previous collaborative research with Imerys involving material characterisation, using both laboratory and field testing. A further innovation is the introduction of state-of-the-art resource characterisation with a link into mine planning and downstream processing. This allows better matching of resources to products and planning for the recovery of valuable by-products. With global revenues now more than 4 billion, Imerys is the world leader in minerals-based specialities for industry.
The University has built a strong relationship with Babcock International Group, a leading provider of complex engineering services in the defence, emergency services, and civil nuclear sectors. Babcock are working with the University of Exeter on areas including artificial intelligence, big data, the internet of things, energy harvesting and low carbon energy. IIB’s James McNaughton, who has been seconded to the new Babcock Technology Centre in Bristol, facilitates this relationship. If you are interested in developing research in this area contact James at: J.McNaughton@exeter.ac.uk
SC Group have a longstanding partnership with the University of Exeter. Collaborations include a number of PhDs and KTPs that have helped to solve some seemingly intractable problems. The partnership develops areas of common interest for the benefit of both organisations with a record of accomplishment of successful innovation across a number of advanced engineering sectors.
Facilities
Camborne School of Mines (CSM) has trained world class mining engineers for over 125 years with ground-breaking research on critical and rare earth metals, intelligent mining, operational efficiency and sustainable mining.
Unique, global state-of-the-art Vibration Simulator facilities enable realistic human factor simulation for analysing the impact of the built environment. It is led by scientists who solved the wobbly Millenium Bridge.
The Industrial Digital Technology Hub (IDT Hub) will address three key barriers to unlock digital innovation in the Engineering sector, identified by the 94 consortium partners, specifically - skills, equipment and facilities. It has strong support across the major SW industry clusters of Aerospace, Defence, Marine, Manufacturing and Photonics. Its innovation lies in its cross-cluster integration of digitalisation into industry. IDT Hub will secure the SW’s globally leading position in industrial digitalisation. NEED URL
Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) - Experienced in working in partnerships with companies, other universities and government agencies, the Centre offers consultancy on all aspects of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM). It is particularly focussed on solving material issues in ALM, working together with research partners at the boundary edge of current knowledge.
Themes
Digital/data engineering
Digital engineering partnership with over 70 high technology manufacturing businesses in advanced simulation, complex autonomous systems and artificial intelligence.
UoE is an established centre of excellence for modelling, simulation, and increasingly for AI enabled Digital Engineering. It has a strong institutional commitment to collaborative research with industry. Our current facilities and expertise include world-class computing facilities and access to assets such as:
- Test railway facility at Quattro Plant
- Off-road vehicle test facility at Supacat Group
- Instrumented Smart Sound marine test area in Plymouth Sound
- Powertrain and propeller test vessel at Teignbridge Propellers.
Hybridisation/electrification
UoE have world-class capabilities in the hybridisation and electrification of powertrains, from sub-systems to whole vehicle / vessel scales. We have a partnership of 20+ companies engaged with these activities in the UK and Nationally. Our expertise lies in:
- Modelling and simulation for prototype construction and testing.
- Systems integration and optimisation for hybrid and electric powertrains in off-highway, defence, and rail vehicles, and small – large marine vessels.
- Optimisation of sub-systems and whole vehicle architecture, for new and retrofit alternative powertrains, including optimisation, control and AI.
- Testing and evaluation of hybrid and electric powertrains
Access to dedicated test facilities for PEMD enabled hybrid and electric powertrain vehicles / vessels.
Simulation, modelling and optimisation
We offer expertise in:
- Systems integration of hybrid and electric powertrains for off-highway vehicles, road/rail vehicles, defence vehicles, small and large marine vessels.
- Vehicle architecture for hybrid/electric powertrains, optimising fuel efficiency and performance.
- Expertise specifically in development, installation, testing and validation of PEMD products within end user powertrains and test vehicles.
Contact
Dr Amanda Niedfeldt - Impact and Partnership Development Manager, Advanced Manufacturing and Materials
Email: A.Niedfeldt@exeter.ac.uk
Sarah Brooks - Impact and Partnership Development Manager, Data-Centric Technlogies and Engineering
Email: S.Brooks2@exeter.ac.uk
Phone: 01392 723693
