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Public Funding for Icomat Limited

Registration Number 11771620

SCALE-UP - Sustainable Composite for Automotive and Low-Emission UK Production

500,996
2024-10-01 to 2027-09-30
Legacy Department of Trade & Industry
SCALE-UP addresses the challenge of high-volume sustainable lightweighting in Battery electric Vehicle using composite materials and delivering four innovations. *  A lighter, sustainable/lower-CO2e, affordable door, as alternative to aluminium benchmark, anticipating future legislation and decarbonisation of aluminium. * A high-volume, affordable, sustainable carbon fibre wheel breaking the ceiling of state-of-art production volume through deployment of innovative design and manufacturing process. * Production scale-up of high-performance recycled carbon fibre materials to allow mass production of recycled carbon fibre composite retaining up to 90% of the original performance. * Digital tools using new modelling methods predicting the feasibility, performance and quality of the final products.

TEsting of Fibre Steered Composites II (TEFSC II)

38,983
2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30
Collaborative R&D
TEFSC will develop key enablers for the industrial adoption of the Rapid-Tow-Shearing (RTS), a novel composites manufacturing technology, which allows the placement of wide carbon tapes along curved paths (fibre-steering) without the defects (gaps/overlaps/wrinkles) typically seen with existing Automated Fibre Placement / Tape Laying technologies (AFP/ATL). Fibre steering drastically increases the structural performance of composite structures. Being able to continuously tailor orientations and place fibres along load-paths can contribute significantly towards the optimised use of composite materials, leading to lightweight cost-effective sustainable composite components across crucial composite sectors such as aerospace, space, automotive and wind energy. Current design methods make use of a series of well-established mechanical characterisation tests (ASTM standards) to obtain material allowables data. These test methods are suitable for coupons manufactured using straight fibres. However, the unique properties and behaviours arising from curved fibre designs mean that new test methods must be developed to provide a thorough understanding of these behaviours as steered composites can lead to effects in the secondary direction. The lack of an established testing method for fibre-steered components hinders wide adoption of the RTS process due to barriers related to certification, especially for highly regulated aerospace and space applications. TEFSC-II builds upon TEFSC (IUK-10039205). In TEFSC, a series of fibre-steered coupons at different steering-angles were tested setting the basis for mechanical characterisation of fibre-steered components. TEFSC-II aims to further investigate this focusing on the effect of fibre-waviness and volume-fraction variations on fibre-steered parts. This will de-risk and provide a route to certification of this novel process, to enable it to be taken forward in the future as a viable means for manufacturing the next generation of composite components. The TEFSC-II project will begin in January 2024 and runs for 6 months, by which point thorough understanding of the mechanical behaviour of fibre-steered components will be established. Successful completion of TEFSC-II will pave the way for certification accelerating adoption of RTS in highly regulated applications such as aerospace and space.

ADdItive MAnufacture for next generation Composite applications (ADIMAC)

145,133
2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31
Collaborative R&D
Utilisation of lightweight solutions in vehicles is key to UK's/EU's 2050 Net Zero. Enhancing the UK's capability to produce lightweight structures with advanced performance and lower manufacturing cost, addressing the needs of the global market, presents an enormous opportunity for jobs and prosperity. Currently, fibrous composites incorporated in a polymeric matrix are the most advanced solution for transport applications due to their exceptional combination of high strength and rigidity with a low specific weight. However, their manufacture is currently limited to standard inflexible solutions - mostly straight fibre layers and relatively thin structures assembled after primary production - and is expensive. These hinder the expansion of composite materials applications and limit the overall economic and sustainability opportunity. ADIMAC puts forward a paradigm shift in composites manufacture through the development of a new process. The new process is based on the integration of two technologies established recently in the UK: (i) Rapid-Tow-Shearing (RTS) -- which is the world's first automated manufacturing process that can produce composites with curved fibre paths and; (ii) Layer-by-Layer (LbL) curing - a solution that allows fast and inexpensive production of thick composite components. The combination of these with developments around sequential processing and heating and tooling solutions will result in the Additive-Rapid-Tow-Shearing-Layer-by-Layer (ADD-RTS/LbL) process that will be capable to produce composite components with fibres following arbitrary curved orientations, unconstrained geometrical characteristics and optimised mechanical behaviour at low cost. ADIMAC is led by iCOMAT, who are the originator of RTS, and includes Cranfield University, who have developed LbL curing, Hereaus Noblelight, who are world leaders in radiation heating solutions for manufacturing, and Prodrive who are one of the UKs largest manufacturer of composites using pre-impregnated materials for the automotive, motorsport and aerospace sectors. The consortium is supported by three aerospace end-users (Rolls-Royce, Spirit-AeroSystems, GKN-Aerospace) on an advisory-role.

SOCA - Sustainably Optimised Composite Automotive

229,298
2023-10-01 to 2024-09-30
BEIS-Funded Programmes
Green mobility is key for a Net-Zero future. Polymer composites are a critical enabler to deliver lightweight solutions with ultimate performance. However, current manufacturing technologies are costly and inherently slow as well as limited in terms of fibre orientation distribution, given that current deposition and laying-up solutions (automated fibre placement - AFP, automated tape laying - ATL, tailored fibre placement - TFP) force straight/geodesic continuous fibre-paths. These issues result in labour intensive and prolonged manufacturing processes with low-productivity, increased energy consumption, production costs and environmental footprint, hindering wide adoption of composites in automotive. Also, whilst delivering lightweight solution in comparison to metal components, CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic) have a higher embedded CO2e compared to their metallic counterparts. This is primarily due to the energy intensive process use in the production of the carbon fibre. Considering company and government commitment to a net-zero future it is instrumental to make efficient use of such material to balance components/vehicle structure mass, cost and CO2e targets. The SOCA project aims to bring to market CO2e-optimised/net-zero and lightweight composite technologies and body-structure for automotive electric vehicles (EVs) using the award-winning skeleton/flesh concept, which was successfully demonstrated during previous projects. The skeleton/flesh concept includes the use of low-cost/low-performance ''flesh'' material strategically reinforced with structural unidirectional (UD) carbon fibre tapes acting as a ''skeleton'' for the manufacturing of fibre reinforced parts (FRP). This is possible through iCOMAT's Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) technology the world first automated composite manufacturing process that can place wide composite tapes along curved paths without generating defects. Effective fibre-steering allows alignment of fibres with the primary load-paths and complex geometries required in automotive application, leading to ultra-lightweight cost-effective components of ultimate performance. The SOCA consortium will develop and validate through structural testing and simulation both virtual and physical demonstrators using an existing body structure concept. The aim is to exploit the technology through low-volume in the short-term before expanding to higher volumes following successful demonstration and adoption in low-volume. The implementation of SOCA technologies is expected to reduce body-structure environmental footprint, mass and can enable further vehicle mass reductions due to additionally induced mass savings in secondary systems such as batteries. Furthermore, enabling the use of low-CO2e FRP from recycled fibre and optimised UD laying, will drastically reduce the environmental footprint of current automotive FRP component, specifically when extensively using carbon fibre.

Nonlinear Acoustics for the conditioning monitoring of Aerospace structures (NACMAS)

62,982
2023-10-01 to 2025-03-31
BEIS-Funded Programmes
There is pressure in and on the aerospace sector to embed sensors in flight-ready systems and subsystems in order that Condition Monitoring may provide continuous and early-warning reports as to the flightworthiness of such systems during their manufacture, while on the ground or during maintenance intervals. Theta Technologies is a UK-based global leader in the commercialisation of the Nonlinear Resonance technique for Non-Destructive Testing of aerospace components. Applicable components can be metallic, composite or ceramic, and they can be conventionally or additively manufactured. Nonlinear Resonance offers a unique opportunity to detect the formation and propagation of very fine cracks (known as 'contact cracks' or 'stealth flaws') or delaminations (such as 'kissing bonds') and impact damage far in advance of any eventual failure. The nature of the method, however, requires that transmission and reception sensors and their relationship with the system under test must be sufficiently and reliably linear, in order that any nonlinearity detected can be confidently associated with flaws in that system. The project will conduct a performance assessment of a range of sensors when embedded into composite subassemblies. The intended outcome is best-practice knowhow indicating which sensors and couplings are appropriate for a range of aerospace subsystems in order to carry out Conditioning Monitoring of aerospace structures using Nonlinear Resonance.

Next Generation of Automotive Crossmember by cOMlding Epoxy SMC with Fibre Steered Preforms (GACOM)

257,255
2023-10-01 to 2025-09-30
Collaborative R&D
Green mobility is key for a Net-Zero future. Composites are a critical enabler to deliver lightweight solutions with ultimate performance. However, current manufacturing technologies are costly and inherently slow as well as limited in terms of fibre orientation distribution, given that current deposition and laying-up solutions force straight/geodesic continuous fibre-paths. These issues result in labour-intensive and prolonged manufacturing processes with low-productivity, increased energy consumption, production costs and environmental footprint, hindering wide adoption of composites in automotive. iCOMAT has developed the Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) process, an innovative composites automated deposition process which deposits wide composite tapes along curved-paths (fibre-steering) without generating defects. RTS's steering capabilities offer tremendous benefits in terms structural performance, weight, production costs and environmental footprint. GACOM is a 24-month collaborative project aiming to deliver the new state-of-the-art in the manufacture of hybrid SMC/UD composite components used in automotive applications. GACOM builds on the skeleton/flesh concept which was successfully demonstrated during LeAFS-SBRI-10004512\. The skeleton/flesh concept includes the use of low-cost/low performance Sheet-Compound-Moulding (SMC) ''flesh'' material strategically reinforced with structural unidirectional (UD) carbon-fibre tapes acting as a ''skeleton''. This is enabled by RTS's unprecedented steering capabilities. GACOM will be led by iCOMAT with Hangukmold and KCarbon as project partners. Hangukmold is a world-leading expert in the manufacturing of commercial vehicle composite parts and is an existing Tier1 supplier of OEMs such as Hyundai and KIA among others. KCarbon is a South-Korean Research-Institute specialising in material characterisation and composites manufacture. GACOM will utilise the skeleton/flesh concept to manufacture and validate a hybrid SMC/UD front car crossmember. GACOM's activities include: * Component optimisation using Finite Element (FE) structural models * manufacture a full-­scale fibre-steered hybrid SMC/UD front car crossmember (lower/upper) * quantify the performance, light-weighting and economic benefits of the developed technology and further develop the business case GACOM will demonstrate that high­-quality automotive components can be manufactured using RTS, delivering the new state­-of­-the-­art in automotive composites manufacture. This will result in innovative next generation crossmembers that are closer to the structural-optimum (lighter with same performance), use less raw material, and are manufactured faster/cheaper than the current state­-of-­the-­art. Overall, successful completion of GACOM will drastically boost iCOMAT's presence in automotive and place the UK at the driver's seat of advanced manufacturing of automotive composite components.

DEsign MEthodology for fibre steered Composite structures (DEMEC)

69,637
2023-06-01 to 2023-11-30
Collaborative R&D
Utilisation of lightweight solutions in vehicles is key to UK's/EU's 2050 Net Zero. Enhancing the UK's capability to produce lightweight structures with advanced performance characteristics and lower manufacturing cost, addressing the needs of the global market, presents an enormous opportunity for jobs and prosperity. Currently, composites made of fibres incorporated in a polymeric matrix are the most advanced solution for transport applications due to their exceptional combination of high strength and rigidity with a low specific weight. Currently, their manufacture is limited to standard inflexible solutions -- mostly layers of straight fibres -- and expensive. These hinder the expansion of composite materials applications and limit the overall economic and sustainability opportunity. DEMEC puts forward a paradigm shift in designing/manufacturing composite-structures. The project is based on the Rapid-Tow-Shearing (RTS) process. DEMEC will be led by iCOMAT who are the originator of RTS, whilst will be supported by an aerospace Tier1 (Solvay) acting on an advisory-role. RTS is the world's first automated composites manufacturing process that can deposit wide pre-impregnated tapes along curved paths (fibre-steering) without defects enabling the manufacture of cost-effective ultra-lightweight advanced composite structures with minimum environmental footprint. Fibre-steering offers tailored/efficient designs by aligning fibres with the primary load-paths and the component-geometry. This can significantly improve structural-integrity using considerably fewer layers minimising material usage and thus weight, production costs and environmental footprint. In addition, fibre-steering can optimise the forming process of composite structures as fibres can be pre-steered in the 2D (flat) preform to achieve the required fibre orientation in the 3D part ensuring a defect-free process. Therefore, lay flat (fibre-steering) and form offers an attractive manufacturing-route for complex-shaped structures. DEMEC will address the development of a complete design optimisation workflow for the manufacture of complex-shaped structures using the lay flat and form process. Appropriate structural analysis and process simulation will be developed/integrated offering a fully automated framework that will drastically expand the design space of composite-structures. A representative aerospace-curved-beam (article) will be designed/manufactured to validate the developed workflow. DEMEC will pave the way for RTS to become the new state-of-the-art in composites manufacture placing the UK at the driver's seat of advanced composites.

DURABILITY MODELLING OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES WITH ARBITRARY LAY-UP USING STANDARDIZED TESTING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (D-STANDART)

225,869
2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31
EU-Funded
no public description

Pressure efficient tape wound hYDROgen storage (PYDRO)

195,187
2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
Collaborative R&D
A global pull towards Net-Zero emissions demands the shift towards clean energy technologies in all industrial sectors. Hydrogen as a clean burning fuel is essential in the global journey towards a Net-Zero future. Due to its low density, and therefore, low energy density per­-unit­-volume, hydrogen is compressed to very high-­pressure levels (up to 700bar), to facilitate a space-­efficient combustible energy. With the shift to a Net­-Zero transportation sector, the cost and performance requirements of the automotive and aerospace sectors are placing new and stringent specifications on the next generation of hydrogen-­pressure-­vessels (HPVs). The stringent space and weight constraints imply the need for high-performance compact and light HPVs, and simultaneously, the high-­volume production rates require low-­cost and low­-variability designs. The use of composites has long been seen as an enabler to deliver lightweight solutions with ultimate structural performance. Current state-­of­-the-­art in HPV manufacture is to use a cylindrical metallic liner with domed end-caps that is overwrapped by carbon­-fibre filament (filament­-winding). As shapes and load-­paths of HPVs are very complex, placement of fibres with current techniques is far from optimal often leading to severe process-induced defects and significant material build-­up over the domes adding superfluous and sacrificial mass to the HPV. Hence, current state-­of-­the-­art filament-­wound HPVs are at a processing im­passe and cannot lead to the optimised solutions required to facilitate a step­-change in HPV design. Such a step-change is only possible through iCOMAT's (Bristol University spin-out) Rapid-Tow-Shearing (RTS) process, the world's first automated tape-laying technology that can fibre-steer without defects drastically expanding the design space of composite components. To date, iCOMAT is the first/only UK automated composites-manufacturing machine supplier. RTS is currently used for 2.5D structures; 2D-preforms that are then formed into complex shapes. The aim here is to further develop RTS to enable direct 3D-­deposition for the manufacture of high-tech HPVs. The PYDRO project will begin in September 2022 and runs for 12 months, by which point a prototype industrial grade 3D-RTS head will be produced and a demonstrator HPV used in automotive applications will be manufactured. Overall, PYDRO will demonstrate that high-­quality HPVs can be manufactured using RTS. By placing the fibres in the optimum orientation PYDRO is expected to deliver the new state-­of-­the-­art in HPVs in terms of structural performance.

TEsting of Fibre Steered Composites (TEFSC)

42,995
2022-10-01 to 2023-03-31
Collaborative R&D
TEFSC will develop key enablers for wide industrial adoption of Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS), a novel composites manufacturing technology, which allows the placement of wide carbon tapes along curved paths (fibre-steering) without the defects (gaps/overlaps/wrinkles) typically seen with existing Automated Fibre Placement/ Tape Laying technologies (AFP/ATL). RTS has been developed by iCOMAT (Bristol University spin-out) and is already patented in the UK- GB2492594, with 4 more patents pending approval. iCOMAT has recently become the first/only UK automated-machine-supplier by securing the first contract for machine installation at an automotive Tier-1 to develop parts for a major UK OEM. Current design methods make use of a series of well-established mechanical characterisation tests (ASTM standards) to obtain material allowables data. These test methods are suitable for coupons manufactured using current processes (straight fibres). However, the unique properties and behaviours arising from curved fibre designs mean that new test methods must be developed to provide a thorough understanding of this behaviour as steered composites can lead to effects in the secondary direction. The lack of an established testing method for fibre-steered components prohibits wide adoption of the RTS process due to barriers related to certification, especially for aerospace and space applications, respectively. The TEFSC project will begin in October 2022 and runs for 6 months, by which point an innovative robust testing method to validate the mechanical properties of steered composites will be developed. Successful completion of TEFSC will pave the way for certification accelerating adoption of RTS in aerospace.

Lightweight Automotive Fibre-Steered Structures (LeAFS)

1,936,495
2021-03-01 to 2022-03-31
Small Business Research Initiative
LeAFS focuses on the development and commercialisation of an automated manufacturing process, aiming at introducing the light-weighting benefits of composites in the automotive sector, in a cost-efficient way. During LeAFS, iCOMAT will use its novel manufacturing technology known as Rapid Tow Shearing, to enable the manufacture of composite structures that require fibre steering. These are often highly curved and will be manufactured by pressing a hybrid preform of 2D fibre-steered tapes and random-fibre sheet-moulding-compound (SMC). Phase\_2 will deliver a pilot production line (raw material to final part), focusing on R&D to solve existing challenges and develop process elements enabling even greater quality/cost improvements. LeAFS can deliver the new state-of-the-art in automated manufacturing capability for lightweight vehicles and green mobility. LeAFS creates an immediate business opportunity, exploitable at the end of the project, which extends to the UK and European markets.

Lightweight Automotive Fibre-Steered Structures (LeAFS)

44,650
2020-10-01 to 2020-12-31
Small Business Research Initiative
LeAFS focuses on the development and commercialisation of an automated manufacturing process, aiming at introducing the light-weighting benefits of composites in the automotive sector, in a cost-efficient way. During LeAFS, iCOMAT will use its novel manufacturing technology of Continuous Tow Shearing to manufacture preforms for composite structural components that require the use of fibre steering. These are often highly curved and will be manufactured by stamping a combined preform of 2D fibre-steered tapes and randomly-fibre-orientated material such as sheet-moulding-compound (SMC). In this Phase 1 project, the fibre-steered composite preforms will be manufactured and evaluated. As light-weighting technologies are crucial to enable green mobility, LeAFS is key to develop an automated manufacturing capability in the UK to produce ultra-lightweight automotive parts.

Rapid Automotive Composites Engineering (RACE)

108,207
2020-10-01 to 2021-03-31
Collaborative R&D
RACE forms a partnership between iCOMAT, the NCC and a UK OEM to develop and commercialise manufacturing methods for hybrid metal-composite parts, aiming at introducing the light-weighting benefits of composites, in a cost-efficient way. Building upon iCOMAT's novel manufacturing technology of Continuous Tow Shearing, the team will test the design and manufacture freedoms of this process by applying it to a representative automotive component. Typical automotive parts are reinforced through multiple internal components. These internal structures can be replaced through the direct deposition of composite tapes that are consolidated in-situ through the iCOMAT technology. This eliminates the need for multiple parts, secondary processes and expensive tooling, improving overall equipment efficiency through reducing downtime.

Manufacturing and Advanced Simulation of Continuous Tow Shearing (MASCoTS)

443,079
2020-09-01 to 2022-05-31
BIS-Funded Programmes
The use of fibre steering to enhance composite structural performance has been seen as having significant potential for reducing material use and reduction in manufacturing costs. It also has been shown to have capabilities for aero-elastic tailoring. This allows an aircraft wing to bend with a reduced twist. Reducing twist allows the wing to be more efficient over a range of wind speeds. This will have an impact on environmental emissions and improve the economic viability in aerospace structures. This could also be extended into other sectors like automotive and wind energy. Current solutions for fibre steering are automatic tape laying (ATL) and tailored fibre placement (TFP) These have both of limitations. ATL cannot steer with a tight radius and steering causes fibre wrinkling and gaps, compromising the structural performance. TFP is a slow process so cannot deposit material fast enough for anything of a significant size. Also the stitching used compromises the structural performance. iCOMAT have created a new tape laying process, continuous tow shearing (CTS) which promises to rival the speed of ATL but without the wrinkling and gaps. It also can lay around tight radii (100mm). However there is an issue that commercial software does not exist to simplify design, analysis and optimisation of structures using CTS. The project is aiming to develop the prototype CTS head design to a level where it can be introduced to industrial applications. In parallel to this development MSC Software will develop design, analysis and optimisation tools to make it accessible to prospective users. They will also write a tool translating the final design back into fibre paths for the CTS head to follow, completing the "digital thread" in this process. DaptaBlade will develop multi-disciplinary software which will enable coupling of a wing structural model with fluid dynamics analyse to perform aeroelastic tailoring. The project will also create demonstrator structures which will be used to verify the analysis and manufacturing software. These will be structurally tested at TWI.

Fibre Steering for Lightweight & Cost-efficient Aero-Structures - Continuity Grant – Project number 105793

50,747
2020-06-01 to 2020-11-30
Feasibility Studies
no public description

Fibre Steering for Lightweight & Cost-efficient Aero-structures

165,995
2020-03-01 to 2021-09-30
Small Business Research Initiative
The aerospace industry has pioneered the use of composites due to their strong incentive to reduce the weight of aircrafts, driven both by economic (reduced fuel consumption) and environmental benefits (reduced emissions). To maintain its competitive position in the aerospace market, the composites industry faces two major challenges: (i) improve the structural efficiency of composites and, (ii) reduce their production cost and increase their production rate.Current composite structures are optimised by stacking straight-fibre layers at different orientations. As structures have complex load paths, this approach often leads to overdesigned components. It is more efficient to design with layers of curved fibres, changing their orientation constantly to follow the load path (fibre-steering). Fibre-steering expands drastically the design space for composites and can improve all aspects of structural performance, such as weight, bearing strength and aeroelastic tailoring, as well as the production cost and rate, which are all key interests in the global aerospace industry.Continuous Tow Shearing (CTS) is a fibre-steering technology, UK patented, that can steer carbon fibre tapes along curved paths without defects, which allows the manufacture of defect-free carbon fibre composite components of complex geometry and the optimisation of their performance. This technology can have a significant impact on future composite products in aerospace, automotive and wind energy sectors where the structural efficiency, the reduction of production cost and the increase of manufacturing rate are becoming more and more critical.This project will demonstrate a step-change improvement in producing lightweight and cost-efficient composite structures for the global aerospace industry based on a carbon fibre tape laying machine with the CTS capabilities. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the viability of a cost-efficient manufacturing process for composite aero-structures. The project will evaluate the structural performance and highlight and compare the production advantages of the CTS process compared to the state-of-the-art.

Commercialisation of a Step-changing Innovation in Automated Composites Manufacturing

201,298
2019-04-01 to 2020-03-31
Study
"This project aims at taking an innovative automated composite manufacturing technology born at the University of Bristol out of the lab for commercialisation through a university spin-out company. This technology enables steering carbon fibres along curved paths without defects, which allow the manufacture of defect-free carbon fibre composite components with complex shapes and optimisation of their performance beyond current levels. This technology can have a significant impact on future composite products in automotive, aerospace and wind energy sectors where the structural efficiency is becoming more and more critical to reduce the CO2 emissions. The technology is now ready to move from a university research project and to be developed alongside commercial composite design and manufacturing activities. In order to gauge the future market potential, the project team carried out a 3 months market research and built an initial business plan through the ICURe Innovation to Commercialisation programme (Cohort 10). This project aims at further developing the business and technical maturity to commercialise the step-changing composites technology through a spin-out company. During the period of project, the spin-out company will focus on developing the business plan and increase the technical readiness level of the technology by collaborating with a potential end-user as well as the National Composites Centre. Furthermore, the team's long-term vision is to create a high-tech engineering company that will supply this innovative composites manufacturing technology to the UK's and global composites industry. This project is an important stepping stone to raise the business profile of the company and attract private investment."

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