Public Funding for Texture Jet Ltd

The long-term future of UK manufacturing is reliant on sustainability and achieving government targets. However, the need for increased cost efficiency in manufacturing is critical to remain competitive and key for survival and regrowth, which is especially relevant to the midlands manufacturing cluster having been severely impacted by COVID-19\. It is paramount that industry realise, through innovation, not only cost savings but environmental sustainability and clean growth thus creating a more sustainable economy. Therefore, technologies that can achieve all these goals are highly sought. This project is a direct follow on from the Phase-1 feasibility study and is intended to improve business and industry efficiency by providing a sustainable solution to industry pains. Across a wide number of applications, there is a need to modify surfaces of components providing the optimum function and performance. However, current surface texturing and finishing operations across high-value manufacturing are heavily dependent upon dirty, dangerous, and unsustainable legacy processes, with currently no meaningful alternatives available offering a level of performance at cost whilst delivering a sustainability advantage. Finishing processes in high-value manufacturing typically involve acid-based chemical etching and media blasting due to their knowledge base and ease of working difficult materials. Although the hardware is considered relatively low cost, there are significant cost inefficiencies caused by non-value-added process steps, enlarged factory footprint and high operating and infrastructure costs. Additionally, current processes have a significant environmental impact across multiple waste streams and energy usage. TextureJet has the technological potential to replace these legacy processes in their entirety. TextureJet's core technology is a unique, neutral solution electrochemical machining process which offers an innovative and clean solution to address both the economic and environmental constraints of current methods. It can roughen, polish, etch and structure surfaces, without inducing surface damage or the requirement of masking. It has the benefits over prior art of simplicity aiding low-cost scalability, precision, and flexibility. Vitally TextureJet's solution is environmentally sustainable, eliminating use of toxic chemicals only requiring low concentration saltwater solutions, with no dust or fume contamination and can operate at up to 100% machining efficiencies. Uniquely, it can be performed onsite or in-situ, so the production line attributable footprint can be drastically reduced. Through this project, TextureJet will demonstrate the viability of its technology to vastly reduce the environmental impact of finishing technologies by providing a cost-efficient solution where one does not currently exist enabling UK manufacturing to 'build back better'.

With the effect of Covid-19, now more than ever, streamlining production in the UK aerospace industry is critical for survival and regrowth. As such, manufacturing technologies that can reduce production costs are highly sought. This project, STREAM (Surface Texture Re-tooling for Efficient Aerospace Manufacture), aims to provide a machine tool that can redefine surface textures on components in a much more efficient and environmentally friendly manner than typical legacy methodologies commonly applied in aerospace manufacture. TextureJet has developed an innovative technology called STAT (Surface Texture Adjustment Technology) which is based on 6 years of fundamental research at the University of Nottingham. STAT is utilised for surface texturing of components in applications such as surface preparation before bonding operations, discreet super-polishing or revealing component microstructures for inspection. It can roughen, polish, etch and structure surfaces, without inducing surface damage by impact and without the requirement of masking. STAT also provides a superior alternative to thermal processes. From a technical perspective, it eliminates thermally induced surface degradation and financially lessens the extensive capital expenditure, maintenance and operational costs required for safe utilisation. Compared to current methods, STAT has the benefits of simplicity, precision, flexibility, and environmental sustainability due to eliminating the use of toxic chemicals. Uniquely, it can be carried out on site or in-situ and so the production line attributable footprint is drastically reduced. This project aims to enhance regional employment and training opportunities, as well as provide a new and innovative technology to the UK aerospace sector as a whole to enable the UK to gain a competitive edge in the global aerospace market and keep manufacture within the UK.

The long-term future of UK manufacturing is reliant on it being sustainable and achieving government targets. However, the need for **increased cost efficiency in manufacturing** is critical to remain competitive and key for survival and regrowth, which is especially relevant to the midlands manufacturing cluster having been severely impacted by COVID-19\. It is paramount that industry realise, through innovation, not only cost savings but **environmental sustainability and clean growth** thus creating **a more sustainable economy**. Therefore, technologies that can achieve all these goals are highly sought **This project is intended to directly improve business and industry efficiency through providing a sustainable solution to industry pains.** Across a wide number of applications, there is a need to modify the surface texture of components providing the optimum function and performance. However, current surface texturing and finishing operations across high-value manufacturing are heavily dependent upon dirty, dangerous, and unsustainable legacy processes, with currently no meaningful alternatives available offering a level of performance at cost whilst delivering a sustainability advantage. Finishing processes in high-value manufacturing typically involve acid-based chemical etching and media blasting due to their knowledge base and ease of working difficult materials. Although the hardware is considered relatively low cost, there are significant cost inefficiencies caused by non-value-added process steps, enlarged factory footprint and high operating and infrastructure costs. Additionally, current processes have a significant environmental impact across multiple waste streams and energy usage. **TextureJet has the technological potential to replace these legacy processes in their entirety**. TextureJet's core technology is a unique, neutral solution electrochemical machining process which offers an innovative and clean solution to address both the economic and environmental constraints of current methods. It can roughen, polish, etch and structure surfaces, without inducing surface damage or requirement of masking. It has the benefits over prior art of simplicity aiding low-cost scalability, precision, and flexibility. Vitally TextureJet's solution is environmentally sustainable, eliminating use of toxic chemicals only requiring low concentration saltwater solutions, with no dust or fume contamination and can operate at up to 100% machining efficiencies. Uniquely, it can be performed on site or in-situ, so the production line attributable footprint can be drastically reduced. Through this project TextureJet will demonstrate the viability of its technology to vastly reduce the environmental impact of finishing technologies by providing a cost-efficient solution where one does not currently exist enabling UK manufacturing to **'build back better**'.

"Selectively changing the surface texture on large or complex components is an essential but cost intensive activity. The innovation underpinning this project developed at the University of Nottingham will enable surface modifications to be carried out in-situ, drastically reducing processing costs and enabling innovative process solutions providing the UK with a market leading capability. Through the Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) program aimed at enabling the transfer of technologies developed within universities into a commercial entity, over 150 meetings were held with companies relating to the application of surface textures in industry. Extensive opportunities were identified across both aerospace and automotive industries for the application of surface textures to enhance product performance and achieve greater process chain efficiencies. Surface texture adjustment technology (STAT) is a novel surface processing technology created by Texture Jet Ltd. a spin-out company from the University of Nottingham. STAT is a new tooling system able to redefine the surface texture of a component simply, cleanly, without masking or surface damage, on site and in-situ, enabling the ideal solution for surface preparation. STAT is attractive as a replacement technology where reductions in factory footprint, non-value-add operations, operational costs and toxic footprint are sought. Also, as an enabling technology allowing surface modification in-situ. This project will allow rapid development of lab proven research to a commercial product creating a new revenue stream and generate export and employment opportunities within the UK manufacturing sector."