EPSRC: Manufacturing made smarter research centres

06/08/2020

23/09/2020

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, as part of UK Research and Innovation and through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, invites expressions of interest for its manufacturing made smarter research centres call. This supports the establishment of research centres in the area of digital manufacturing. Research is expected to cover both technological and societal aspects of the digital manufacturing space, and should be driven by industry-identified needs and challenges. The total budget is up to £20 million, to support four to five centres over 42 months.

Research should be focused on at least two of the following themes: •smart connected factory; •connected versatile supply chain; •adaptable, flexible manufacturing operations and skills; •societal and cultural change managing the disruptive impact of digital technologies.

The principal investigator must be resident in the UK and an academic employee at the lecturer or equivalent level at an eligible organisation, which may be a higher education institution, a research institute funded by a research council or an independent research organisation. Applications must include strong industry support, with at least 25 per cent of the EPSRC contribution committed at the point of full application.