10074919Towards sustainability in composites - a radical technique for reducing waste in the composites supply chainClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKSplicing technology became well-established in the traditional textile industry from the 1970s. The picture began to change with the emergence of structural composites, using materials such as carbon fibre. Making splices in these fibres -- usually heavy and brittle - defeated all splicer manufacturers for two decades. Many of those problems have now been solved by a British company, Airbond, with new forms of splicers now well-established in the market. One major problem remains; the "green" credentials of the much-vaunted composites industry are, to some extent, a myth. Many of the materials used in the sector are expensive and energy-hungry, and waste is rife. Moreover, the resins used to bind the composites are usually unpleasant petrochemical compounds, so that end-of-life recovery of fibre is complex and expensive. To be fair, the industry recognises that waste reduction and recycling are major priorities, and is actively seeking solutions. In this context, there is potential for improvements in splicing technology to make a revolutionary -- rather than evolutionary - contribution to sustainability in the composites market sector. In composites, there is much emphasis on fibre recovery at the end of a product's life. This approach, though worthy, seems to be addressing the problem from the wrong direction. There will always be a need for relatively hi-tech, complex solutions for end-of-life recovery, but a real industry-changer would be the reduction, at source, of the amount of fibre which is discarded or downgraded while still in its pristine state. This project relates to a design for a system which will conserve the exotic fibres used in composites at the beginning of the production process. If commercialised, this design could be the first step towards the creation of a more efficient, more ethical industry.