The Sustainable Engineering Manufacturing Plastics Research Hub is a £13.6m investment by the EPSRC to engage academics from across the UK to reduce waste, support greener manufacturing practices, and advance the circular economy.
The Challenge
The manufacturing industry urgently needs to adopt circular economy principles. While packaging has received attention, the diverse and widespread use of plastic components in engineering applications presents unresolved sustainability challenges. engineering plastics are esssential to meeting performance, eocnomic, and low-carbon targets across sectors including:
Engineering plastics are essential to meeting performance, economic, and low-carbon targets across sectors including:
- Automotive
- Construction
- Electrical goods
However, they pose significant and conflicting challenges for us sustainably and circularity. Legislation is increasingly demanding:
- Product reuse
- Material recycling
- Minimum recycled content in new products
The Hub will address these demands through five targeted research challenges and three Scale-up & Integration themes.
Hub Key Objectives
Research
Promote a step change in composites manufacturing science and technologies
Technology
Create a pipeline of next generation technologies addressing future industrial needs and developing the national composite strategy
Training
Provide doctoral training for the next generation of composite manufacturing engineers
Partnerships
Build and grow the national and international composites communities