To find out more about projects from the Centre for Polymers and Composites (CPC) group, email
CLASS
The “Composite Lightweight Automotive Suspension System” (CLASS) project demonstrated the benefits of reducing the unsprung mass in chassis applications. The project was funded by Innovate UK and led by Ford Motor Company, in partnership with WMG, Gestamp Chassis and GRM. The tieblade-knuckle of a Ford Focus rear suspension system was selected as the technology demonstrator for the project. The final design utilised the performance and processing benefits of hybrid continuous and discontinuous carbon fibre composites. The optimized design and manufacturing process developed by WMG resulted in a single-shot moulded component, replacing the existing multi-piece fabricated steel part whilst achieving a 35% weight reduction.
eSHADOW
The “Electrified Structural Hybrid Automotive Designs for Optimized Weight” (eSHADOW) project is a weight reduction initiative focused on the ladder frame of the Ford Transit. Developed as a multi-material composite solution suitable for mass production, this Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) funded project brought together Ford Motor Company, Gestamp, Expert Tooling & Automation, and WMG. Utilizing the ‘Right Material in the Right Place’ philosophy, the project achieved a 40% weight reduction at an affordable cost. The hybrid material technology is underpinned by WMG’s innovative high-volume hybrid composite compression moulding process that combines high-performance prepreg and SMC and is capable of meeting the production target of 25,000 vehicles per annum.
ELEVATION
“Electric Lightweight Vehicle Platform And Digital Toolchain” (ELEVATION) is an APC-funded project to develop a battery electric vehicle platform for Aston Martin Lagonda. The project led by Aston Martin Lagonda and supported by the MTC, Expert Tooling Group, Creative Composites, Fuzzy Logic Studio and WMG addresses the technical challenges of developing a lightweight battery pack and twin front electric drive unit (EDU) into a modular BEV platform with a bandwidth from supercar to SUV. WMG's role is to conduct materials evaluation, and to develop and demonstrate automated manufacturing of hybrid composite battery pack structures.
ERGO-R
The “Emissions Reduction via Generative Optimisation & Recycling” (ERGO-R) project aims to identify ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in composite vehicle design and production. Partners Gestamp, Jaguar Land Rover, iCOMAT, Longworth, and WMG are reviewing design methodologies, manufacturing processes, materials, energy costs, recoverability, reuse, and recyclability. The aim is to consider the full embodied carbon footprint across a vehicle’s lifetime, creating a circular economy for composites in the automotive industry. WMG’s role in the project is to evaluate the performance of recycled carbon fibres (rCF) and their potential for use in mass-produced automotive components, including the development of rCF-SMC.
MultiLight
The HVMC-funded project, “Enabling Lightweight Hybrid Multi-Material Solutions in High Volumes” (MultiLight), aims to develop and demonstrate processes that facilitate hybrid solutions based on thermoplastic composites (TPCs) for the automotive industry using three key technologies: (1) injection overmoulding, (2) extrusion compression co-moulding, and for lower volumes, (3) additive manufacturing using a robotic extruder to 3D print short fibre compound onto a TPC laminate. The project focuses on technology development, process and performance optimisation, simulation, and demonstration. We are investigating the potential to use reclaimed or recycled TPCs in hybrid overmoulded structures and have also explored the potential of biocomposites. Additionally, the potential to introduce functionalities such as integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) is under investigation. In the related ENLIGHTEN project, financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), we are developing methodologies for conducting parametric analyses to examine the influence of material and processing parameters on interface formation in overmoulded parts.
FlexSea
Seaweeds present a promising sustainable bio-based feedstock for producing valuable chemicals and materials, offering an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-derived plastics. FlexSea Ltd is developing innovative biomaterials using hydrocolloid extracts from red seaweeds to create sustainable packaging solutions. In this Innovate UK-funded project, FlexSea, in collaboration with WMG and 2M, a leading company in the cosmetic and personal care specialty sector, aims to enhance the properties of this novel biopolymer for use in cosmetic pots. The project focuses on improving the water-oil barrier performance to make it suitable for cosmetic formulations. Leveraging our expertise in polymer processing, WMG will examine the impact of processing on the biomaterial's properties and establish the requirements for scaling up production.
PolyMateria
This project is part of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) initiative, funded by Innovate UK. In 2020, Polymateria Ltd utilized their additive-based Biotransformation technology to achieve certified biodegradation of the most commonly littered forms of polyolefin packaging under real-world conditions within a year, without generating microplastics. To extend the effectiveness of their Biotransformation technology to highly crystalline polyolefins like HDPE and PP, it is crucial to manipulate polymer crystallinity and microstructure. WMG will assist Polymateria in developing additive masterbatches for these highly crystalline polyolefins, ensuring that essential packaging functionalities, such as gas barrier properties and recyclability, are maintained.
Repurposing Thermoplastic Composite Waste
Composite manufacturing waste typically includes end-of-roll scraps or offcuts of pre-impregnated sheets (prepregs), which can account for 30-40% of the initial material. This collaborative project between WMG and Van Wees - UD and Crossply Technology B.V. aims to repurpose manufacturing waste of thermoplastic composites (TPCs), thereby increasing resource efficiency and reducing landfill disposal. The project focuses on developing viable processes to reuse waste streams from unidirectional tapes, particularly for applications in the automotive industry. Both experimental and numerical methods are being employed to examine the effects of chip or flake size, shape, orientation, meso-scale architectures, and moulding technologies on the processability and properties of the recycled composites. The goal is to optimize the production of discontinuous long fibre (DLF) thermoplastic composites from recycled materials.
MonoFilm
Driven by the mandate that all plastic packaging must be recyclable by 2030, the plastics industry is actively pursuing mono-material solutions. The “Mono-Material Barrier Films for Sustainable and Circular Plastic Packaging Applications” (MonoFilm) project is dedicated to replacing hard-to-recycle multilayer films with fully recyclable alternatives made entirely of polyolefins (PO). The primary objective of this research is to develop a fully recyclable, all-polyolefin barrier film with enhanced gas impermeability. This ambitious project aims to compete with existing commercial solutions, such as multilayer polymer films based on EVOH, PA, or PET, which currently dominate high-barrier packaging applications but present significant recycling challenges.
Sustainable Fillers for Elastomers
A collaborative effort between Queen's University Belfast, Queen Mary University of London, and WMG is leading groundbreaking research in the sustainable manufacturing of elastomer products within a circular economy. This EPSRC-funded project aims to explore the potential of biobased and recyclable rubbers, as well as alternative sustainable fillers such as biochar and lignin. WMG is spearheading the investigation into these sustainable fillers, evaluating their effectiveness in various elastomers, including biobased thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). By integrating these eco-friendly materials, the research seeks to enhance the mechanical properties and sustainability of elastomer products, thereby advancing the development of a circular economy in the elastomer industry.
Plastic Recyling
The “Plastics Analysis, Sorting & Recycling Technologies Through Intelligent Classification” (PLASTIC) project aims to revolutionize plastics sorting and recycling by leveraging machine learning (ML). This HVMC and EPSRC-funded project will develop a digitally enabled solution to accurately identify and sort plastics within mixed waste streams, facilitating a globally applicable approach to creating a more circular economy for plastics. By combining ML principles with real-time process monitoring data during extrusion compounding, using in-line rheometry, the project will create an integrated digital environment. The data-driven recycling system will enable the prediction of the processability and properties of recyclates, and inform decisions on the most efficient enhancement of recyclates with additives to meet specific requirements
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