ASTUTE 2020

Circular Economy: The Importance of re-using Plastic Products and Materials

20/10/2021

A world without plastics is today unimaginable. Plastics make an indispensable contribution to living standards and wellbeing, and are consequently globally ubiquitous. The problem, however, is not the plastics themselves, but how to manage their use and re-use...

Industry-Academia Computational and Experimental Investigations into a Mould Tool for Aluminium Food Containers

17/02/2021

Aluminium containers are formed by combining mechanical and air pressure to force a foil blank into a shaped die cavity. FSG Tool & Die Ltd. sought the support of the ASTUTE 2020 team to improve the performance of the press tooling components used in the manufacture of standard and smooth wall aluminium food containers such as take-away food, frozen food, desserts and airline meals.

Maximise Productivity and Minimise Waste by Predicting How Products and Manufacturing Processes React to Real-World Conditions

08/02/2021

Computational engineering applies mathematical models and simulations to solve complex physical problems arising in design or natural phenomena. The ASTUTE 2020+ team offer Computational Engineering Modelling expertise to predict how products and processes react to real-life forces and other physical effects. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is one such modelling technique; in this article, we look at how FEA can support manufacturing businesses to review product performance in its intended use and throughout the manufacturing process.

Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd. Launches Toner Cartridges Produced Using Recycled Plastics Thanks to Industry-Academia Collaboration

20/01/2021

Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd. ("BIUK") is adopting the principles of ‘Circular Economy’, placing the business at the forefront as an ethical and sustainable manufacturer of plastic components and becoming the Recycling Technology Centre (RTC) for the global Brother Group. ASTUTE 2020 supported BIUK in investigating the technical difficulties of using recycled High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) materials.

Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd. Introduces Toner Cartridges Produced Using Recycled Materials from End-Of-Life Products Thanks to Industry-Academia Collaboration

20/01/2021

North Wales-based manufacturer and supplier of printing consumables, Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd. has started production on their first “new” Brother-branded toner cartridges with frames moulded using 100% recycled material, thanks to an industry-academia collaboration.

Merthyr Tydfil Manufacturer Achieves Significant Cost Savings and Environmental Benefits Thanks to Industry-Academia Collaboration

16/12/2020

ASTUTE 2020 and Amnitec’s collaboration aimed to understand the metallurgical construction of a copper to a stainless steel welded joint improving consistency, enhancing the quality of these welds to eliminate leakage and reduce scrap in products that employ this welding method, thereby enhancing productivity and company competitiveness in this niche market

Industry-Academia Collaboration Helps Towards Accreditation of Laser Wire Stripping Process for Aerospace Industries

15/12/2020

Spectrum Technologies Ltd. and ASTUTE 2020 have worked together to enable the company to proceed with acquiring a route to certification of the laser wire stripping for the aerospace industry supply chain which was previously inaccessible. The collaborative project has given the company confidence in their updated laser cutting system and they have recently secured a large order from Boeing. As a direct result, four new jobs have been created at the Welsh Headquarters and several jobs have been safeguarded through the new contracts and OEM accreditation.

The Confusing Topic of the Internet of Things: Understanding what it is and what benefits it brings to Manufacturing

10/12/2020

In today’s digital world and ever-evolving future of manufacturing, manufacturers need to be flexible and open-minded in adapting, developing and collaborating to advance their systems. The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most confusing applications in manufacturing systems but is becoming an increasingly important piece of technology within the sector.

ASTUTE 2020 £4m Research Funding Boost for Welsh Manufacturing Sector

08/12/2020

Manufacturing businesses across Wales can remain at the forefront of innovation, thanks to £4 million of EU funding announced by the Welsh Government. Thanks to the additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund, ASTUTE 2020 can continue to support businesses until September 2022.

Industry-Academia Collaboration of IoT Device That Instantly Turns Beer Kegs into Smart Containers

26/11/2020

The unique collaboration between the Smart Container Company and ASTUTE 2020 has utilised renowned manufacturing systems expertise to research methods of fluid level management and establish the feasibility of energy harvesting methods for powering the IoT device through the use of sensors.

Lockdown to Recovery: Understanding Interactions and Effects of Products/Processes Performance Through Computational Research with ASTUTE 2020

17/11/2020

Improving manufacturing processes and manufactured products often require experimentation. Along with a costly ‘trial and error’ approach, this can be a lengthy process with an uncertain outcome. Computational Modelling is an essential tool that can increase the understanding of complex processes and products. In this article, we look specifically at Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and how it can support manufacturing business in understanding complex processes and products.

Lockdown to Recovery: The benefits of Incorporating Robotics into Manufacturing

07/10/2020

The manufacturing industry’s landscape will be significantly different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses will need to consider embracing robotics within their production processes and through collaboration with ASTUTE 2020, we can support you to implement change and provide solutions to exploit new opportunities. Automation, robotics and humans both have a place in manufacturing and are critical to the industry’s recovery and future success. In this article, we discuss how and where robotics is used within manufacturing and the benefit automation can have on manufacturing as highlighted during the current COVID-pandemic.

ASTUTE 2020: Supporting Welsh Manufacturing Through Lockdown to Recovery

17/09/2020

If you are a manufacturing company, you can access University-based industrially focussed research specialists to support your business to grow out of lockdown and build long-term resilience.... How can we support you?