New intelligent manufacturing project seeks global collaborators

In anticipation of a global requirement for efficient and effective plastics recycling and re-use of sustainable components, PUR Technology, the International Centre of Excellence for polyurethane based at Loughborough University, is the driving force behind a new global intelligent manufacturing systems project, Evolve (Engineering Value by Optimising Lifecycle Vehicle design). Evolve will address the needs of plastics disposal, re-use and recycling and PUR is seeking industrial collaborators (including Universities) in Europe, Australia, Canada, Korea and the US. Dr Andrew Nurse, project co-ordinator who heads up the company, commented: “We fully expect these requirements to eventually be extended to trains, aeroplanes and ships on a world-wide basis. Hence, we’ve set up Evolve.” PUR Technology has an established pedigree of consultancy and collaborative research project work within the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, based on expertise in polyurethane materials testing and development as well as processing techniques using advanced CAD, finite element analysis systems, programming and knowledge-based engineering techniques.