EPSRC Capital Award for Core Equipment at University of Southampton

This proposal is for funding to support the purchase of Core Equipment across the University of Southampton. Following an internal shortlisting process, five items were identified as being key underpinning items for areas of national importance.

We will procure:
A. Large Hydraulic Actuator to be based in the National Infrastructure Laboratory, to enable novel infrastructure engineering research.

B. High Power Optical Parametric Oscillator laser system which is highly flexible and enables research in numerous application areas.

C. ElectroChemical Atomic Force Microscope will enable materials characterisation to complement existing facilities in the Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics.

D. 3D Scanner Network will provide scanning capability across campuses at Southampton to extend current capability in digitising surface geometries.

E. Computer Control System for High Temperature Environment Rig to extend the life of a key part of the Southampton Testing and Structures Research Lab by 20 years.

Collectively these items align to the EPSRC objectives of procuring underpinning equipment, co-locating equipment to maximise impact, and investing to save.

Core Equipment within the University of Southampton is a key enabler of impactful research. The investments proposed will have a wide and varied set of potential impacts on the UK knowledge base, UK economy, society and people.

We work with a wide range of partner industries who will be interested in the outputs as well as potential users of some of the equipment.

A few examples of potential impacts are given below:

Through research enabled by the purchase of a large hydraulic actuator, we will develop better understanding of the structural performance of railway tracks, allowing the public to benefit long-term from improvements to rail transport and safety.
Through research enabled by the purchase of a high power OPO, we will be able to examine and explore the potential of new materials and components, leading to improved optical communication.
Through research enabled by the purchase of an EC-AFM, we will increase our understanding of the behaviours of novel materials for applications in energy storage.
Through research enabled by the purchase of a 3D scanner network, we will improve design of prosthetic limbs, especially within rural communities currently without access to such services.
Through the purchase of a new computer controller to our high temperature environment rig, we will have improved capabilities to support a range of industrially relevant research strands including improved lifing of components in power generation.