In August 2019, the Future LiME Hub hosted a Hub Convention. The LiME Hub brought together its own members, senior industry experts and senior members of other EPSRC critical mass programmes to discuss the UK’s national metals-related research landscape. The opening session, dedicated to outlining the LiME Hub’s fundamental research and technology developments, stimulated discussions on the requirements for alloy development from an aerospace and automotive perspective and the demands for recycling of scrap. In addition, it was recognised that there was an opportunity for the EPSRC SUSTAIN Hub (hosted by Swansea University) to take advantage of the LiME Hub’s advances in nucleation theory by applying the same principles to steel, thus broadening the national impact of our research.

Cameron Pleydell-Pearce introducing the EPSRC SUSTAIN Hub at the LiME Hub Convention.

In the second session, presentations were given on behalf of the UK aerospace, automotive, and high value manufacturing sectors, each providing a current status and strategic view for the future. Clear overlaps emerged, and to take this forward, the LiME Hub will be leading, with the support of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the Advanced Proposition Centre (APC), an Aerospace and Automotive Workshop scheduled for February 2020 to cross map materials and processing needs and to encourage cooperation between the two sectors.

The third and final session of the day consisted of presentations from other EPSRC critical mass programmes, with a discussion that followed identifying clear collaborative potential between the EPSRC LiME and Metrology Hubs and the EPSRC LightForm programme, including the potential for cross-programme supervision of PhDs.

John Forde presenting on behalf of the Aerospace Technology Institute at the LiME Hub Convention.