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EC Funded Projects
MERL has extensive experience of projects funded by the European
Commission and participated in project consortia under the fourth (FP4),
fifth (FP5)
and sixth (FP6) framework programmes. In addition MERL is participating in
various Technology Platforms for the formation of the seventh programme. Under
FP5, MERL was co-ordinator and technical lead in three RTD projects and Work
Package
leaders
in two Thematic
Networks.
Under FP6 MERL is active in several projects as partners in the transport
sector, materials sector and aerospace sector. MERL is open to approaches from
other organisations for partnering opportunities. For more information contact Dr
Rod Martin.
CURRENT PROJECTS:
- GlaCERCo: Glass Ceramics Composites – An Initial
Training Network
- CEDESA: Centre of Excellence for the Design of Efficient
and Safe Aircraft
- WASIS: Composite Fuselage Section Wafer Design Approach for Safety
Increasing in Worst Case Situations and Joints Minimizing
- ESPOSA: Efficient Systems and Propulsion for
Small Aircraft
- LA WOCS: Laser Transmission Welding of Thermoplastic
Composite Structures
- iNTeg-Risk: Early Recognition, Monitoring
COMPLETED PROJECTS:
- CESAR: Cost
Effective Small AiRcraft
- BIOCOMP:New Classes of Engineering
Composite Materials from Renewable Resources
- SUPER LIGHT CAR: To deliver
the technologies and design concepts that would allow up to 30% weight
reduction in the C-class car models of the future
generations
- ExtreMat: New
Materials for Extreme Environments
- KMM-NoEKnowledge-based
Multicomponent Materials for Durable and Safe Performance - A Network
of Excellence
- SMART RESERVOIR: To
identify and fill technology gaps for oil field reservoirs in the
next 10 - 20 years using a thematic network
- LTD-BAMS: Long Term Durability of
Bonded Automotive Metallic Structures
- DEFRIS: Deep Water Flowline and Riser Insulation
- HYFOMA: Hygienic Food Manufacturing
- FULPEC: Function
Life Prediction of Elastomers
in composites
CURRENT PROJECTS:
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GlaCERCo:
Glass Ceramics Composites – An Initial Training Network |
| Aims: |
This European Commission funded Network aims to improve
the career prospects of researchers who are in the first 5 years
of their career
in both the public and private sectors. This is achieved through a
transnational networking mechanism aimed at structuring the existing
high-quality research training throughout its member states. MERL’s
role in the network is to recruit pre-PhD researchers, who have not
studied in the UK before, to work on composite material pipes in the
oil and gas industry to develop an accelerated ageing methodology for
use by industry. The project will fit well alongside current commercial
work at MERL. The work will involve exposure of the materials in different
environments and analysis and modelling to determine the degree of
ageing. The overall network is investigating many other topics related
to these materials. |
| Application: |
Oil and Gas Composite pipes |
| Duration: |
2011-2015 |
| Participants: |
MERL Ltd (UK), Politecnico di Torino (I), University
of Erlangen-Nuremberg (D), Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique
(F), Universita degli Studi di Padova (I), Institute of Physics of
Materials (CZ), Colorobbia Italia, SpA (I), Nanoforce Technology
Ltd (UK), nLight Corporation (FI), Nuova Ompi s.r.i. (I) |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
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CEDESA
: Centre of Excellence for the Design of Efficient and Safe Aircraft |
| Aims: |
The aim of the CEDESA project is to create a Centre of Excellence
at the Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Brno University of Technology
(IAE-BUT) for the design of efficient aircraft. Through the activities
of this FP7 EC funded project the competitiveness of the IAE will increase
in the areas of Aerodynamic Shape Optimisation, Aircraft Parameter
Identification, analysis of structure dynamics behaviour and composite
structure behaviour under static and fatigue loading conditions. A
main part of the CEDESA project is the twinning partnership with four
specialist research organisations for exchange of knowledge and expertise
between the organisations. |
| Application: |
Aircraft Design |
| Duration: |
2010-2013 |
| Participants: |
Materials Engineering Research Laboratory Ltd (MERL),
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company Innovation Works (EADS),
Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) and Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und
Raumfahrt (DLR). |
| Contact: |
Dr Salim Mirza
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WASIS: Composite
Fuselage Section Wafer Design Approach for Safety Increasing in
Worst Case Situations and Joints Minimizing |
| Aims: |
The WASIS project aims to develop a composite fuselage structure
based on the lattice stiffening concept, optimizing geometrical and
mass properties of transition zones of fuselage structural joints.
The overall project concept is focused on simultaneously meeting rising
environmental and safety demands coupled with the design and manufacturing
of cost-efficient improvements. The lattice approach allows composites
to obtain more efficient mechanical behaviour, reducing weight and
optimizing structural performance and this will be proved by comparative
simulations against other approaches. This will be combined with specially
designed semi-loop and micro-pin joining elements to provide the ability
of innovative non-regular lattice structure manufacturing, thereby
saving aircraft weight and avoiding fuselage section weakening due
to cutting reinforcement fibres. MERL (work package leaders) are responsible
for constructing and implementing a building block approach to the
testing samples up to structural element level, which will include
new testing approaches to meet the requirements of the lattice structure.
MERL will also use FEA to perform damage tolerance analysis of the
lattice structure. |
| Application: |
Aerospace |
| Duration: |
2011-2014 |
| Participants: |
MERL, CIDAUT (Lead Partner), KhAI, University of Patras,
INEGI, NetComposites, AOES Group, CEN, Piaggio Aero Industries, IVW,
CirComp |
| Contact: |
Dr Stefanos Giannis
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ESPOSA: Efficient
Systems and Propulsion for Small Aircraft |
| Aims: |
The ESPOSA project aims to develop and integrate novel
design and manufacture technologies for a range of small gas turbine
engines up
to approximately 1000 kW to provide aircraft manufacturers with better
choice of modern propulsion units. It will also deal with engine related
systems that contribute to the overall propulsion unit efficiency,
safety and pilot workload reduction. Through the newly developed design
tools and methodologies for the engine/aircraft integration the project
will also contribute to the improved readiness for new turbine engines
installation into aircraft. MERL’s work is focussed on the design
and development of “hot” composite nacelles for the different
engine platforms. This involves detailed finite element analysis of
the nacelle under extreme temperature conditions, material selection,
and implementation of suitable joining technologies as well as testing
of nacelle sub-components against the design requirements. |
| Application: |
Aerospace |
| Duration: |
2011-2015 |
| Participants: |
PBS Czech Republic (Lead Partner), MERL and 38 more
EU partners |
| Contact: |
Dr
Stefanos Giannis |
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LA WOCS: Laser
Transmission Welding of Thermoplastic Composite Structures |
| Aims: |
The La Wocs project aims to develop thermoplastic materials and laser
transmission welding (LTW) techniques for unreinforced or partially
reinforced thermoplastics joined to endless carbon and glass fibre
reinforced composites and will provide alternative types of connections
for structural elements that provide high-value technical functions
in the aerospace and associated industries to replace mechanical fasteners
or adhesive bonding.
At the end of the project new materials will be available, which
are specifically designed for the requirements for LTW as well as
for mechanical properties. A joining process will also be available
for the laser transmission welding of different TPC material combinations
and will be demonstrated by the preparation of at least 3 demonstrator
parts, arising from the fields of supports, retainers and structural
elements based on high-performance polymers as well as endless-fibre
reinforced composites. The possibility of manufacturing adapted,
hybrid carbon structures and materials will be developed including
the process knowledge with respect to fibre and matrix handling and
the integration of dissimilar reinforcements.
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| Application: |
Aerospace |
| Duration: |
2010-2013 |
| Participants: |
MERL (Lead partner), Kok & Van Engelen Composite
Structures BV (NL), EPL Composite Solutions Ltd (UK), TODS Aerospace
Ltd (UK), DEVA Kunststoff-Technik GmbH (D), TEN CATE Advanced Composites
BV (NL), Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. (D), Faserinstitut Bremen e.V.
(D) |
| Contact: |
Peter Hansen
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iNTeg-Risk: Early
Recognition, Monitoring and Integrated Management of Emerging,
New Technology Related Risks |
| Aims: |
To improve the management of emerging risks, related
to "new technologies" in European industry. The project
aim is to reduce time-to-market for the lead market EU technologies
and promote safety, security, environmental
friendliness and social responsibility as a trademark of the EU technologies. |
| Application: |
Oil and Gas |
| Duration: |
3 years |
| Participants: |
62 partners |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
iN Teg-Risk Website |
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COMPLETED PROJECTS: |
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Cost Effective Small AiRcraft (CESAR) |
| Aims: |
CESAR focuses on small-size commercial aircraft providing EU manufacturers with the enhanced ability needed to become fully
]competitive in the world market. The main objective of the project is to build up a new development concept for this aircraft category
and to improve selected technologies enabling a significant reduction of the time-to-market and lowering the overall development,
operation and maintenance costs, while considering safety, passenger comfort and environmental impact. |
| Application: |
Aviation |
| Duration: |
2006 - 2010 |
| Participants: |
MERL (Work Package 2 - Structural Design: Experimental and analytical
work on the damage tolerance of the forward wind structure of the PIAGGIO
AVANTI P180 and the composite roof of the EVEKTOR COBRA VUT100 aircrafts)
+ 39 partners |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
Dr Stefanos Giannis |
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New Classes of Engineering Composite Materials
from Renewable Resources (BIOCOMP) |
| Aims: |
To obtain innovations on engineering thermoplastic and thermosetting
materials mainly from natural resources. |
| Application: |
Medical, automotive, electronic, constructions, sports goods |
| Duration: |
2005 - 2008 |
| Participants: |
MERL WP6 leasers on Innovation and WP5 co-leaders on validation testing.
+ 24 project partners. |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
Biocomp
Website |
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Super Light Car (SLC) |
| Aims: |
To deliver the technologies and design concepts that would allow
up to 30% weight reduction in the C-class car models of the future
generations. |
| Application: |
Automotive |
| Duration: |
January 2005 - July 2009 |
| Participants: |
MERL (WP2.4.2 leader. Co-ordinate working group on bonding and mechanical
fasteneing of multi-material car bodies, emphasis on assessing the
long term durability of adhesive bonding. 37 industry linked companies
including OEMs, material suppliers, research institutes and companies. |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
Super Light
Car Website |
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New Materials for Extreme Environments (ExtreMat) |
| Aims: |
To provide and industrialise knowledge based materials for top-end
and new applications in extreme environments. To include self passivating
protection materials, heat sink materials and radiation resistant materials. |
| Application: |
Aerospace, rail, electronics |
| Duration: |
2004 - 2009 |
| Participants: |
MERL (investigate new carbon-carbon and silicon carbon reinforced
carbon for aircraft and rail industry braking) + over 38 partners. |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
ExtreMat website |
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Knowledge-based Multicomponent Materials for Durable
and Safe Performance - A Network of Excellence (KMM-NoE) |
| Aims: |
To create a coherent pan-European structure of key academic and
research institutions, SMEs and large industry partners in the field
of knowledge-based multicomponent materials designed for safe and durable
performance in highly demanding loading and environmental conditions. |
| Application: |
Aerospace, engines, rocket nozzles, brakes, cutting tools, corrosion
protections |
| Duration: |
2004 - 2009 |
| Participants: |
MERL WPI5 leaders on Infrastructure; + 26 partners |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
KMM-NoE website |
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Smart Reservoir |
| Aims: |
To identify and fill technology gaps for oil field reservoirs in
the next 10 - 20 years using a thematic network |
| Application: |
Oil and gas |
| Duration: |
January 2003 - December 2005 |
| Participants: |
MERL (WP6 leader for materials. Co-ordinate working group to identify
state of the art, technology gaps and a 30 year vision for all materials
in downhole environments.55 Partners |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin |
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Long Term Durability of Bonded Automotive Metallic
Structures (LTD-BAMS) |
| Aims: |
Development standard test method to assess the durability of adhesive
bonds in bonded steel and aluminium automotive structures |
| Application: |
Automotive |
| Duration: |
January 1st 2002 - December 31st 2004 |
| Participants: |
MERL (Co-ordinators), Volvo (S), BMW (D), Hydro Automotive (N), Sika (Ch), Henkel (D) |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
LTD-BAMS website |
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Deep Water Flowline and Riser Insulation (DeFRIS) |
| Aims: |
Development of new insulation systems for deepwater oil production |
| Application: |
Oilfield |
| Duration: |
November 1st 2001 - October 31st 2003 |
| Participants: |
MERL (co-ordinators), MSC, Thermotite, Borealis, Coflexip Stena Offshore
Limited |
| Contact: |
Dr Rod Martin
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Hygienic Food Manufacturing (HYFOMA) |
| Aims: |
Guidelines to promote the hygienic manufacture of food |
| Application: |
Food Industry |
| Duration: |
January 2000 - December 2004 |
| Participants: |
DuPont, Unilever, Nestle and other European food industry companies |
| Contact: |
Dr Michael Lewan |
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Function
Life Prediction of Elastomers (FULPEC) |
| Aims: |
Development methodology for life assessment of elastomeric components |
| Application: |
Automotive, general |
| Duration: |
January 1st 1999 - December 31st 2002 |
| Participants: |
MERL (Co-ordinators), TRW (ES), ITA (ES), Loughboro Uni (UK), Vitamol
(UK). End User Consultative Group |
| Contact: |
Dr John Harris |
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