To meet the targets for NetZero and their end user demands, the aerospace composite industry is moving towards **more sustainable materials**, **faster production rates** and **cost-efficient solutions** for the manufacture of composite parts. An important focus for the industry is the replacement of thermoset composite parts with those manufactured using **thermoplastics**. Thermosets are formed by the irreversible chemical reaction of a resin and once formed cannot be reshaped. Thermoplastic composites can be heated to soften them allowing rework. This opens up new forming routes and enables repairs. Thermoplastics are easier to **recycle**, have a **long shelf life** (when compared to thermoset prepregs) and it is significantly easier to **automate the manufacturing process** than thermosets. However, there are plenty of technical challenges to overcome before these materials are widely adopted by the aerospace sector. Our **combined innovative approach is a complete material** and **process solution** which addresses these industry requirements by **developing novel sustainable thermoplastic intermediate composites materials** and **downstream processing techniques** to deliver composite parts at **faster rates** and **lower costs**. The new material and process developments being proposed are expected to **reduce the critical rate determining manufacturing step from hours down to possibly a few minutes**. The project will target TRL 6 development and the demonstration of the rapid manufacture of sustainable composite parts at rate. The project is led by **Airborne Composites Ltd**, a provider of Automation for the manufacture of composite parts, who already has significant experience of managing similar size projects. **Sigmatex** is a UK based pioneer in design, development and manufacture of Textiles and the **Composite Centre, AMRC (University of Sheffield)** has significant experience of developing new thermoplastic composite intermediate materials and the simulation of manufacturing processes.

To apply machine vision, sensor technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence tools and methodologies to optimise a composite manufacturing production system, focusing on niche and customised manufacture.

There is a pressing need to meet net-zero emissions regulations and targets, as road and urban air mobility transport moves rapidly to adopt electric powertrains by 2030\. This requires vehicles manufactures to target mass reduction and increased power density at every opportunity to achieve vehicle performance and range. The rapid shift to electric vehicles has used metal battery enclosures as a 'known quantity' for a safety-critical areas in the first generation vehicle platforms in production today. In these vehicles composites are also in use to address both structural and weight advantages. State-of-the-art battery enclosures have yet to make use of full-composite design with none being manufactured or tested to the degree required to give vehicle manufactures confidence for volume use. The BEMA project seeks to deliver these improvements in battery packs by tackling the twinned outcomes of i) using an alternative material technology in ii) a fully automated environment optimised to produce an enclosure which is optimised to give the maximum energy capacity from the available volume. In response to these challenges, Solvay and Airborne are collaborating to bring the benefit of material design and automation developments to the next generation of battery packs. By tackling the twinned outcomes of using lightweight material technology and fully automated production systems, BEMA will produce an alternative to metallic battery enclosures.

The marine transport industry contributes 940 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which is responsible for 2.5% of global greenhouse emissions. To meet UK's commitment to the Paris Agreement, a greener reduced / zero emissions' maritime transport solution should be developed, aiming at limiting the increase of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees and therefore significantly reduce the risk and impacts of climate change. This project will explore the potential for the adoption of recyclable thermoplastic composite within a marine vessel structure while developing a full automation approach to manufacture and assembly of a modular vessel's optimised structure developed by the experienced yacht designer with specialists in automatic manufacturing and assembly processes. The outcomes of the project aim to build an automation line for manufacturing and assembly integration of thermoplastic composite for a large and long-ranged zero-emissions vessel, featuring hydrogen, wind and solar power generation technologies within an electric propulsion power train. The bespoke automation system for the vessel will significantly increase the manufacturing efficiency with reduced waste and defects. Moreover, the use of thermoplastic composite as a vessel structural composition will demonstrate the potential of recyclability and reuse in contributing to cutting greenhouse gas emissions of the marine vessel life cycle, from design, material selection and manufacturing, through services life to eventual decommissioning.

ASCEND is an industry led, cross-sector consortium brought together by GKN Aerospace, focussed on developing & accelerating UK composites capability to meet the requirement of single aisle, business jets & future mobility markets. ASCEND will develop the UK value chain in readiness for a step-change in use of lightweight structures, at high-rates. ASCEND brings new entrants, established small, high-growth & Tier-1 partners together to collaborate on delivering flexible automated capability. Connecting best in-class of talent, experience, & market access in one programme. ASCEND delivers UK capability for advanced, lightweight structures to meet demand in electric & hybrid propulsion aerospace structures.

The global automotive industry continues to face significant challenges in meeting the future needs of the mobility sector, such as improved _fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, electrification of power train, autonomous driving and connectivity._ One of the biggest opportunities in rising to these challenges comes through the selection of _the right materials in the right places_ within the vehicle. This multi-material approach, giving the design engineers the freedom to select the most appropriate material for a particular component is expected to be a major feature of automotive design in the future. _CFRP will play a significant part in that material selection_ due to its benefits of high strength and stiffness but with a much lower weight factor than alternative materials. As the mainstream automotive OEM's move increasingly in the direction of CFRP, the industry supply chain must respond to that challenge by demonstrating that it can supply _consistent quality parts, to the right performance level, at the rate level required and at a competitive price level_. Whilst much progress has been made on the technology side, the general view is that CFRP is still too expensive versus metallics, and with added complications in terms of CFRP component integration within the vehicle. It is therefore _necessary to reduce the cost difference between CFRP and metallic components if CFRP is to truly fulfil its potential as a lightweight material solution to serial Automotive._ _The objective of this project is:_ * _To develop an innovative high volume, low cost carbon fibre textile and material handling process that will provide a step change in achieving cost competitive CFRP parts for serial automotive applications._ * _To accelerate the development of a UK supply chain capable to support volume demand for composite components at a rate of \>50,000 units per year (per component)._ * _To deliver significant CO2 savings through creating an economically viable solution for the cost-effective use of composite parts in affordable cars._ * _Create many high skill level jobs that will strengthen the UK's position as a technology leader in the fields of automotive design and manufacture._

Investigation of the use of alternative materials and methods in the construction of composite rotors for thrust augmentation of ocean going bulk carriers, with the aim of minimizing cost, improving health and safety during manufacture and designing for the use of mechanized methods of manufacture.

TSB BMAX PROJECT INFORMATION The project number Project number 100853 TP number 583-12206 The project title Tidal Turbine Blades – Maximising Reliability & Performance & reducing cost. (BMAX) The project description This application addresses Strand 1 development of second generation existing devices Aviation Enterprises Ltd (AEL) is acknowledged in the industry a key part of the supply chain for tidal turbine (TT) blades, and seeks to consolidate the technology by continued development of systems and materials. AEL has almost completed a comprehensive materials R&D programme under the Carbon Trust, and development of a more fatigue resistant resin under the TSB NEW-MMEETT programme, and has now developed and patented an innovative concept in root attachment systems. This consortium, which is based on the TSB NEW-MMEETT group seeks to build on this work to improve reliability further as well as improving performance and reducing costs in advance of the expected upturn in demand for blades in 2014. The main opportunities going forward, to be addressed are; 1.Further testing of the spar root concept to increase confidence & understanding of this structure, enabling slimmer versions to be developed to improve rotor performance. 2.The new resin developed by ACG under NEW-MMEETT needs to be taken into use and tested at high level, ideally in a spar root assembly and ACG have ideas for a new approach entirely that, in the longer term may provide significant cost savings 3. Better adhesive technology – improved adhesives with particular attention to fatigue performance and durability will be needed as we develop more efficient root joints. 4. To further develop the composite fatigue prediction software being developed by Bristol University The project participants Aviation Enterprises Ltd Wessex Resins & Adhesives Ltd. Materials Research Laboratory Ltd Umeco Ltd (Was Advanced Composites Group Ltd) University of Bristol The amount of grant offered to each participant. Aviation Enterprises Ltd £117140 Wessex Resins & Adhesives Ltd. £ 45322 Materials Research Laboratory Ltd £ 121524 Umeco Ltd (Was Advanced Composites Group Ltd) £149000 University of Bristol £120000

Awaiting Public Summary

The objective of Next Generation Composite Wing is to develop the technologies that will enable UK Aerospace companies throughout the supply chain to gain global advantage in the huge market opportunity from the New Single Aisle aircraft and to maintain Wing leadership in the UK. The technologies are required to meet the demand for rapid ramp up and high volume production, early product maturity, high performance and reduced environemental impact. Current technology would be too slow and lead to unaffordable capital outlay, hence radical new approaches are required. NGCW will investigate and develop innovative, integrated and optimised technologies for analysis, design, simulation, manufacturing, assembly and system integration related to advanced composite wing structures to meet the specific product requirements.