Recycling – Advancing techniques for quality control

With the potential for huge energy and cost savings, a number of manufacturers now favour recycled materials over virgin materials for their products. However, using recycled materials can present a number of problems, with undetected contaminants decreasing the quality and value of recyclate, and even a small amount of moisture having a negative impact on mechanical properties. The impact this has is not just economic and environmental – it can also have health and safety implications. For instance, where recycled PET is used for bale strapping, it is crucial that the tensile strength is retained to ensure the strapping does not loosen, presenting a potential hazard.

One of the most efficient tools for process and quality control is in-line near infrared spectroscopy (ILNIRS), a high speed, continual process that can identify materials and ascertain their purity. ILNIRS analyses polymer melt by monitoring changes in near-infrared light which is shone through the melt during processing.  This provides information about the state of the polymer, such as the extent of degradation, additive concentration and details of process conditions, including temperature and pressure. It can also be used to detect colour, which can be due to either a desired additive or contamination.  The technique can also work with visible, mid-infrared and UV light, depending on the materials involved and the processor’s needs.

While spectroscopy is used in current recycling processes to identify the composition of solid materials, ILNIRS could be utilised in a revolutionary way, to evaluate the quality, and segregate polymer recyclate at the point of production, during the melt stage. Used in this way, ILNIRS makes it much easier to spot and remove undesirable contaminants at the melt stage, before the processed recycled plastic is despatched to clients.

For instance, currently, optical and other sorting techniques used in bottling and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) cannot be used for high volume Polyethylene (PE) recycling. Any limited sorting that can be done is by hand and low quality, as the feedstock is baled and multilayered (approx 100mm depth), which current optical techniques cannot penetrate. For example, when running polyethylene (PE) film through an extruder to determine the quality of the melt, contamination of the PE by polypropylene (PP) may not be visible to the naked eye. However, if using ILNIRS, any contaminants in the polymer melt would be detected by the infrared and could then be separated at the pelletising stage rather than the initial feedstock. Analysing the melt will give the opportunity to remove contaminant that is otherwise missed and can cause product failure or downtime.

It is not just recyclers and polymer manufacturers who could benefit from this advanced technique, which is used in a number of applications, including pharmaceutical, medical diagnostics (including blood sugar and pulse oximetry), food and agrochemical quality control, and combustion research. It is also utilised in research in functional neuroimaging, sports medicine and science, elite sports training, ergonomics, rehabilitation, neonatal research, brain computer interface, urology (bladder contraction), and neurology (neurovascular coupling).

ILNIRS is just one of the techniques being demonstrated at a free workshop taking place at the University of Exeter. Attendees will get the chance to tour the facilities of the University’s Exeter Technologies Group, including near infrared spectroscopy and thermal characterisation equipment, as well as the additive layer manufacturing facilities.

The workshop will cover identifying and knowing materials, quality control and changes in industry, and is designed to give businesses an advantage by showing delegates how to identify failures, establish information about competitor products and manage suppliers, as well as improving quality and performance and reducing waste. The aim is to encourage discussions on how to improve recycling; by increasing your knowledge of materials, allowing validation of material constituents and improving the overall quality of recyclate.

The workshop is being hosted by the Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies (CALMARE), a centre part funded until mid 2015 by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The centre is based within the Exeter Technologies Group, which has worked with partners to use the technique for a range of project applications – as an in-line monitoring tool for scrap reduction and re-use in the plastics industry, in spectroscopic instrumentation for injection moulding and to detect polylactic acid (a thermoplastic polyester), which can contaminate PET plastic bottles, if not detected and removed.

For more information about the workshop, and to book a space, please visit http://bit.ly/1AgM7mE

Round-up of the year

CALMARE – round-up of the year

Whether it’s advising on sustainable materials for an interactive, educational board game or investigating recycling or reuse routes for computer towers, CALMARE has worked on a whole host of diverse projects in 2014. And, with more than 100 projects started in 2014, and more in the pipeline for next year, we thought it would be a great opportunity to look back on the centre’s achievements over the past year.

Helping businesses

From pet catheter development to wool composites for chairs, model train tracks to plastic lava lamps, CALMARE’s growing team has assisted a number of businesses with a range of product development projects, as well as supporting initiatives such as remanufacturing investigations, feasibility studies and waste / recycling reviews. Projects we have worked on include investigating recycled PVC options for F-boards range of scaffolding planks, feasibility studies into the separation of twin shot injection moulding waste for Hymid and alternative material options for components of Natural Mat’s natural fibre and organic mattresses.

We have been able to work on these diverse projects thanks to our funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the recruitment of several new team members, including Business Engagement Specialists Stuart Monk, Mike Thompson and James Bradbury, as well as Technical Research Assistant Elliot Nelson and Events and Marketing Officer Katya Romankevich.

Opening up facilities

As part of CALMARE’s services, the centre has engaged with businesses, to open up access to the facilities and expertise it has available within the team and the wider Exeter Technologies Group. In 2015, this is set to continue, with an even greater focus on providing easy access and good customer service to companies. As part of this, the centre will be offering a number of knowledge exchange workshops and open sessions in the first few months of the year, on areas such as material characterisation and spectroscopy. The many successful events held this year including an Introduction to Plastics, Waste Management and Recycling and its first Inline Spectroscopy Quality Control workshop. What’s more, back in March, the centre held a successful launch event, attracting about 60 delegates from the South West and beyond, from manufacturing companies, product development start-ups and a host of other partners and supporters.

Circular Economy

One of the overriding themes for the group over the last 12 months has been that of the Circular Economy, and many of the projects have involved aspects that contribute to the overall idea of this emerging business model.

This year has seen the formation of the Circular Economy Business Forum, a collaboration between the University of Exeter’s Business School, CALMARE and business representatives. The forum meets to discuss how the University can engage with businesses and help make the dream a reality. Future plans for the Circular Economy team and CALMARE include workshops and events, ongoing innovation clubs and individual feasibility studies.

Inspiration through the creative industries

In order to inspire these businesses and also the wider public, CALMARE is collaborating with artists from all over the South West to hold an art from waste exhibition in May 2015. Based on the concept of a circular economy – reusing materials and other goods instead of throwing them away – the exhibition will be entitled From Cowboys to Astronauts. The title illustrates a move away from a wasteful, “cowboy economy”, with seemingly boundless resources, to a “spaceship economy”. This idea is based on a concept used throughout the 20th century, called “Spaceship Earth”, which envisaged Earth as a spaceship with limited resources on board. The exhibition will demonstrate to businesses and members of the public just what is possible when we move away from a throwaway mind-set.

The exhibition follows three sold out knowledge exchange workshops, which were hosted by CALMARE in the autumn. Comprising presentations from various speakers, networking and discussion opportunities, and a tour of the CALMARE facilities, the workshops were designed to spark debate and encourage participants to think about the issues of waste, recycling and re-use.

Doing our bit – Green Impact and the Community Challenge

As part of our ongoing commitment to help reduce waste and lead by example, we took part in the national environmental accreditation and awards scheme, Green Impact, run at local level by the University. In working towards a bronze award, which we achieved in June, we had to undertake a number of activities to meet the criteria. This included our Community Challenge, a beach clean with the National Trust Countryside Team in South Devon, who we assisted in a litter pick at South Milton Sands and the surrounding area, as well as putting a range of initiatives and processes in place for the team. This autumn, we started working towards the Gold Award, which we are hoping to achieve in summer 2015.

 

 

Sustainability: encouraging a change of behaviour through art

Art has long been credited as a useful tool for social change. Not only can it convey important messages simply and powerfully, it also has a tendency to both reflect and inspire current trends. So it comes as no surprise, with concern growing over the amount of waste going to landfill and the subsequent trend for upcycling, that the movement towards sustainable art and using waste materials as a medium is gathering momentum.

As many as 500 years ago, Leonardo Da Vinci is alleged to have said “there is no such thing as waste”, and, in our modern throwaway society, these words have struck a chord with an increasing number of artists. Where others see rubbish, they see potential, and are creating inspiring sculptures using a whole host of discarded objects.

All over the globe, old computer circuit boards, ballpoint pens, aluminium cans, coat hangers, plastic spoons and bicycles have started new lives as robots, owls, polar bears, chairs, lamps and even musical instruments. This creative reuse of discarded objects has the dual effect of rescuing items that would otherwise go to landfill and communicating an urgent message about how ever changing fashions and built in obsolescence of goods such as mobile phones encourage wastefulness.

The growing interest in using waste as a medium has been reflected in the number of exhibitions that have been held all over the country in recent months, from My Sea, Your Sea. Keep it Litter Free at Torquay’s Living Coasts to The Rubbish Collection at London’s Science Museum. Even the artists of the future are getting in on the act, with art from waste competitions being hosted in schools both nationally and internationally.

When it comes to deciding how to respond to our ever growing waste burden, there are no easy answers – and one of the major issues facing the manufacturing businesses that CALMARE has assisted is what to do with their waste material, some of which is difficult or seemingly impossible to recycle. However, new technologies and new business methodologies, such as the circular economy are helping to change this and highlighting to business the commercial opportunities available and redefining the term ‘waste’.

The need to portray these ideas to a wider audience was the inspiration behind From Trash to Treasure, a collaboration between CALMARE and South West artists, in which artists are being encouraged to highlight some of the key ideas that industry and consumers need to be aware of and turn serviceable objects into beautiful objects, or statement pieces for everyone to appreciate and be inspired by. Starting with fully funded knowledge exchange workshops highlighting how much is being sent to landfill and what opportunities there are for industry to change this, the project aims to inspire participants to submit a statement piece for exhibition.

The workshops, which have been made possible thanks to the CALMARE project being funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), University of Exeter and industry partners, will introduce speakers and artists from local agencies and businesses. They will discuss current issues with recycling, landfill and our response to the ever increasing problem of waste. Delegates will consider the big issues facing society; the Circular Economy: how artists can transform how businesses think, what role art plays in changing society and cultures and how art can relate to the resource issues facing society.

Paul McCutchion, CALMARE’s Commercial Manager, said: “This is a bit of a departure from convention for us – as materials specialists, our key focus thus far has been working with manufacturing businesses. However, From Trash to Treasure will bring together two of our main strands as a centre – materials issues and sustainability, particularly re-use, recycling and remanufacture.

“We hope that the art works created as a result will be an inspiration to plastics manufacturers and other businesses that are struggling with their waste issues, as well as help us to engage the wider public about the importance of reuse and recycling. We are also really looking forward to working with the emerging and established artists that are attending the workshops, and helping them to take their own work in a new and exciting direction.”

The circular economy – an opportunity for businesses

The benefits of a circular economy

With enthusiastic endorsement from a host of celebrities, including Dame Ellen MacArthur and Brad Pitt, and the backing of world leaders, corporations and academic institutions, the idea of a regenerative, circular economy has garnered ever more global attention.

It is not hard to see why the concept of a circular economy – where materials and energy from products are recovered and put back into the system instead of simply being disposed of – has such appeal. Not only is our current, wasteful linear economic system of production and consumption bad for the planet, it is also bad for business, with the increasing depletion of resources driving up the price of commodities. So, the move to a more regenerative, circular economy could generate noticeable savings for businesses.

When addressing the 2014 World Economic Forum, Sir Ian Cheshire, Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher said: “The circular economy is an opportunity industry can’t afford to miss. It can drive our next generation of innovation and business growth, cushion our business from price volatility, provide us with competitive advantage, and help us build better relationships with customers and suppliers.”

Making the dream a reality – collaboration

Recognising that developing a more circular economy in the South West would provide new possibilities for creating employment, and improving quality of life, alongside the necessary environmental gains, staff from the University of Exeter have formed a Circular Economy Team to plan how the University can work with businesses and help make the dream become a reality.

The team comprises staff from the University’s Business School, as well as from the Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies (CALMARE), also based at the University, as well as external consultants and local businesses.

Julie Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in the Organisation of Markets at the Business School, became interested in the Circular Economy after recognising that it suggested a way to address both resource constraints and the planet’s waste problem, while also furthering the potential for a more harmonious relationship between business and society.

Julie said: “The Circular Economy is about proposing a move away from the take-make-waste linear pattern towards a more restorative process, where goods are designed and marketed with reuse in mind. Building a circular economy requires creativity and collaboration in how we design, manufacture and distribute goods and services. It entails new business models, product reinvention rather than product improvement, and new ways of relating to customers.”

The Circular Economy was the topic at the most recent Business Leaders’ Forum, hosted by the Business School. At the event, James Walker, Head of Innovation, Net Positive at Kingfisher, outlined the principles of a circular economy and described the steps that a large multinational retailer had begun to take in the restoration process. Meanwhile, the second speaker, Mark Hodgson, a sustainability consultant based in Devon, talked about commercialising circular business models with companies in the South West. In addition, the Circular Economy Team asked businesses and other interested parties at the event whether they would be interested in joining a Circular Economy Business Forum and meeting up to discuss ways forward.

CALMARE is a £1.8m centre funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), University of Exeter and industry partners. Its connections with SMEs in the region means that the centre can provide links between companies and the Business School and identifycollaborative opportunities for businesses to work together.Paul McCutchion, Commercial Manager of CALMARE, said: “Effective implementation of a circular economy involves good collaboration and that is exactly why CALMARE has linked up with the Business School, other experts and industry to ensure a joined up approach and to provide a complete solution. The University is working across all its sectors to look at the implications and opportunities a circular economy offers, as well as developing methodologies and potential solutions.”

He added: “At the heart of the work CALMARE carries out is sustainability and          helping companies use materials in a more sustainable manner. It is a strong            advocate of the Circular Economy and can work with companies in a variety of               ways to either apply the theory investigate the opportunities it offers.

“Currently, the team is able to provide an initial amount of free support (through state aid funding) to eligible companies in a variety of areas.”

These areas range from investigating new opportunities for reusing alternative materials that are more sustainable, to advising on new routes to market for waste materials to reduce landfill and find alternative uses.

Future plans for the Circular Economy team include workshops and events, ongoing innovation clubs, individual feasibility studies and a workshop for artists about turning waste into art, followed by an exhibition of work by those taking part.

Julie Whittaker said: “We are very pleased that the Business School and CALMARE are able to work on collaborative projects together to investigate circular economy opportunities for individual businesses. While we can advise on implementing business models, utilising product innovation methodologies or educate businesses more generally about circular economy initiatives, CALMARE adds the technical expertise required for research, carries out development work required and advises as to how best to implement the technical aspects of the solutions.”

 

Is wool the next big thing?

 

The 20th century saw a proliferation of synthetic materials, hailed as an improvement on naturally occurring plant and animal fibres. Fast forward to the 21st century and, despite the wealth of man-made options available, one of the oldest naturally occurring fabrics around – sheep’s wool – has enjoyed a revival.

For years, the world of fashion was dominated by synthetic fibres. Then, last year, the media announced that wool had made a comeback, was a staple in product lines developed by big name luxury fashion houses, and that the value of the British wool clothing market had soared over the past few years.

However, it is not just in the fickle world of fashion that wool has taken off. Its myriad of superior properties means this highly insulating and non-flammable material has a number of surprising applications. Furthermore, it is starting to be recognised as a feasible fabric for product developers looking for alternative materials that are eco-friendly, innovative and lightweight.

Over the past few years, higher education establishments have engaged in research and development projects involving this versatile material, with the universities of Strathclyde and Seville collaborating on a project using composite bricks consisting of sheep’s wool, clay and seaweed.[1] In another example, wool insulation was being considered as a safe solution for keeping houses warm, following studies at Bangor University,[2] which showed that wool absorbed formaldehyde, a chemical present in building products that could prove harmful to human health.

Wool has also proven a popular choice for furniture manufacturers, thanks to being flame retardant, wrinkle resistant, hypoallergenic, anti-static and easy to clean. Furthermore, wool is an excellent option for manufacturers who are concerned about the environment. Not only is it renewable – as sheep produce a new fleece every year – it is also eco-friendly, naturally biodegrading when thrown away.


[1] Galan-Marin, Carmen and Rivera-Gomez, Carlos and Bradley, Fiona (2013) Ultrasonic, molecular and mechanical testing diagnostics in natural fibre reinforced, polymer-stabilised earth blocks.

International Journal of Polymer Science, 2013. pp. 1-10. ISSN 1687-9422

 [2] Curling, S.F.; Loxton, C. & Ormondroyd, G.A. (2012) A rapid method for investigating the absorption of formaldehyde from air by wool. Journal of Materials Science 47 (7) pp.3248-3251

Product developers using wool in the South West have accessed CALMARE’s materials fully funded support, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the University of Exeter and industry partners.

Solidwool in Buckfastleigh has created a composite product using fleece from upland UK sheep as reinforcement, in place of injection moulded polymers. Its concern for the environment means the business also uses bio-resins in place of the 100 per cent petrochemical resins traditionally used in composite manufacture. CALMARE has aided in the process optimisation, looking at how post-curing affects the properties of the material.

CALMARE also recently carried out a project for The Provenance Company, owned by Kim Stead, who produces Twool products – twine and rope from the wool of the rare breed Whiteface Dartmoor sheep. Twool began in 2012, as a project to find a new way to recycle the wool, which might otherwise have been burnt.

Following the success of her initial products, Kim is developing some new ones, and, as well as having won a clutch of national awards, she has been nominated at the Chelsea Flower Show two years running for her Twool twine, a wool alternative to jute twine. Kim approached CALMARE to assist her with testing the elasticity, flexibility and resilience of various twines and ropes, with diameters ranging from 5mm to 50mm. Wool has surprising strength and the Twool barrier rope was shown to be able to hold the equivalent weight of a Ford Mondeo.

Kim said: “Not only is wool versatile, durable, soft and supple, making it the ideal material for the product, it is also ultra-sustainable. Just as importantly, the fact that we are using a product from local sheep means that its origins are traceable and that we are supporting British rural business.”

The properties of wool

The individual characteristics of wool between species can vary as a result of the slightly differing structures. However, in the main, the characteristics of the material are:

•          Natural and renewable – grown rather than produced, lower carbon footprint during manufacturing (campaignforwool.co.nz).
•          Natural high UV stability.
•          Biodegradable – wool only takes a few years to fully decompose and, with its high nitrogen content, can act as a fertiliser.
•          Naturally insulating.
•          Durable – fibres are able to bend 20,000 times without breaking.
•          Fire retardant  – in its natural untreated state, it does not burn, but instead forms a self-insulating char that prevents further flame spread and extinguishes itself (wool has a very high inflammation point of 570 – 600°C due to its high Nitrogen content of ~16%). Wool is self-extinguishing and has a high Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI=25.2), which means, to completely burn wool, an oxygen content of 25.2%, above that found in the Earth’s atmosphere, is necessary (woollyshepherd.co.uk).

 

Three is the magic number

  

When industry and higher education establishments work together, the outcomes can be highly beneficial – and the Exeter Technologies Group, which is comprised of 3 divisions, and based at the University of Exeter, has a track record of successful collaborations.

Thanks to the wide ranging materials and manufacturing expertise within the group, it has had a positive impact on manufacturing and technology businesses and product developers locally, nationally and internationally.

Based within the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences (CEMPS), the group comprises three centres, which can deliver a wide variety of collaborative materials research and development solutions for businesses. These are:

  • Exeter Advanced Technologies (X-AT), which focusses on materials research
  • The Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM), which is extending our understanding of this technology and has helped bring the advantages of Additive Layer Manufacturing (often referred to as 3D printing) to businesses
  • The Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies (CALMARE), which assists companies with materials development and sustainability issues.

The three divisions interact closely to offer a unique opportunity for research and development. Bringing together material research, process equipment and knowledge and a focus on sustainability leads to an effective combination of skillsets that is delivering advancements in a wide range of projects. These range from increasing the use of recycled material in ALM to the development of new bio-derived composites and new applications and techniques for using carbon nano-tubes.

Exeter Advanced Technologies (X-AT)

The founding centre within the group, X-AT was established in 1998. Its experts carry out both grant funded and commercial contract research, focussing on two main areas:

  • Manufacturing (conventional technologies- injection moulding, compounding, extrusion, co-extrusion, composite manufacture, grinding,  milling and separation facilities)
  • Novel materials and structures (development and characterisation)

Oana Ghita, Deputy Director of X-AT, said: “X-AT is an excellent example of how academia and industry can work well together. Over the years, we have worked on a vast number of different research projects and collaborated successfully with a number of different businesses, from small to large companies looking to develop new materials, structures and process options.”

She added: “Many of the initial projects have led to further research and the continued success of X-AT. The realisation that there is demand from industry for our research encouraged us to set up the other two business technology centres within the group – the Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing and the Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies.”

X-AT has carried out more than 150 contract research projects and partnerships with industry, and its current grant portfolio is approximately £4 million. For details of its previous projects, visit http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/engineering/research/xat/past-projects/

Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM)

One of only a few organisations in the world that makes high performing polymeric structures, CALM also boasts the only commercially available high temperature laser sintering platform EOSINT P800. Furthermore, the centre publishes data that is independent from powder suppliers and machine manufacturers.

CALM was established in 2010, as part of £2.6million project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the University of Exeter and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS / Airbus Group Innovations). It has carried out more than 200 projects for businesses in the South West, and is estimated to have had an impact on the region by helping to grow the GVA (Gross Value Added) by over £6.3 million.

Having completed its ERDF funding requirements, the centre is now operating as a research entity of Exeter Technologies Group and is actively engaging on both grant funded research, while still supporting all sizes of companies with contract research.

James Bradbury, a Business Engagement Specialist for CALM, said: “Since the centre was set up just over three years ago, we are delighted with how the division has grown into a Centre of Excellence and is helping to highlight the potential of this technology to a wider audience.”

He added: “We aim to expand the understanding and use of ALM and, as part of Exeter Technologies Group, we’re researching the microstructure of the materials. This is at the heart of further developments and enables materials and processes to be improved, providing better quality products and also lowering costs through the use of new grades of materials and higher recycling rates.”

For details of past projects, visit http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/engineering/research/calm/case-studies/

Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies (CALMARE)

The newest addition to the group, CALMARE supports material development and sustainability projects for SMEs in the South West of the UK. The £1.8million project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); the University of Exeter and industry partners until mid-2015, aims to support the economic growth of the region and develop collaborative relationships focussed on addressing recycling and remanufacture of in-house and end of life manufacturing waste.

CALMARE supports industry with a wide range of projects – or business assists – across areas, including material research and testing and in-house waste management. Business assists can take a number of forms, including individual consultative projects or knowledge exchange workshops, all of which are fully funded for the companies through EU state aid funding.

For details of projects carried out so far, visit http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/engineering/research/calmare/casestudies/

In the long term, the centre plans to research some of the major recycling and remanufacturing issues facing industry, such as how to optimise and then commercialise the re-use/recycling of GFRP (Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics), and work to improve the use of recycled materials in both traditional techniques, and more novel areas such as within additive layer manufacturing.

Fantastic plastic

  

Plastics, which can be moulded into almost any shape or form, offer seemingly endless possibilities for manufacturers and product developers. This makes them a popular choice within the industry – and means much of the research undertaken by the Exeter Technologies Group, of which CALMARE is a part, focuses on these highly functional materials.

The widespread use of plastics inspired CALMARE’s first knowledge exchange workshop, entitled an Introduction to Plastics. Aimed at product developers from a range of backgrounds, who are not always materials specialists, the workshop was designed as an introduction to the topic, providing a basic grounding in plastics, from a materials and a processing standpoint. The event also showcased the cutting edge research being undertaken by the group as a whole, within major industries such as automotive and aerospace.

The first part of the workshop encompassed presentations from CALMARE experts about materials structure, the testing facilities and options utilised by the University and about different processing techniques, including injection and compression moulding. Tim Marsden from the British Plastics Federation, a supporting partner of CALMARE, gave a presentation about the UK plastics industry, including recycling statistics and how the country compares to the rest of Europe.  In the afternoon, delegates toured the group’s facilities, including the Additive Layer Manufacturing suite, and participated in hands on activities, to get a better understanding of how different materials behave and the processing options available.

CALMARE Business Engagement Specialist Stuart Monk, who is responsible for the delivery of the centre’s workshops, said:  “The workshop enabled us to educate businesses in the fundamentals that they may want a refresher in, or may not even know. We decided to start from scratch, saying these are the options available, this is why you would use this process over this processing route. It puts product developers in a better position for when they are talking to the manufacturers.”

Attendees at the first workshop included product development companies, plastics manufacturers, consultants, and manufacturing groups. For the qualifying SMEs, the workshop formed six hours of a 12 hour free business assist for each company, with the charges met through de minimis state aid funding, via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Stuart said: “The workshops are a great opportunity not only to generate discussions among the companies, but also to encourage a dialogue between industry and the other researchers within our wider research team (Exeter Technologies Group), and the rest of the University.”

Stuart said: “Our plan is to sit down with each of the companies who attended in turn and work out what further support we can provide them. For instance, they might decide that they want us to carry out some specific research into something they’re working on at the moment, in terms of materials development or sustainability.

“For instance, one of the product developers who attended wants us to help him select materials and processing routes that he can take to companies. It gives him some steer, rather than having to ask companies for their complete input. It allows him to go to his manufacturer in a more educated position. Another company wants us to test specific materials – either their physical properties, or characterising them to show what’s in them, so they can ensure their paperwork is up to date. It gives the businesses a chance to tap into the state of the art facilities that we have here.”

CALMARE has a further workshop, on waste management and recycling, planned for May and will invite external speakers to talk about how they manage their waste, whether through re-use or recycling. The centre also plans a series of evening workshops with the University’s Business School’s Innovation Research Group. Entitled Shattering the Myths of Innovation, the events are scheduled for April, May and June. Stuart said: “We are hosting the events in collaboration with the Business School, with Dr Allen Alexander chairing the event. He works in the University’s Centre for Innovation Studies, which is one of the leaders in this field of work, with the Centre liaising closely with local and national businesses of all sizes to help them understand how they can implement new ideas.

“While, within CALMARE, we’re using our technical expertise to help companies, the Business School can offer an insight into the theoretical side of things, for example, how companies can think in new ways regarding material development, sustainability and recycling. So, people should come out of the workshops with some new ideas on how they can implement their own technology products and services.”

For details of future workshops, follow us on Twitter @CALMARE_EXETER, or visit the events page on our website www.exeter.ac.uk/calmare

Businesses find CALMARE launch event “useful and enjoyable”

Despite disruptions to rail services and severe weather over the weekend, CALMARE’s launch party attracted an impressive turnout, with dozens of business representatives from all over the region attending. About 60 delegates, from manufacturing companies, product development start-ups and a host of other partners and supporters found out more about the centre’s offering at the event, which was hosted at the University of Exeter’s Innovation Centre. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the University of Exeter and industry partners, CALMARE provides companies with access to the expertise, advice and technology to help them improve their products and processes.

A networking opportunity over breakfast was followed by introductory talks from:

  • Ken Evans, Dean of the College of Engineering, Maths and Physical Sciences, where the centre is based
  • Oana Ghita, Lead Academic for the centre
  • Paul McCutchion, the centre’s commercial manager

John Bessant, from the University’s Business School, which is working closely with CALMARE, delivered a presentation about the importance of innovation, a pertinent topic to the product developers in the audience.

Following tours of the centre’s state of the art laboratories and facilities, and equipment demonstrations by the team, delegates watched presentations delivered by Ray Khan, from centre partner Hambleside Danelaw, which is providing the project access to its grinding facilities, and from Jason Goozee from Europlastix, which collects and reprocessed recycled plastics, and has completed an initial project with the CALMARE team.

Businesses reported that they found the event helpful and informative. Peter Stevens, of JPRS Developments, based just outside Newton Abbot, has already benefited from the 12 hours fully funded support offered by CALMARE to small and medium enterprises in the South West. He attended with his wife and business partner Jacqui, and said: “I wanted to say thank you for an instructive, useful and enjoyable event today at the official launch of CALMARE.

“It really broadened my understanding of your remit and areas of interest – even though we are already working together – and gave Jacqui a great insight into current and potential areas of collaboration.”

Paul McCutchion said: “I am absolutely delighted to see so many representatives from our region’s businesses here for the launch. This fantastic event really showcases what we have to offer, through our facilities, experience and materials development.”

Following our successful launch event, CALMARE is planning a programme of workshops, based on what we think will be of interest to businesses and what businesses tell us is of interest to them. If you have any suggestions about workshops you would like us to run, feel free to contact us at

Centre set up to resolve manufacturing issues within the region

   

PLASTICS are renowned for being easy to recycle – and, when it comes to thermoplastics, this reputation is well deserved. However, with thermosets, it’s a different story, and the chemical bonds between the layers in the material make recycling difficult. That is one of the key issues currently facing the plastics industry, and one that the new Centre for Alternative Materials and Remanufacturing Technologies was set up to help resolve.

The need for a centre such as CALMARE, which offers 12 hours initial fully funded support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout the South West, was also inspired by other issues, specific to manufacturers and suppliers based in the region. Firstly, SMEs, which make up many of the businesses within the South West, normally lack the ability to gain access to higher education facilities and expertise. In today’s world, collaborative partnerships, such as those between universities and businesses, can be vital in driving innovation. Therefore, it seemed pertinent to establish such a centre within the College of Engineering, Maths and Physical Sciences at the University of Exeter. The £1.8m centre is funded for two years by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the University of Exeter and industry partners.

Secondly, one of the large industries in the region is the marine industry, which, in the future, is likely to face legislative demands similar to those seen in the automotive industry, with the end of life directive. The reuse and recycling of glass fibre, which is widely used in the industry, is likely to become a real issue. Paul McCutchion, Commercial Manager for CALMARE, said: “The side of our centre that deals with the recycling and reuse of these products is vital to ensuring that the landfill costs that these companies are exposed to in the future are not so great that it makes it in-viable and is detrimental to the region.

“The University has lots of experience in polymers, compounds, natural materials, remanufacture and recycling, so CALMARE offers an excellent opportunity, especially for companies working with plastics and composites, to be able to take that next step and have that competitive edge, and really develop the South West as a region.”

He added: “The South West is particularly strong on the green agenda and, looking at environmental solutions. A centre like CALMARE gives us a real opportunity to lead that agenda, and really help the South West become the region that is known for our green products and sustainable future.”

Part funded for two years by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 – 2013, with match funding from partners, the centre provides companies with targeted support to improve their products and processes, as well as opportunities for networking and exploring collaborative commercial ventures.