Something to think about over the weekend... new I...

Key features

Innovate UK is investing up to £4.5 million in collaborative industrial research projects that stimulate innovation in additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.

Programme

Innovate UK

Award

up to £1 million

The competition scope

Projects must have a significant innovation step in both of the following complementary areas:

• additive manufacturing
• connected digital manufacturing

Eligibility Criteria

• a UK-based business must lead a project
• be planning to carry out your project in the UK
• work with at least one other business on this project
• have an innovation project that will last no more than 3 years
• have an innovation project that focuses on industrial research

Additive manufacturing

Your project must focus on one or more of these 4 priority topics:

1. novel additive manufacturing build process with a viable route to market for UK-based machine platform manufacture
2. large-scale build platforms with a build size in metres with a viable route to market for UK-based machine platform manufacture
3. automation, predictability and cost reduction in the pre and post-process material supply and finishing activities. Projects must show a significant improvement to the overall AM process chain productivity
4. innovative hybrid or interrupted AM processes and/or their integration with the adjacent process(es)

Connected digital manufacturing

Your project must develop at least one of the following 5 connected digital manufacturing capabilities:

1. interoperability: ability of internet-enabled machines, devices, sensors and people to connect and share data with each other securely (and seamlessly) without the need for specialist technical expertise on the part of the user
2. enriched modelling – integration of raw, operational data from sensors into elements of models and simulations to improve the accuracy and completeness of their predictions and to aid visualisation and decision-making
3. autonomy: ability of machines and systems to make decisions and perform tasks with limited human assistance/intervention and to learn from experience and data
4. real-time insights: capability to collect and analyse data from manufacturing operations and provide the derived insights to support decision-making in real or near-to-real time
5. modularity: engineering of flexible and modular systems, components and services that can be adapted, added, removed and interplayed to meet changing requirements

Funding allocation and project details

You could get funding of up to:

• 70% of your eligible project costs if you are a small or micro business
• 60% of your eligible project costs if you are a medium sized business
• 50% of your eligible project costs if you are a larger business

Innovate UK expect projects to last between 1-3 years with total project costs between £500k and £1.5m.

At least 70% of your total project costs must be allocated to the additive manufacturing topics and between 15% and 30% to the connected digital manufacturing design

 For more info, help and advice, get in touch: http://www.tbat.co.uk/get-in-touch/