EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/E502784/1
Title: Follow On: Proving commercial liability of high speed sintering through a larger build area
Principal Investigator: Hopkinson, Professor N
Other Investigators:
Erasenthiran, Dr P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Xaar Plc
Department: Sch of Mechanical and Manufacturing Eng
Organisation: Loughborough University
Scheme: Follow on Fund
Starts: 01 October 2006 Ends: 30 September 2007 Value (£): 88,935
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Design & Testing Technology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
High Speed Sintering (HSS) has been invented under EPSRC funded research at Loughborough University. The process allows the manufacture of complex components by sintering powder in successive layers, in a manner similar to an existing commercially valuable Rapid Manufacturing process called Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). At Loughborough we have been able to prove that HSS works when making polymeric parts in a small area (50mmxl00mm). However it is only by making parts over a big area that HSS will be commercially competitive. If we are able to make high strength parts over a much bigger area (280mmx330mm) then HSS should prove to be 10 times faster than SLS and around 5 times cheaper. By successfully making parts on a big area using HSS we are confident that we will be able to convince companies to license the technology (under our patents) and make commercial HSS machines. We have various research projects in progress and in the pipeline to support this work, however the Follow on Fund project is the only work directly aimed at securing a license.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/enterprise/hss/
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.lboro.ac.uk