ATKINS - Rapid Manufacturing a Low Carbon Footprint
The aim of ATKINS is to migrate from energy intensive manufacture of goods that involve a lot of waste and low buy-to-fly ratios to more sustainable means of production, service and distribution. The design, fabrication of distribution of products and components made under the ATKINS ambit would be low carbon consuming and highly efficient in their use of virgin material.
The project entails creating such a production process using rapid manufacturing techniques allowing to make the most complex designs without waste and swarf generated in the conventional manufacturing processes or use any ancillary material like water or cooling fluids. Further, material used (powder) can be recycled and reused, thus contributing to a decrease in carbon emission levels.
Studies in topological optimization and material properties are expected to further augment the project by creating weight and functionally optimized components that are achieved through process parameter optimisation.
Funding body
Technology Strategy Board
Project duration
36 months
Project team (researchers)
- PI - Prof. Richard Hague, Group Leader / Professor of Innovative Manufacturing, AMRG, R.Hague@lboro.ac.uk
- Co - Investigators:
- Dr. Christopher Tuck, Lecturer, C.J.Tuck@lboro.ac.uk
- Prof. Ian Ashcroft, Reader, I.A.Ashcroft@lboro.ac.uk
- Prof. Ricky Wildman, Reader, R.D.Wildman@lboro.ac.uk
- Researchers from AMRG:
- Dr. Chang-Jing Kong, Research Associate, C.Kong@lboro.ac.uk
- Dave Brackett, Research Associate, D.J.Brackett@lboro.ac.uk
- Mark Hardy, Technician, M.Hardy@lboro.ac.uk
Industrial collaborators
Project website
Contact details
- Prof. Richard Hague, R.Hague@lboro.ac.uk, +44 1509 227619
- Dr Christopher Tuck, C.J.Tuck@lboro.ac.uk, +44 1509 227640