Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/M95219/01
Title:	ENHANCEMENT OF POLYMER PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES
Principal Investigator:	Crawford, Professor R
Other Investigators:	McMinn, Dr WAM Raghunathan, Professor S Harkin-Jones, Professor E
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	BF GOODRICH DIAMALT DSM Linpac Plastics Ltd
Department:	Sch Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Organisation:	Queen's University of Belfast
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	02 May 2000	Ends:	01 February 2004	Value (£):	547,494
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Processing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Aerospace, Defence and Marine Manufacturing Electronics Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:	GR/M95318/01 GR/M95288/01
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
A platform programme is proposed, comprising three main PROCESS STRANDS, namely ENHANCED EXTRUSION, INJECTION MOULDING and FREE SURFACE MOULDING. There are Science & Technology Threads across each Proce Strand: advancements with current technologies and materials, thermal sensing and control technology, effects of processing and new control on product properties, manipulation of thermal properties of polymers, and novel control of product properties via process technology, with process modelling appearing throughout.Overall, the programme is designed to provide a platform for synergy between major UK processing laboratories in order to address current constraints in polymer processing technology, particularly those related to thermal issues, by a range of available and emerging techniques, and novel possibilities, without detrimental effect on product properties. It will also address enhanced tailoring and control of final product properties via process technology. Overall, we aim for evolution of known routes to aid product cost reduction, realisation of the full potential of emerging technologies, and the synthesis of best practice in specified applications in order to reduce manufacturing costs (via shorter cycle times, reduced scrap rates and lower energy costs), whilst maintaining or enhancing quality, particularly in terms of meeting tight tolerances, or achieving new structures and products.
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:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.qub.ac.uk