Partnerships and Industry

Industry

The Advanced Composite Training and Development Centre undertakes varying projects from short-term consultancy to longer-term collaborations, which might include Technology Strategy Board Collaborative R&D, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), Research Council funded collaborations and contract research. 

Facilities which are available for:

Thermal characterisation

• Differential scanning calorimetry (measurement of state of cure, glass transition temperature and wider measurements across polymers metals and ceramics)
• Dynamic mechanical analysis (for measurements of glass transition temperature in solid and powdered polymers)
• Thermogravimetric analysis (for understanding of the moisture content and degradation of materials)

Hot acid digestion 

• Microwave assisted digestion of composites for determination of void and fibre content.

Water jet cutting

• Contract waterjet cutting of small articles
  
  

Dielectric property measurement 

• Resonant cavity method at 2.45 GHz
• Split post dielectric resonator measurements of films at 2.45 and 5 GHz
  
  

Mechanical testing

• Mechanical testing up to 50 kN. The centre has a very wide range of test jigs enabling a wide range of mechanical characterisation. The measurements can be undertaken at a range of temperatures from -100 to 350°C  if required

Impact testing

• Drop weight impact testing at energies up to 1800 J and a temperature range of -80 to 150°C
• Compression after impact testing

Partnerships

The laboratory at the composites centre has been used for several projects with Glyndwr Innovations precision optical team. The work undertaken at the laboratory has been used to aid the design of systems for diverse applications such as high-altitude aerial observations and for the mounting of large (1.5m+) telescope optics. 

In addition the laboratory has undertaken work for mechanical testing of products from local and national industry. If there are applications that require bespoke testing scenarios then please get in touch with the team

Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (ARMC) in North Wales

Professor Richard Day has spent four years working part time with AMRC Sheffield as a High Value Manufacturing Catapult Fellow looking at rapid cure of polymer composites using microwave heating.

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