The worldwide transition from the use of oil-based to more sustainable feedstocks for plastics is underway. This transition is due to dwindling oil stocks and a realisation that current levels of the use of this resource is no longer sustainable. More sustainable sources for materials use exist in the form of cellulose from plants. This material is a very versatile polymer and is in fact the most utilised material worldwide. For the last 20+ years I have been researching the structure-property relationships of cellulose and am ideally placed to play a key role in the transition to renewable materials. Nature makes use of cellulose to good effect. Being intrinsically strong and stiff means that cellulose fibres, per weight, can compete mechanically with most synthetic alternatives such as glass. In nature's most prevalent natural composite - wood - cellulose forms the basis of its outstanding structural performance. All our attempts to replicate the composite performance of wood and plants have fallen short, and this fellowship seeks to address these issues, while also using the intrinsic properties of plant fibres and wood themselves. The proposed research aims to do this in the context of both natural and synthetic materials, adding functionality to the composites, while also addressing in a cross-cutting sense the sustainability credentials of the materials and structures proposed.

A particular aspect of polymer matrix composites is that in most cases the material structure is defined in the final stages of manufacture. This provides both advantages and challenges. Existing composites technologies are reaching maturity (e.g. Airbus A350 and Boeing 787), and new material forms are being developed to take further advantage of the opportunities that composites can offer (e.g. spatially varying properties, multi- functionality, light weight). The detailed material microstructure (e.g. final fibre paths, local fibre volume fraction and imperfections) is determined by the various processes involved in their manufacture. These details ultimately control the integrity of composite structures, however this information is not available at the early stages of conceptual design and stress analysis. This lack of suitable predictive tools means that the design of composite structures is often based on costly iterations of design, prototyping, testing and redesign. This Platform Grant will help replace some of this empiricism with fully predictive analysis capabilities. A suite of advanced composite manufacturing simulation tools will be developed, and a dedicated team of experienced researchers will be established to sustain knowledge on new simulation capabilities for new and emerging manufacturing methods. In parts made by Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) much of the tow path optimisation to improve part quality and production rate is done at the manufacturing stage. The research will develop numerical models that can accurately predict the as-manufactured geometry and fibre paths, making virtual manufacturing data available at a much earlier stage of design, ensuring parts are manufactured right-first-time with a minimum of defects. For liquid moulding technologies, it is necessary to control the deformable fibre preforms during handling, deposition, draping, infusion or high pressure injection using stabilisation techniques. However, some of these technologies are not yet widely used due to the lack of suitable modelling tools. The team will build on their extensive understanding of the compaction and consolidation processes in composite precursors, complex preforms and prepregs to devise process simulation tools that will unlock the full potential of new liquid moulding technologies. To maximise the reach of this research, the team will ensure that the simulation tools are suitable for future industrialisation. The software generated will be fully documented, optimised and robust, so that it can serve as a focal point for collaborative research with academia and industry on advanced process simulation techniques for composites. In the longer term, hybrid preforms and aligned discontinuous fibre composites will be explored. Hybrid preforms incorporate tailored metallic inserts or reinforcements (e.g. produced via additive layer manufacturing). Such technologies can only be optimised if appropriate numerical tools are available for suitable multi-material process simulation. Aligned discontinuous fibre composites based on novel manufacturing methods require new constitutive models and process simulation tools so that their complex forming characteristics, thermal distortion and final microstructure can be accurately predicted to facilitate their adoption by different industries. Working at the forefront of composites technologies, this Platform Grant stands in a highly advantageous position to step ahead of the current manufacturing paradigm, where modelling and understanding are at best catching up with the technology development, and pave the way for the manufacturing of tomorrow.

Advanced composite materials consist of reinforcement fibres, usually carbon or glass, embedded within a matrix, usually a polymer, providing a structural material. They are very attractive to a number of user sectors, in particular transportation due to their combination of low weight and excellent material properties which can be tailored to specific applications. Components are typically manufactured either by depositing fibres into a mould and then infusing with resin (liquid moulding) or by forming and consolidation of pre-impregnated fibres (prepreg processing). The current UK composites sector has a value of £1.5 billion and is projected to grow to over £4 billion by 2020, and to between £6 billion and £12 billion by 2030. This range depends on the ability of the industry to deliver structures at required volumes and quality levels demanded by its target applications. Much of this potential growth is associated with next generation single-aisle aircraft, light-weighting of vehicles to reduce fuel consumption, and large, lightweight and durable structures for renewable energy and civil infrastructure. The benefits of lightweight composites are clear, and growth in their use would have a significant impact on both the UK's climate change and infrastructure targets, in addition to a direct impact on the economy through jobs and exports. However the challenges that must be overcome to achieve this growth are significant. For example, BMW currently manufacture around 20,000 i3 vehicles per year with significant composites content. To replace mass produced vehicles this production volume would need to increase by up to 100-times. Airbus and Boeing each produce around 10 aircraft per month (A350 and 787 respectively) with high proportions of composite materials. The next generation single aisle aircraft are likely to require volumes of 60 per month. Production costs are high relative to those associated with other materials, and will need to reduce by an order of magnitude to enable such growth levels. The Future Composites Manufacturing Hub will enable a step change in manufacturing with advanced polymer composite materials. The Hub will be led by the University of Nottingham and University of Bristol; with initial research Spokes at Cranfield, Imperial College, Manchester and Southampton; Innovation Spokes at the National Composites Centre (NCC), Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG); and backed by 18 leading companies from the composites sector. Between the Hub, Spokes and industrial partners we will offer a minimum of £12.7 million in additional support to deliver our objectives. Building on the success of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites (CIMComp), the Hub will drive the development of automated manufacturing technologies that deliver components and structures for demanding applications, particularly in the aerospace, transportation, construction and energy sectors. Over a seven year period, the Hub will underpin the growth potential of the sector, by developing the underlying processing science and technology to enable Moore's law for composites: a doubling in production capability every two years. To achieve our vision we will address a number of research priorities, identified in collaboration with industry partners and the broader community, including: high rate deposition and rapid processing technologies; design for manufacture via validated simulation; manufacturing for multifunctional composites and integrated structures; inspection and in-process evaluation; recycling and re-use. Matching these priorities with UK capability, we have identified the following Grand Challenges, around which we will conduct a series of Feasibility Studies and Core Projects: -Enhance process robustness via understanding of process science -Develop high rate processing technologies for high quality structures

Efficient and effective manufacturing supply networks (MSN) are essential to the functioning of the global economy. In line with the EPSRC call, this proposal is premised on the strong belief that appropriate mathematical theory and methods can provide fundamentally new understanding on the behaviour of MSNs and provide an effective investigative toolset for MSN analysis, design and management. In particular we argue that the power of network science can be harnessed to underpin new thinking in MSNs for resilience and robustness. The work will be strongly embedded in real MSNs in three domains - producer-driven inbound MSNs and outbound distribution channels for industrial companies; global MSNs for critical products used in high-valued manufacturing (e.g. titanium or composite pre-preg materials); and evolving MSNs for emerging UK industries such as renewable energy. The project will develop and apply existing and new mathematics specifically in the theory of complex adaptive networks, drawing on techniques from game theory, dynamical systems and Bayesian informatics. It will also learn from related modelling approaches in ecology, metabolism modelling and utility grids. This grant will represent the first attempt to develop an integrated mathematical modelling suite to support effective decision making in MSNs in the context of risk and uncertainty. The work will build on disparate recent developments in network science and complex adaptive dynamical systems, Bayesian statistics and operational research to develop new models and measures to better understand and analyse MSN behaviour and performance. Multiple perspectives and a multi-level view of risks and vulnerabilities in MSNs will be taken, including physical, financial, informational, relational, and governance perspectives at the strategic MSN design and policy levels, and risk mitigating strategies at both strategic and operational levels to support MSN management. This is an adventurous and challenging proposal due to the following reasons: (1) The PIs based in have various domains of expertise, from theory of complex networks and nonlinear dynamics, to applied statistics in domains such as reliability and risk assessment, and development and application of operational research and operations management methods to MSN management and control problems. However, our expertise is complementary and will add a substantial body of new knowledge and bring novelties to the theory of complex networks, network dynamics and Bayesian networks, but also, applications of these new models to real-world MSN problems will ultimately lead to better understanding of complex MSN behaviour and will improve MSN management and control in the presence of risks and uncertainties. (2) This proposal will bring together PIs and PDRAs from 4 universities. The management of the resources involved is a challenge on its own. However, we believe that a very carefully designed project management plan can lead this research collaboration to its success. Furthermore, if funded, this research project can potentially secure the continuation of the collaboration among the four universities. (3) The project will involve a wide array of industrial partners from manufacturing primes (e.g. in Aerospace and Defence) to manufacturing trade organisations and consultants, to representatives of a brand new industry (offshore renewable energy) for which the in-bound MSNn does not yet exist.

The next generation of energy-efficient aircraft require highly optimised aerodynamic wing surfaces engineered to increasingly tight tolerances manufactured at increasing rates of production. To facilitate this, high accuracy spatial information is required both at component interfaces and product critical surfaces to understand the manipulations needed to fit part-to-part, the impact of resultant distortions in the parts and any necessary rework. Downstream opportunities extend over the manufacturing cycle, to support adaptations in product design, materials and processes needed to optimise quality, cost, and productivity. Challenging this activity are existing large volume metrology systems and deployments failing to achieve diverse engineering requirements; being too costly or needing deployments that disrupt or stop the manufacturing process. For current products metrology activities in aircraft wing manufacture are largely turn-key and consume over 25% of Airbus production time. In a systems paradigm that mirrors satellite navigation data and its now ubiquitous reliance for in-car and mobile phone navigation, improvement in productivity and flexibility to support new processes requires richer trustworthy spatial data from systems that are embedded into manufacturing infrastructure. Whilst capable systems are available at small to medium volumes and with innovation funding will evolve into industrial sensor networks, a research and technology gap in large-volume marker less surface metrology limits opportunity. Addressing the "tools to support the verification of models, metrology in manufacturing" theme of this EPSRC call, our proposal seeks to close the gap. Our vision is to embed low-cost Reflectance Transformation Imaging guided by virtual optical metrology instrument models into factory spaces to achieve accuracies of the order of a few micrometres over areas of several tens of square metres. Airbus supports the PI through an REng/Airbus Chair in Large-Volume Metrology enabling R&T collaboration and access to specialists including manufacturing architects who design the digital factories of the future. Together we have co-created this proposal and will steer the fundamental research needed to develop and demonstrate scalable low-cost full-field optical metrology based on Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) to support the data driven manufacture of large-volume surfaces underpinned with local metric uncertainty verification. The outcome will be validated direct optical surface measurement to unprecedented levels of accuracy across the wide variety of surface materials, forms and optical finishes that characterise advanced multi-material aerostructures. In parallel it will help inform the design of the manufacturing spaces and embedded facilities necessary to enable agile manufacture of next generation wing products in the emerging Fly Zero strategy. Close working with partners Airbus, NCC and Taraz Metrology against industry use cases to deliver demonstrators of the developed technologies will open opportunities to extend capabilities arising from our research into other sectors where manufacture of cutting-edge high-performance digitally engineered surfaces are central to success. Examples include wind energy, shipbuilding, and onsite fabrication.