Ultra-precision machining techniques permit the manufacture of the most high value components. Component complexity continues to develop and researchers are challenged to remove smaller volumes of material in a more precise manner while maintaining work piece integrity. Micro-machining, micro electrical discharge/electrochemical machining and high speed laser processes are now commonly used for micro component manufacture for the microelectronics, biomedical and aerospace industries. Electrolyte Jet Machining (EJM) is a newer process which is yet to be embraced in a meaningful way by these industries. The process itself has several attractive capabilities, such as the ability to process difficult to machine materials with no resulting thermal loading of parts and no induced residual stress. A particularly interesting aspect of the technology is that, with simple modifications, the process may also run in reverse as an additive manufacturing technique to precisely deposit materials. The work to be undertaken here will make use of a custom built MkI prototype EJM tool at the University of Nottingham which was recently completed by the Investigators. As well as being able to perform material surface machining, this has unique capabilities and represents a significant advancement in terms of the state-of-the-art. The investigators have demonstrated a new functionality in terms of computer controlled signal generation which is capable of creating so called 'dial-up-surfaces' or surface manufacture against a specification for surface texture/morphology as opposed to surface roughness alone. Surface texture control within a machining process is notoriously difficult to achieve, commanding a premium price for high value components since surface condition often dictates performance. Typically, micro surface textures are of interest to several groups of researchers outside of engineering. These include biomedical researchers who study cell/surface interaction and aerodynamicists who look to enhance the performance of surfaces interacting with fluid flow. To unlock the full potential of EJM, novel on machine instrumentation must be created. This instrumentation must allow fast, accurate, high precision process data to be collected to support real-time adaptive process control. It should also allow for on-machine surface metrology to be undertaken which is increasingly an essential requirement for successful industrial processes. For EJM to be successfully exploited in both a research environment, and critically as a viable production technology this novel set of process instrumentation must be investigated and then developed to allow accurate and timely metrology to be undertaken on the machine while the process is under way. The instrumentation to be investigated here will be split into two key areas. Firstly, a novel form of in-jet laser interferometer will be designed and optimised for use with EJM. The sensor will provide high speed, high precision process control measurement data. This will allow the material removal rate of the process and the form of the material removal area directly in line with the jet to be measured. In addition a fibre optic arrangement will be included to allow beam delivery. Since stand-off distances are short within EJM this will be possible with a high brightness source (laser) to deliver a spot to the work piece. In addition to the in-jet laser two additional sensors will be deployed to the machine head, external to the jet. These will be custom designed single line coherence scanning interferometer devices, configured for single line based detection (to allow increased acquisition rates). These techniques will allow the collection of disparate data sets in real-time which will be manipulated through control algorithms to perform online processing and adaptive machining. This represents a step change in the viability of this process for the production of complex and high value parts.

This Centre for Doctoral Training in Embedded Intelligence, the first in the UK, addresses high priority areas for economic growth such as autonomous complex manufactured products and systems, functional materials with high performance systems, data-to-knowledge solutions (e.g. digital healthcare and digitally connected citizens), and engineering for industry, life and health, which are also key priorities for Horizon 2020, the new EU framework programme for research and innovation. Horizon 2020 explicitly spells out ICT and Manufacturing as key industrial technologies. Its remit fits the EPSRC priority areas of ICT for Manufacturing and Data to Knowledge, and has an impact on industrial sectors as diverse as logistics, metrology, food, automotive, oil & gas, chemistry, or robotics. In addition, our world (homes, transport, workplaces, supplies of food, utilities, leisure or healthcare) is constantly seeking for interactive technologies and enhanced functionalities, and we will rely on these graduates who can translate technologies for the end-user. The uniqueness of this Centre resides on the capability to innovatively address a myriad of Embedded Intelligence challenges posed by technical needs ranging from the EI supply chain: the design stage, through manufacturing of embedded or on-bedded devices, to the software behind data collection, as well as integrative technologies, to finally the requirements from end-users. The thematic areas, discussed conjointly with industry during the preparation of this proposal, allow us also to recruit students from a vast range of educational backgrounds. A strong user pull defines the nature of the challenges that this CDT will tackle. The graduates who shall come to alleviate the shortage of skilled engineers and technologists in the field will be exposed to the following thematic areas: > Device design, specification of sensors and measurement devices (power scavenging, processing, wire & wireless communications, design for low power, condition monitoring); > Packaging & integration technologies (reliability and robustness, physical and soft integration of devices, sub-components and wider system environment); > Intelligent software (low level, embedded, system level, database integration, ontology interrogation, service oriented architectures, services design); > Manufacturing solutions (design for manufacture of embedded systems, advanced and hybrid manufacturing processes for embedding, process consolidation technologies, biomimetics and cradle-to-cradle for sustainability production, etc.); > Applications engineering (design and implementation of embedded technologies for in-time, in-line products, processes and supply chains; product and process design for embedded intelligence); > System Services: (i) Service Foundations (e.g., dynamically reconfigurable architectures, data and process integration and semantic enhanced service discovery); (ii) Service Composition (e.g. composability analyses, dynamic and adaptive processes, quality of service compositions, business driven compositions); (iii) Service Management and Monitoring (e.g. self: -configuring, -adapting, -healing, -optimising and -protecting) and (iv) Service Design and Development (e.g. engineering of business services, versioning and adaptivity, governance across supply chains). Our flagship, the 'Transition Zone' training, will facilitate the transition into doctoral studies in the first year of studies, and, closer to the end of the programme, out to industry or self-employment. As employable high calibre individuals with a good understanding of enterprising, commercialisation of research, social responsibility, gender equality and diversity, innovation management, workplaces, leadership and management, our doctorates will grow prosperity bottom up, enjoying a wealthy network of academic and industrial contacts from their years at the CDT, as well as their peers at the Centre.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) often known by the term three-dimensional printing (3DP) has been acknowledged as a potential manufacturing revolution. AM has many advantages over conventional manufacturing techniques; AM techniques manufacture through the addition of material - rather than traditional machining or moulding methods. AM negates the need for tooling, enabling cost-effective low-volume production in high-wage economies and the design & production of geometries that cannot be made by other means. In addition, the removal of tooling and the potential to grow components and products layer-by-layer means that we can produce more from less in terms of more efficient use of raw materials and energy or by making multifunctional components and products. The proposed Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing has the vision of training the next generation of leaders, scientists and engineers in this diverse and multi-disciplinary field. As AM is so new current training programmes are not aligned with the potential for manufacturing and generally concentrate on the teaching of Rapid Prototyping principles, and whilst this can be useful background knowledge, the skills and requirements of using this concept for manufacturing are very different. This CDT will be training cohorts of students in all of the basic aspects of AM, from design and materials through to processes and the implementation of these systems for manufacturing high value goods and services. The CDT will also offer specialist training on aspects at the forefront of AM research, for example metallic, medical and multi-functional AM considerations. This means that the cohorts graduating from the CDT will have the background knowledge to proliferate throughout industry and the specialist knowledge to become leaders in their fields, broadening out the reach and appeal of AM as a manufacturing technology and embedding this disruptive technology in company thinking. In order to give the cohorts the best view of AM, these students will be taken on study tours in Europe and the USA, the two main research powerhouses of AM, to learn from their international colleagues and see businesses that use AM on a daily basis. One of the aims of the CDT in AM is to educate and attract students from complementary basic science, whether this be chemistry, physics or biology. This is because AM is a fast moving area. The benefits of having a CDT in AM and coupling with students who have a more fundamental science base are essential to ensure innovation & timeliness to maintain the UK's leading position. AM is a disruptive technology to a number of industrial sectors, yet the CDTs industrial supporters, who represent a breadth of industrial end-users, welcome this disruption as the potential business benefits are significant. Growing on this industry foresight, the CDT will work in key markets with our supporters to ensure that AM is positioned to provide a real and lasting contribution & impact to UK manufacturing and provide economic stability and growth. This contribution will provide societal benefits to UK citizens through the generation of wealth and employment from high value manufacturing activities in the UK.

NIMRC's research portfolio is at the heart of the national manufacturing agenda and is active in the generation of patents and the construction of full scale demonstrators to enhance technology transfer. The Centre has strong links with industry in a range of sectors including aerospace, automotive, instrumentation, power engineering, steel, textiles and clothing, and consumer product sectors. With the exception of a small number of blue-skies projects, all projects are driven by industrial need. During the past 3 years, the Nottingham Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (NIMRC) has continued to succeed in its stated objectives. By exploiting synergies between themes and research strands within the Centre and with other academic groups and industry outside the Centre, NIMRC has continued to expand its world-leading research portfolio and develop new directions. From a start of 8 principal investigators in the IMRC, this year we have an additional 15 investigators participating in current projects within the portfolio, complemented by 22 researchers and 29 research students. In the past 3 years, 9 students have been been awarded a PhD and another 7 are currently submitting their dissertations.The quality, timeliness and novelty of NIMRC's research is highlighted by its publication record. Since the Centre began, staff have published widely in peer review journals and presented at prestigious international conferences.The IMRC status has attracted a wider research community both in the University and without. The NIMRC continues to develop strategic partnerships with research groups outside the University and include many internationally recognised centre's of manufacturing excellence. The Centre also has strong links with other IMRCs. Already, NIMRC has collaborative research projects with Warwick, Bath, Cranfield and Loughborough IMRCs. NIMRC is also participating in the Grand Challenge 3D Mintigration related to the economic Manufacture of 3D Miniaturised Devices . NIMRC has made excellent progress during the last 3 years towards its stated objectives. It believes that the future research strategy it has developed will continue to address both the immediate and longer term needs of the manufacturing industry and it looks forward to providing the enabling research needed to improve the competitiveness of UK plc. The importance of NIMRC's world-class research is demonstrated in the composition of the Industrial Advisory Board which includes 20 senior industrialists from well established UK manufacturing sectors. The Board is impressed with the work of the Centre and the rapport with the Board of PIs. Board members have their own examples of how their company has benefited from the work of the NIMRC. In summary, Rolls-Royce and the Industrial Advisory Board fully support the activities of the NIMRC and will continue to do so. Chair of NIMRC Industrial Advisory Board, Mr Stephen Burgess, Manufacturing Process and Technology Director, Rolls-Royce Plc.