Tsb

Technology Strategy Board
Driving Innovation

Enhancing Manufacturing
through Automation
COMPETITION FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D FUNDING
JANUARY 2013

Enhancing Manufacturing through Automation

Summary This competition is a two-stage process, The aim of this competition is to support
which opens on 21 January 2013. the development of advanced systems
The Technology Strategy Board is to invest Expressions of interest (EOI) must be and improved technologies for the
up to £7m in collaborative R&D to develop, submitted by noon on 6 March 2013. automation of manufacturing in all
enhance or improve automation systems A briefing day for potential applicants industry sectors, including automotive,
and equipment, including the use of will be held in London on 24 January aerospace, oil & gas, chemicals, food
robotics – driving significant improvements 2013. and pharmaceuticals production.
in complex manufacturing processes,
including those of food. Additional funding
from the Engineering and Physical Background and challenge Scope
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of
up to £1m may be available for projects Automation and mechanisation of We expect to fund mainly industrial
that contain a significant, high-quality manufacturing processes has the research projects that develop new
academic research component and potential to improve the quality and technology for automating manual
demonstrate added value by building on productivity of UK Manufacturing, whilst operations, or enhance and improve
or being complementary to existing consuming less energy and generating existing automation technologies, in order
research programmes and portfolios. less waste. Automation also helps to to expand the use of these systems and
connect engineering design, increase the benefits derived from them.
Of the total £8m available, £2m will be
specifically allocated to automation in manufacturing and enterprise systems, The following examples are illustrative
the food sector. enabling a customer-driven, responsive but not exhaustive of innovative
production environment. automation systems and equipment
Proposals must be collaborative and that could be developed in a successful
business-led and include a potential end- There are a number of barriers to UK
project. We will also consider projects
user. We expect to fund mainly industrial industry in realising this vision. These
that improve other aspects of automation
research projects in which a business include challenges with system integration
and mechanisation, enhancing the
partner will generally attract up to 50% and data capture; the problem of
manufacturing process.
public funding for their project costs (60% accommodating automation within
for SMEs). Projects should last from one product development lifecycles; a lack System integration
to three years, with total project costs in of automation skills, and a lack of
awareness of what automation can The development of tools and systems
the range of £500k to £2m, although we
to enable interoperability between
will consider projects outside this range. do within UK Manufacturing.
design, operations and business
systems. This could include systems that
learn and adapt to changing situations,
or connect up business and
manufacturing systems. Proposals
should support the development of
the UK’s system integrator capability
and aim to reduce the risk involved in
integration projects.

Design for automation
Systems and software for enabling the
use of automation across the full
lifecycle of production. This could include
the development of generic toolkits
of automation techniques to aid self-
configuration and/or fast set-up of
automation systems for new products,
and automation of maintenance,
servicing and disassembly at end-of-life.

02 | Technology Strategy Board


Toolkits should be suitable for use Out of scope Collaborative R&D
with a variety of applications, production
techniques and product volumes, Projects that only involve applying current Projects must be business-led,
and in a variety of different industries. state-of-the-art equipment and systems collaborative, and include a potential end
are out of scope. However, projects user. Project participants can attract grant
Usability will be considered where state-of-the-art funding to cover their eligible project costs
The development of system tools and technology from one industry sector depending on the type of organisation
human/machine interfaces to enable is applied to significant challenges involved and the category of R&D being
greater usability of automation systems. in a different industry sector, where undertaken. In this competition we expect
This could include the development such automation has not previously that most projects will involve industrial
been exploited. research, with a business partner attracting
of tools and methods to allow non-
50% public funding for their project costs
automation specialists to design and
(60% for SMEs).
operate automation controls, or systems
that provide operational awareness Looking for partners to work on We are likely to award grants for projects
and information to operators at the point your project? Go to the dedicated with total costs in the range of £500k to
of need. _connect site for this competition: £2m. We will consider projects outside this
https://connect.innovateuk.org/ range, but applicants for this scale of
Material handling methods project must contact competitions@
web/enhancing-manufacturing-
and equipment innovateuk.org before submitting their
through-automation
Equipment and processes for enabling expression of interest.
automated handling of ‘difficult’ materials
such as sticky surfaces, irregular or
non-uniform shapes, flexible materials N.B the funding rules for projects
Funding allocation changed in September 2012. For
or nano-sized items, or the production
of products with contamination or
and project details general guidance on how projects
are now funded see: http://www.
hygiene challenges. Projects may include We are allocating up to £7m to fund innovateuk.org/competitions/
mechatronics research or situational projects in line with the competition guidance-for-applicants/funding-
analysis to determine the required scope. Additional funding of up to £1m rules.ashx
behaviour of grippers and other end is available from the Engineering and
effector tools. Physical Sciences Research Council
Data handling (EPSRC). This will be for funding
project work packages focusing on
The development of tools and systems automation research carried out by
for dealing with large amounts of data in universities that contain a significant
a timely fashion. This could include high-quality academic component and
novel visualisation methods, real-time demonstrate added value by building
abnormal situation prediction, or the on, or being complementary to, the
collation of data from different sources universities’ existing research programmes
to provide new insights. and portfolios.
Sensing The competition is open to applications
from all market sectors; however,
Development of automation systems
£2m has been allocated to applications
integrated into new or enhanced sensing
from the food industry and a portfolio
systems. This could include systems
approach may be used to allocate
that sense and adapt to complex or
these funds. Applicants are requested
changing situations.
to identify the sector or sectors in which
their developments apply, especially if
they can be used in food applications.

Technology Strategy Board | 03


Application process More information on intellectual property, or that may be
confidential or commercially sensitive.
This is a two-stage competition that opens To apply for this competition you must first The titles of successful projects, names of
on 21 January 2013. register with us. You can do this by going organisations, amounts awarded and the
to our web page for this competition, public description will be published once
Stage 1 – Applicants submit an expression which is at www.innovateuk.org, under the award is confirmed as final. Information
of interest which is assessed Competitions. When you register you will about unsuccessful project applications
Stage 2 – We invite selected applicants get access to all the supporting information will remain confidential and will not be
to submit an application. you need to read before you apply, made public.
including the Guidance for Applicants and
All applicants must first register via our the application form. Email pressoffice@tsb.gov.uk with any
website by noon on 27 February 2013. queries.
Expressions of interest (EOI) must be
submitted by noon on 6 March 2013. Competition helpline:
These are assessed by an independent 0300 321 4357
panel of experts. Selected applicants are
then invited to submit a full application. Email:
The second stage for invited applications competitions@innovateuk.org The Technology Strategy Board is a
will open on 25 March 2013, with a business-led executive non-departmental
deadline of noon on 15 May 2013. public body, established by the Government.
Publicity Its role is to promote and support research
Note: All deadlines are at noon.
into, and development and exploitation of,
As part of the application process all technology and innovation for the benefit of
applicants are asked to submit a public UK business, in order to increase economic
description of their project. This should growth and improve quality of life.
adequately describe the project but not
Collaborative research and development is
disclose any information that may impact
part of the Government’s Solutions for
Business portfolio.

Key dates The Technology Strategy Board
North Star House
Competition opens 21 Jan 2013
North Star Avenue
Briefing and consortium building event in London 24 Jan 2013 Swindon
Registration deadline 27 Feb 2013 SN2 1UE
Expressions of interest (EOI) deadline 6 Mar 2013 Telephone: 01793 442700
Stage 2 opens (for invited applicants) 25 Mar 2013 www.innovateuk.org
© Technology Strategy Board December 2012 T12/136
Deadline for invited applications 15 May 2013
Printed on 100% recycled paper.

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