SME Project Support
This page details some of the ways your Small to Medium Size Enterprise can access support through the WMG centre HVM Catapult.
The WMG centre HVM Catapult is keen to engage with SMEs, if you would like to visit us to dicsuss your research needs and have a tour of our facilities please contact us: wmghvmcatapult@warwick.ac.uk
Innovation Vouchers
SME's can now apply for Innovation Vouchers for High Value Manufacturing worth £5,000. These vouchers help businesses gain the knowledge they need to innovate and grow by providing funding so that your business can work with an external expert for the first time. Visit the TSB Innovation Vouchers Website for more information.
The WMG centre HVM Catapult is funding up to 12 undergraduate student work placements over the summer to provide support to SMEs.
These work placements will be short (6-8 weeks) research projects and should be focused in one of the following four areas:
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Lightweight Technologies
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Energy Storage & Management
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Advanced Propulsion
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Autonomous Vehicles
An example of a successful internship project: John Oates Case Study
David Azpiroz, a University of Warwick student, completed a short study for local company John Oates Limited during the summer vacation of 2013. The company specialises in the design, development and manufacture of electric delivery vehicles. David used a Matlab model to simulate the range capability for a John Oates prototype electric delivery vehicle for a variety of conditions and using a standard drive cycle. Investigations were carried out into the effect of modifying the battery voltage and capacity, the motor and other system components, as well as different driving styles and routes.
At the conclusion of the simulations a number of recommendations were made to enable the vehicle to achieve the required range and the target top speed of 60mph as well as enhancing the battery performance.
Mike Haddock of John Oates Limited stated “we are extremely pleased and grateful for WMG’s help. It will be beneficial to our project and we hope to continue with future projects. Our next priority is to refine the control system for regenerative braking”.
Process:
1. Please submit your project ideas to Philippa Heigl: P.Heigl@warwick.ac.uk
2. We will assess the project to make sure it fits with our research themes and would be the appropriate length for a short summer study. We will let you know within two weeks if the project can be advertised.
3. Once a project has been approved then it will be advertised to undergraduates on the University of Warwick's job pages for at least two weeks.
4. Once we have collated CVs and applications for your project, we will send these to you to review. You can then decide who you want to interview. We can support this selection process if you require.
6. The candidates will be interviewed and once a candidate has been selected our HR team will set up a contract and we will employ and pay them for the project.
Please note: The cost of the students will be covered by WMG and the partner SME simply has to match the student cost by appropriate in-kind contributions to comply with state-aid rules.