Integrated Knowledge Centre in Ultra Precision and Structured Surfaces, 24 month progress report & Tranche 2 application
Lead Research Organisation:
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Sch of Applied Sciences
Abstract
The vision for this IKC is to establish a world leading Centre of Excellence that delivers to UK industry 'disruptive' technologies enabling the development and manufacture of a wide range of next generation products which are dependent on functional ultra precision and structured surfaces.Ultra precision and structured surfaces are pivotal to a range of high technology products. Many next generation products will be reliant on such surfaces which are in increasing demand for components supplying a wide spectrum of markets. These include: optoelectronics and displays, medical devices, aerospace, defence, space and automotive sectors. In combination, the annual turnover of these sectors is over 75 billion in the UK and they represent a major percentage of UK export trade.In order for next generation UK developed products to succeed they must offer greater levels of customer satisfaction through greater functionality and improved performance. Ultra precision and structured surfaces are increasingly being adopted to gain such advantages. Currently UK industry has no obvious research and development partner suitably equipped to support the development of higher performing products through the application of ultra precise, complex and structured surfaces.The goal of the proposed IKC is to support the realisation of UK products having a competitive edge generated through the application of ultra precision and structured surfaces. Without the creation of this IKC to foster and underpin development in ultra precision and structured surfaces, fragmentation of UK effort will occur. The IKC will be tailored to industry's requirements and based amongst its 'customers' since the new surface technologies must steer product design at an early stage; otherwise inventive UK prototypes will rapidly become foreign imported products.Our vision is therefore to provide UK industry with in-depth world class knowledge and a broad range of knowledge transfer services relating to ultra precision and structured surfaces covering both their functional properties and new techniques for their deterministic manufacture.Uniquely this IKC is based around: established collaborations across academia and industry, significant UK and international networks, and most critically, significant existing demands across a wide range of UK companies. With significant facilities already being commissioned, that are able to serve the IKC, some of its foundation is already in place. Significantly the majority of the new equipment is designated to be based at the proposed IKC location with others located at Cranfield and Cambridge. The IKC location is the new first class Optic Technium building that is situated at the heart of the UK opto-electronics manufacturing cluster.Cranfield University has one of the best track records in serving UK businesses with applied research and industrially relevant training, as identified in the Lambert report. With the support of UCL and Cambridge this IKC would cement an internationally credible partnership building on recent EPSRC initiatives. The collaboration between Cranfield, UCL, Cambridge and Optic Technium is not simply a manufactured response to this IKC call. It is based on long standing working partnerships, recognition of expertise, and a common desire to promote UK manufacturing industry.Success of the IKC will be identified in tems of a self funding UK Centre of Excellence housed at the Optic Technium. It will have world class research facilities, a vibrant research and IP portfolio supporting the introduction of new UK products, together with a wide range of technology transfer mechanisms which will improve the competitiveness of UK companies. In international terms the IKC will be recognised as the leading organisation in the development of value adding surface technologies, components and high value products.
Publications
Walker D
(2011)
Misfit of rigid tools and interferometer subapertures on off-axis aspheric mirror segments
in Optical Engineering
Walker D
(2012)
Edges in CNC polishing: from mirror-segments towards semiconductors, paper 1: edges on processing the global surface.
in Optics express
Description | Automated micro-ECM for Air Bearing Production |
Amount | £185,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Project 133269 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2017 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | Boltzmann Constant re-evaluation by NPL |
Amount | £68,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2009 |
End | 02/2011 |
Description | EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Ultra Precision |
Amount | £5,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I015566/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2011 |
End | 08/2022 |
Description | ESO ELT prototype mirror aspherisation and pad bonding |
Amount | £165,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | OpTIC Glyndwr Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2007 |
End | 01/2011 |
Description | ESO Prototype Mirror contract |
Amount | € 5,000,000 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Southern Observatory (ESO) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Germany |
Start | 01/2008 |
Description | Energy 2012.4.1.1 Fresnel for solar heat with new receiver and geometry |
Amount | € 581,800 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 308792 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2012 |
End | 09/2015 |
Description | FP7 Energy 2010-2 Energy Call - Multi Purpose Applications by Thermodynamic Solar "MATS" |
Amount | € 449,416 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 268219 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 05/2011 |
End | 08/2015 |
Description | FP7-Energy-2013-IRP Stage-STE |
Amount | £166,550 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 609837 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 02/2014 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | FP7-People-2013-ITN PACMAN |
Amount | € 150,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 606839 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 08/2013 |
End | 08/2016 |
Description | NASA / ESA JWST MIRI Mirror contract |
Amount | £325,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Space Agency |
Department | ESA Laboratories |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 04/2004 |
End | 09/2010 |
Description | New Production Technologies of Complex 3D Micro-devices (Integ-micro) |
Amount | £490,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 214013 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 08/2007 |
End | 08/2011 |
Description | TSB Enhancing manufacturing through automation programme |
Amount | £646,875 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 101541 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2013 |
End | 08/2016 |
Description | BoX machine design and development |
Organisation | Landis Lund |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Designed and Developed the BoX ultra precision grinding machine |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided concept and mechanical detail design and assembly support |
Impact | BoX machine became patented and was licensed for commercial build by Cranfield spin out Loxham Precision |
Description | Concentrated Solar Thermal Laboratory sponsorship |
Organisation | Global CSP |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Global CSP are a UK manufacturing company producing novel and high performance CSP systems. Cranfield, through Dr Chris Sansom is helping establish a leading UK knowledge and research fabrication capability with Global CSP |
Collaborator Contribution | Global CSP have installed numerous solar concentrators at Cranfield for the purposes of evaluation and optimisation |
Impact | Secured UK engagement within a number of FP7 projects on CST |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Control systems and robot collaboration |
Organisation | FANUC UK |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Using Fanuc systems in research and MSc projects. Resulting in training/awareness of latest Fanuc products amongst young engineers. |
Collaborator Contribution | Utilisation of Fanuc products for dealing with major technical challenges in large science projects |
Impact | Control technology for large optics processing systems |
Description | ESO ELT Prototype Mirrors |
Organisation | OpTIC Glyndwr Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Developed ultra precision grinding capabilities and used them to deliver large prototype mirrors for the ESO Extremely Large Telescope |
Collaborator Contribution | Carried out the polishing and project management to deliver prototype mirrors to the ESO ELT programme. These mirrors represent the World's most precise surfaces ever made. |
Impact | Established a UK large optics fabrication chain securing UK business in leading science and space telescope programmes |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Hexagon Metrology Sponsorship |
Organisation | Hexagon Metrology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Operating a high performance metrology facility in partnership with Hexagon Metrology. Providing services and support to Hexagon and its customers in exchange for a Laboratory sponsorship arrangement. |
Collaborator Contribution | Facilities, calibrations and upgrades to equipment and yearly payment |
Impact | Support to UK companies needing access to high value metrology services |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | UPS2 Structure Surfaces Laboratory |
Organisation | OpTIC Glyndwr Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Established a unique facility to produce ultra precise moulding drums for the mass production of high value films |
Collaborator Contribution | Cranfield team created the facility. Welsh Government invested £1.0m to purchased elements of this facility. Optic Glyndwr Ltd fronted the marketing requirements and provided financial support. |
Impact | A unique UK ultra precision machining facility has been produced that makes and ships emerging mould tools all over the World. Todate the facility has shipped well over £1 m of exports. |
Start Year | 2006 |
Title | APPARATUS AND METHOD |
Description | Apparatus comprising a tool (2) for forming an aspherical surface on a material (14), and a support for supporting the material (12) for rotation about an axis, the arrangement being such that the tool (2) is restricted to movement with respect to the material (14) in two substantially linear axes transverse to each other. The apparatus may be a high-performance machine comprising a measuring arrangement (18) mounted so as to extend substantially across the surface of the material (14) and serving to measure the distance between the tool (2) and a referencing region (32) of the measuring arrangement (18) which can be in the form of a symmetrical metrology device (18), the metrology device being structurally unloaded. The apparatus is substantially symmetrical in two substantially vertical planes substantially perpendicular to and intersecting each other. |
IP Reference | WO2006117537 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2006 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | Revenue income for spin out Loxham Precision |
Title | Micro four compact machine design |
Description | Machine design licence to Loxham Precision ltd. |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Protection not required |
Year Protection Granted | 2014 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | Initial sales of machine secured. |
Title | Micro 4 - micro mill |
Description | Compact ultra precision micro-milling machine tool |
Type Of Technology | Systems, Materials & Instrumental Engineering |
Year Produced | 2010 |
Impact | Product for spin out company |
URL | http://www.loxhamprecision.com/products/u4-micro-milling-turning-machine.html |
Title | mK ultra precision temperature controller |
Description | milli Kelvin temperature control system product for ultra precision thermal control demands |
Type Of Technology | Systems, Materials & Instrumental Engineering |
Year Produced | 2007 |
Impact | Spin out company product produced across two UK companies |
URL | http://www.loxhamprecision.com/products/mk-ultra-precision-temperature-controllers.html |
Company Name | Loxham Precision |
Description | Loxham Precision manufactures high precision machines and digital motion systems. |
Year Established | 2000 |
Impact | Secured contracts during its first year with a major optics company. In its second year it secured investment and is building a new machine tool. It also has secured funding via the TSB advanced automation programs. |
Website | http://www.loxhamprecision.com |
Company Name | Ultra Precision Structured Surfaces (UPS2) Ltd |
Description | |
Year Established | 2015 |
Impact | Sales Ultra Precision rolls to the global market. |
Website | http://www.ups2.co.uk |
Description | Superheros or Engineering Scientists |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Enthusing children into the world of engineering by asking questions about Superhero. e.g. Was the hulk as superhero or a scientist? Is Ironman an Engineer? After my talk some children opted to have their workplacement within my laboratory. Some went on to study STEM at university. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | euspen Student Challenge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Broadens students horizons across the participants and forms a co-hort of leading Precision Engineering Students across Europe. Long term contacts formed between students and potential / actual employers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |
URL | http://www.euspen.eu/OurEvents/euspenChallenge.aspx |