Research Partnerships and Collaboration
Airbus
Airbus is one of the main industrial sponsors of research work in ACCIS. Recent successful major projects include the joint leadership of the Efficient Lifecycle for Resin Infused Primary Structures (ELRIPS) project and Scaling Effects in Notched Composites (SINCS). Both were run under the auspices of the Defence Aerospace Research Partnership (DARP) on Analysis and Design of Aerospace Composite Structures of which the University of Bristol was a founding member. Another focus for collaboration is a joint venture with Bath University – Airbus, Bristol, Bath STrategic Research Alliance in Composites Technology (ABBSTRACT), with eight joint PhD studentships supported by Airbus. These projects embrace a wide spectrum of activities, including morphing wings, aeroelastic tailoring, self-healing composite materials and wing optimization methods. From April 2010, ABBSTRACT2 extends this collaboration, with additional EPSRC and GKN funding, to exploit variable angle tow (VAT) technology.
Rolls-Royce Composites UTC
This research activity links into a worldwide university network providing advanced technology to Rolls-Royce. As the use of composites in aerospace components and power systems increases, so a better understanding of physical behaviour and more advanced design and manufacturing methods is required. The research aims to provide a validated analysis capability for the mechanical response of composites that can be used in the design of these components. The UTC comprises a core team of researchers and support staff linked to other initiatives such as the Bristol-Bath Collaboration on Composites.
The Systems division of GE Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace) UTSP
The Systems division of GE Aviation (formerly Smiths Aerospace) established SMARTCOMP, a University Technology Strategic Partnership (UTSP), with the Universities of Bristol and Oxford, with ACCIS providing the academic lead. Set up with an investment of £1.25m funded between the EPSRC and GE, SMARTCOMP has two broad themes. The first theme focuses on low cost and 3D composites led by Bristol with input from the University of Oxford, working primarily with GE's propellers and aerostructures businesses to provide new capabilities that can be applied in the next 3-5 years. The second theme focuses on self-actuating composites with a 5-10 year horizon. This is a joint activity with Oxford in conjunction with all GE mechanical systems and electrical power businesses. Currently there are 3 postdoctoral researchers and 5 PhD students carrying out GE related research at Bristol, with further personnel at Oxford.
CORAL-REEF SW
The COmposites Research ALliance REgional Engineering Facilities South West initiative was established to provide state of the art facilities to support research on manufacturing and development of composite structures. The main facilities are at the Airbus Composite Structures Development Centre at Filton, with additional equipment in the BLADE laboratories at the University of Bristol, funded by a grant from the South West of England Regional Development Agency and Airbus. This includes a CNC ply cutter, vacuum former, high temperature press, tow placement and stitching machine, DMA and DSC matrix characterization equipment, bi-axial test machine, instrumented impactor and high speed camera. CORAL-REEF is formally linked to the National Composites Network and facilities are available for use by external organisations.
Bristol-Bath Collaboration on Composites
The Bristol-Bath Collaboration on Composites (B2C2) was established with funding from the Great Western Research Alliance. GWR is a 5-year, £14m initiative from the South West of England Regional Development Agency and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. It aims to catalyse and drive research collaboration between South West Higher Education Institutions and businesses in the South West in five research themes, one of which is Materials. Eleven postgraduate studentships have been awarded for composites projects in conjunction with ACCIS, six at Bristol and five at Bath, in collaboration with Airbus, Westland and Rolls-Royce. These cover research on novel materials, design, analysis and fatigue. Exeter University is also involved in two of these projects.
Interface Analysis Centre
The Interface Analysis Centre in the Science Faculty provides a wide range of specialist techniques for the analysis of interfaces in solid-state materials, including Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Focused Ion Beam Milling, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Laser Raman Spectroscopy.
UK Research Centre in NDE
The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) links university research with industrial NDE users to create a world-leading centre of excellence in NDE research. It combines innovative science with industrial applicability, with the overarching objectives of achieving excellence in exploitable research, industrial benefit at low cost, and raising the quality of industrial NDE. The EPSRC has committed £8m funding to the Centre, which is a collaboration between the Universities of Bristol, Strathclyde, Nottingham, Warwick, Bath and Imperial College. The Bristol activity focuses on multi-element ultrasonic sensor systems, covering NDE of both composite and metallic materials.
Vestas
The University of Bristol has established a partnership with Vestas Wind Systems, a world-leading provider of wind power and services, to develop composites technology for future products. The new partnership forms part of the University's Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS) and will be housed within the centre's new £5.4 million extension to their home in the Queen's Building. The Composites Centre is part of the Vestas Innovation Network, a worldwide network of research partnerships, including partners in the US, Singapore, China and Denmark. The Bristol-based partnership will act as a focus for composites research activities, liaising closely with Vestas research capabilities across the globe, but particularly at their Blade Research Centre on the Isle of Wight. Research will focus on three areas: manufacturing of blades, smart materials and lightweight structures. Bristol will have an academic team headed by Professor Weaver and a research team incorporating academic staff, post-doctoral researchers and PhD students.