Past research projects
ADSC-NIR
Partners: Astra Zeneca, Bruker Optics Ltd
Funded By: DTi
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: adsc-nir.pdf (160KB)
Description: The project aimed to develop an innovative, efficient, non-destructive screening technique/instrument based on simultaneous thermal analysis (DSC-differential screening calorimetry) and spectral techniques (near/mid IR and Raman). It also aimed to accelerate the discovery of polymorphism in drugs to allow faster market delivery and allow pharmaceutical companies to protect and extend patents and therefore maintain and improve their position in the market.
Early screening of pharmaceuticals to identify all possible polymorphs in a drug has a number of significant benefits. Establishing the polymorphic behaviour early in development can identify optimum states. It can also reduce risks of the appearance of unsuitable forms later which may have major financial and time impacts.
2009 – M. A. Beard, O.R. Ghita, J. McCabe, K. E. Evans – “Monitoring Dehydration Kinetics of Theophylline Monohydrate Using Simultaneous Thermal and Spectral Methods” – Journal of Raman Spectroscopy.
2008 – O.R. Ghita, M. A. Beard, J. McCabe, R. Bottom, J. Richmond, K.E. Evans - “A Study into First and Second Order Thermal Transitions of Materials using Spectral DSC”, Journal of Material Science, vol. 43, pp. 4988-4995
Recomp
Partners: Sims, Menzolit, Mitras, Gurit, BPF, SMMT, Brunel University
Funded By: DTi
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: recomp.pdf (1.6MB)
Description: The European Union End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive requires that 85% of a vehicle (by weight) must be capable of recovery or reuse from Jan 2006 and 95% by 2015. These targets cannot be reached by recycling metals alone. The goal of this project is to develop new, high quality, Sheet and Bulk Moulding compounds (SMC/BMC) materials that are derived from recycled SMC/BMC through a granulation process, where the comminuted materials are then used as fillers in other products. It seeks to understand and develop improved SMC/BMC formulations involving recyclate as an active reinforcing agent, rather than just the passive filler as considered in previous studies.
2010 – J. Palmer, L. Savage, O.R. Ghita, K.E. Evans, “Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) from Carbon Fibre Recyclate” – Composites: Part A – Applied Science and Manufacturing – (IF-2.4) vol. 41, pp. 1232-1237.
2009 – J.Palmer, O.R.Ghita, L.Savage, K.E.Evans, “Successful Closed-Loop Recycling of Thermoset Composites” Composites Part A – Applied Science and Manufacturing, vol. 40, (2009) pp. 490-498 (IF-2.4).
2008 – J. Palmer, O.R. Ghita, L. Savage, K.E. Evans, “Recyclate fibres –matrix interface analysis for reuse in sheet moulding compounds (SMC)” – Proceedings - European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM13) –3-5th June, Stockholm, Sweden
2008 – J. Palmer, O.R. Ghita – “Mechanical Recycling of Automotive Thermoset Composites“ – oral presentation - Society of Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Europe Conference, April, Paris, France
AeroNEWS
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, N.V. ASCO Industries (Belgium), Diagnostic Centre DAKEL, Institute of Thermomechanics, Aeronautical Research and Test Institute VZLU (Czech Republic), GIP Ultrasons, NDT Expert (France), Fraunhofer Institut fuer zerstoerungsfreie Pruefverfahren (Germany), Politecnico di Torino, Università di Napoli (Italy), Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas, Boeing Research & Technology Europe (Spain), CSM Materialteknik (Sweden), University of Bristol, University of Nottingham, Cranfield University (UK)
Funded By: EU FP6
Duration: 4 years
Project Poster: aeronews.pdf (1.1MB)
Description: Nonlinear Elastic Wave Spectroscopy (NEWS) is a new method of ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT) that is superior to traditional NDT methods. It is highly sensitive and can detect and image structural damage such as delamination, microcracking and adhesive debonding. The focus of this project is to develop innovative NEWS systems and techniques, and apply them to aircraft health monitoring. The long term goal is to provide in-flight monitoring of the integrity of airframes, engines and helicopter rotor systems.
Materials Network Atlantic Area (MNAA)
Funded By: EU/ERDF
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: mnaa.pdf (161KB)
Description: MNAA was a collaborative project supported by the European Union INTERREG IIIB Programme and co-financed by the ERDF bringing together research institutions along the Atlantic seaboard of the EU, together with networked partner organisations.
It aimed to improve the long-term competitiveness of the Atlantic Area by strengthening skills, research, innovation and technology transfer. Partners worked together to create joint Research and Technology Development schemes and Training programmes which will not only upgrade the existing labour force but also prepare people to take advantage of the new materials technologies that are on the horizon.
In addition to providing materials characterisation and troubleshooting services to SMEs and others, MNAA specialised in the following areas; ceramics and glasses, biomaterials and health, environment/sustainable development, polymers and composites.
Production Online
Project Partners: Battenfeld UK Ltd, Bruker Ltd, Kontor Moulding, Mantracourt Electronics, NPL (Dissemination)
Funded By: DTi
Duration: 3 years
Description: The project has a dual aim – to provide an INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS LINK from UK manufacturers’ machines to assist in increasing their manufacturing processes and to help in providing an ON-LINE MONITORING SYSTEM for the UK plastic injection moulding sector. Data will be taken from a specially instrumented injection-moulding machine and used to optimise its performance. Internet communication will be used to provide an interactive link between plastic manufacturers, material suppliers, technical / processing help and service support. This will improve productivity, quality and reproducibility, thereby increasing competitiveness.
The instrumentation will be developed and marketed as both retrofit and OEM packages world-wide. It will give the UK entry as a specialised supplier into a market where there are no current UK manufacturers. This market will be a continuous support market as new software packages are developed.
2008 - O. R. Ghita, D.C. Baker, K.E. Evans “An in-line near infrared process control tool for monitoring the effects of speed, temperature and polymer colour in injection moulding”, Polymer Testing, vol. 27, pp. 459-469
2008 – O.R. Ghita, D.C. Baker, K.E. Evans – “In-line monitoring of injection moulding materials and parameters using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometric analysis“ - Proceedings - Polymer Processing Society (PPS) – 24th Annual Meeting, June 15-19th, Palermo, Italy
2006 – O.R. Ghita “In-line monitoring of plastics during injection moulding using near infrared spectroscopy”, NIR news – The newsletter of the International Council for Near Infrared Spectroscopy, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 8
2005 – O.R. Dumitrescu, D.C. Baker, G.M. Foster, K.E. Evans “Near infrared spectroscopy for in-line monitoring during injection moulding”, Polymer Testing, 24, pp 367-375
Ecopad
Project Partners: EFI, Goonvean, Aptec, PBW Metals, Eden project, Hemcore
Funded By: DTi
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: ecopad.pdf (209KB)
Decsription: ECOPAD was a project aimed at developing new brake pad materials for the automotive industry. The project aimed to introduce eco-friendly crops into automotive brake pad formulations and reduce the amount of toxic material entering the environment from the 80 million sets of brake pads used in the UK every year.
2006 - Sloan, M., Savage, L., Evans, K., Hooper, B. Natural fibres in friction materials, 2006, SAE International 24th Annual Brake Colloquium and Exhibition, Texas, USA. Also published in SAE 2006 Transactions - Journal of materials and manufacturing.
2003 - Ormsby, B., Learner, T., Schilling, M., Druzik, J., Khanjian, H., Carson, D., Foster, G. and Sloan, M. The effects of surface cleaning on acrylic emulsion paintings, 2003.
Aimtech
Funded By: EU
Duration: 5 years
Project Poster: aimtech.pdf (270KB)
Description: This project aimed to extend the range of techniques and products available to the plastic injection moulding industry, through the development of a copper alloy mould tooling system. This innovative use of copper will deliver a number of end-user benefits, both technical and commercial.
Initially the project examined the use of copper alloys in the manufacture of injection moulding tools. A range of surface treatments to minimise wear was then evaluated - an essential feature in the aggressive moulding environment. Copper has excellent thermal conductivity properties, so the project aimed to show a reduction in moulding cycle times and a corresponding reduction in scrap rates, without any sacrifice in product quality.
DENTAL CEMENTS BASED ON CYANOACRYLATES
The aim of this research project was to characterise new adhesive cements based on cyanoacrylates, invented by Alan Bennetts, Chris Wilde, and Alan Wilson (A. Bennetts, C. Wilde, and A. Wilson, Adhesive cement, 2003).
They can be classified into two main types: (1) hybrids (glass-ionomer cements (GICs) with added cyanoacrylate), and (2) composites (filled cyanoacrylates).
These cements have a range of applications but were particularly designed to be dental restorative cements with properties superior to the currently available dental materials.
For more details contact Dr Oana Ghita - O.Gh...@ex.ac.uk
2007 – S. K. Tomlinson, O. R. Ghita, R. M. Hooper, K. E. Evans, “Investigation of the setting mechanism of a novel dental cement using infrared spectroscopy”, Vibrational Spectroscopy, vol. 45, pp. 10-17
2006 – S. K. Tomlinson, O.R. Ghita, R.M. Hooper, K.E. Evans “Monomer conversion and hardness of novel dental cement based on ethyl cyanoacrylate”, Dental Materials, vol.23, pp. 799-806
2006 – S.K. Tomlinson, O.R. Ghita, B. Hooper, K. E. Evans, “Biocements based on Cyanoacrylate Composites and Ionomer Hybrids” Poster, 20th European Conference on Biomaterials, September, Nantes, France
2005 – S. K. Tomlinson, O.R. Ghita, R.M. Hooper, K.E. Evans “The use of near-infrared spectroscopy for the cure monitoring of an ethyl cyanoacrylate adhesive” Vibrational Spectroscopy, 40 pp 133–141
An Improved Safety, Climbing, Parachute Harness Incorporating Auxetic Yarns to Enhance Narrow Fabric Technology
Funded By: Smart.mat (Materials KTN)
Duration: 3 months
Description: Sling webbings are in everyday use in the construction industry and in areas where a lifting mechanism is required. Currently, there is no indication when a webbing has been overextended and is therefore no longer fit for purpose.
This project evaluated helical auxetic yarns as failure or end-of-life indicators in sling webbings. It was conceived that the ability to cause an auxetic yarn to ‘pop out’ of a fabric when under tension would provide an ideal indicator that the fabric had been deployed beyond its safe working limit (a similar mechanism could also be used to indicate when an ‘optimum’load had been applied in alternative uses of fabric).
The trials were conducted by the University of Exeter in collaboration with Wisla Narrow Fabrics Ltd. Working prototypes were produced for both permanent and temporary overload conditions, and a patent is pending on the technology.
For more details please contact: J.R....@exeter.ac.uk
Damascus
Partners: Airbus, BAE Systems, CTI, TWI and a Formula 1 team
Funded By: Technology Strategy Board
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: damascus.pdf (164KB)
Description: This project aims to take a head based deposition Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) system and scale it towards making larger safety critical structures. The chosen technology is Laser Consolidation (LC), a process which uses a pulsed laser and powder feed nozzle to fabricate thin walled high accuracy net parts.
For more details please contact Dr Neil Sewell - N.T....@ex.ac.uk
SLAMFunc
Partners: MCP Group, Dynamic-Ceramic Ltd, FeONIC, J&S Marine, Simpleware
Funded By: DTI
Duration: 3 years
Project Poster: slamfunc.pdf (883KB)
Description: Selective Laser Melting for Functionally graded material (SLAMFunc) is a DTI funded project to research the creation of functionally graded parts using Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM). ALM, unlike traditional manufacturing processes, works by building up layers of material to form a net shape rather than starting with a solid block of material and removing what is not required. Manufacturing using ALM saves material and energy wastage but also offers the opportunity to make parts which blend from one material to another or which have different material properties throughout the same part.
2010 - L. Hao, S. Mellor, O. Seaman, J. Henderson, N. Sewell, M. Sloan, Material characterisation and process development for chocolate additive layer manufacturing, Journal of virtual physical prototyping, 5 (2), 2010 1-8.
2010 - L. Hao, S. Raja, M. Sloan, R. Robinson, J. McDonald, J. Sidhu, C. Tuck, R. Hague, Printing characteristics and performance of Polymer thick film Inks for direct write applications, 36th MATADOR conference, Manchester, UK, 2010.
2009 - L. Hao, S. Mellor, O. Seaman, J. Henderson, N. Sewell, M. Sloan, Extrusion behaviour of chocolate for additive layer manufacturing, 2009, VR@P 2009, Leiria, Portugal.
2007 - Sewell, N.T., Felstead, M., Sloan, M. A study of the degradation of Duraform PA due to cyclic processing, 2007, VRAP 2007 17-22 Oct Leiria Portugal.
For more details contact Mike Felstead - M.Fe...@ex.ac.uk
UTOPIUM
Partners: EADS Innovation Works
Funded By: EADS Innovation Works
Duration: 1 year
Description: Building upon a number of patents pending, the project proposes to investigate the development of unique high potential carbon nanotubes (CNT) polymer composite structures with a high potential for application in aerospace industry.
The research will include growing CNT forests (in the newly developed CNT lab at Exeter) and application of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) principles and technology for manufacturing of the new CNT composites.
CNTs are of great interest for the next generation of composite materials due to their exceptional mechanical and physical properties.
ALM is highly novel, disruptive technology that will lead to major changes in the way a diverse range of engineering components are manufactured, using direct deposition of materials to create structures in an additive manner. Due to its versatility it is possible to process various polymer, metal and composite materials, constructing complex geometries such as cellular and hierarchical structures. ALM thus has potential for direct manufacture of high performance aerospace components.
The project aims to address: 1. An approach towards making fully aligned and dispersed bulk CNT/polymer composites, which is to date not yet possible. 2. An approach towards the application of an additive layer manufacturing philosophy; with the goal of eventual exploitation in ALM methods and equipment.
2011 - Beard, M. A., Ghita, O. R., Bradbury, J., Flint, S. & Evans, K. E. Material Characterisation of Additive Manufacturing Components Made From a Polyetherketone (PEK) High Temperature Thermoplastic Polyer. International Conference on Advanced Research in Virtual and Rapid Prototyping, Leiria (Protugal), to be held on Septembar 28 to October 1, 2011. (Submitted)
2010 – Beard MA, Ghita O, Evans KE, “Evaluation of Laser Energy Density Effects on Mechanical Properties of Selective Laser Sintering Components Using Raman Spectroscopy”, International Conference on Additive Technologies (ICAT), Slovenia
2010 – M.Beard, O.R.Ghita, B.Farmer, D.Johns, K.E.Evans, “Aligned and Dispersed Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Composites: Manufacturing and Characterisation” – Proceedings – European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM14) – 7-10th of June, Budapest, Hungary.
2010 – M.A.Beard, O.R.Ghita, K.E.Evans “Using Raman Spectroscopy to Monitor Surface Finish and Roughness of Components Manufactured by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)” – accepted – Journal of Raman Spectroscopy (IF – 3.526).
For more details contact Dr Mark Beard - M.A....@ex.ac.uk
http://nextbigfuture.com/2010/10/utopium-project-to-use-carbon-nanotube.html
INTEGRATED WING
Partners: Airbus UK Ltd
Funded By: Airbus UK Ltd
Duration: 3 years
Description: A key initial step to system improvement is to greatly advance the understanding and control of the thermal profiles developed during operation. Thermal control systems are already present, and are indeed vital for successful operation, but these are very limited in nature and typically only concerned with the corresponding build stage. The project will carry out a detailed series of research and development stages to fully quantify the thermal activities present in specific ALM systems, and to deliver a mathematical modelling tool to greatly improve build setup and control system operation and subsequently, component quality.
For more details contact Dr Oana Ghita - O.Gh...@ex.ac.uk
KTP - Trackwise Designs Ltd - Specialist Manufacturer of PCB Antennas
The aim of the KTP was to develop a cost-effective recycling technology for waste and end of life PTFE laminate PCBs and to implement the technology into Trackwise’s business. The project developed a novel technology for recycling of PCBs and manufacture of new PCBs incorporating recyclate, which could be used also for manufacturing of virgin PTFE laminates.
2011 – Xi, Z., Ghita, O. R. and Evans, K. E. (2011), Effect of recyclate PTFE/GF laminate incorporation on the dielectric and mechanical properties of PTFE/GF composites using a novel manufacturing process. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 121: n/a. doi: 10.1002/app.34350
2010 – Xi, Z., O.R.Ghita, P.Johnston, K.E.Evans, “Novel re-manufacturing process of recycled PTFE laminates”, Advances in Materials and Processing Technologies Conference (AMPT), 24-27th October, Paris, France.
For more details contact Dr Oana Ghita - O.Gh...@ex.ac.uk
Taunton Aerospace
Funded By: TSB
Duration: 2 years
Description: To review and redesign aerospace instrumentation.
GMC Coachwork Ltd
Funded By: TSB Knowledge Transfer Partnership
Duration: 2 years
Description: GM Coachwork Ltd. has been producing specialist vehicles for disabled users since 1988. Products include new and used disabled vehicles & MPVs, Motability vehicles, conversion taxis & minibuses. Their clients include County Councils, schools, Health Authorities and private individuals.
Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Exeter University, GM Coachwork are adopting specialised computer modelling technology to streamline and improve the vehicle conversion process. Physical safety testing of vehicle conversions is both time consuming and costly; GM Coachwork has a strong desire and incentive to reduce the frequency of such testing, the ultimate aim being to test each product once only with a high level of confidence that it will pass first time.
For more details please contact: J.R....@exeter.ac.uk
