A composite failure?

The world is on the verge of a composites boom: carbon fibre cars like the BMW i3 have hit the mainstream; the latest generation of aeroplanes from Airbus and Boeing comprise more than 50% composites; and applications like wind turbine blades continue to increase their demand for both carbon and glass fibre reinforced composites.

These developments could see the global composites industry reach a value of £50 billion by the end of the decade. But there are fears that the UK may miss out on international opportunities if it cannot improve its competitiveness against some unlikely competitors – such as Malaysia and Spain – as well familiar rivals such as Japan, Germany and the US.

“We run the risk in the UK of missing out on opportunities in this global market,” says Helen Meese, head of engineering in society at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The UK has huge expertise in materials science and engineering, but a number of hurdles could prevent it from developing its composites industry to compete on an international level. These include a lack of skills and expertise in composites processing, a lack of relevant standards for these materials and an underdeveloped supply chain.

“These problems are so inter-linked that they need to be solved holistically,” she says.

The UK has not been slow to recognise that the composites industry needs a boost. To this end, it set up the National Composites Centre in Bristol in 2011 to act as a focus for the UK composites industry. It has also initiated the Composites Leadership Forum (CLF), which will draw up a strategy for the way past these hurdles.

One of the most pressing problems, says Meese, is the ‘silo’ mentality of UK industry.

“Many of the players in composites are SMEs,” she says. “They tend to focus only on their own industry: many don’t know what’s happening in other sectors.”

The Composites Leadership Forum (CLF) also sees this as a problem, and says it has several negative effects: slow commercialisation of R&D; poor understanding of composite application and manufacturing techniques; an inefficient supply chain; and a poorly trained workforce.

For now, there is little sense of a ‘composites industry’, she says: those involved see themselves as members of the rail, aerospace or automotive sector, for example.

Part of the answer, she says, is for designers to identify how they might use composites in their own industry. They need to engage with the composites sector – research organisations, manufacturers and materials suppliers – in order to use these materials in their industry.

Meese points to the rail industry as one that has embraced this approach, applying composites to products such as carriages and overhead gantries. There are also a number of niche applications in automotive.

“There’s a chance to trickle it down into the mainstream,” she says.

But a more fundamental problem exists: that of skills according to Meese.

“We’ve lost a lot of composites training, from operator to graduate level.

She says that few composites degree courses now exist, and these are usually restricted to modules within broader courses. At the operator level, any training is usually geared towards the specific industry they are working in.

“There’s a big chance to expand education and training.”

Meese adds that, while organisations like the NCC have begun developing a new set of courses, there is still a way to go – and a need for the manufacturing industry to engage with the composites industry.

Another major barrier to competitiveness is a lack of relevant standards, which can stifle the development of best practice: “Technology runs so quickly that regulations and standards take time to catch up.”

Too often, the properties of composites materials are poorly understood, meaning that extensive testing is needed before it can be used. Last year, the CLF said that a lack of appropriate guidelines and standards was having a significant effect on the composites industry.

Meese points to a specific example of this from her own experience: “On a project where a resin was discontinued, we needed lots of testing to make sure the new material was equivalent.”

CLF set up a working group earlier this year to identify regulatory barriers in the industry. Meese wants the UK to be at the forefront of standard-setting in the industry, though knows there is tough competition.

“South Korea is making big inroads, particularly with regulations – not just international standards but their own national standards,” she adds.

Products are nothing without raw materials. And ensuring an effective supply chain for composites in the UK is another priority for the industry. This is linked to its fragmentary nature: while there are 1,500 composite producers in the UK, 38 of them account for 85% of the output.

“This fragmented supply chain is one of the biggest barriers to growth,” Meese comments.

A strategy is already in place to address this, in the shape of a £23m project from the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative. It brings together materials specialists, academia and industry to create a supply chain that will supply the whole of UK manufacturing.

“Many of these companies remain small because they don’t understand grants. Funding is complex, and they get turned off.”

Meese says that the existing Catapults – such as the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, of which the NCC is a part – will be crucial in developing a vibrant supply chain by helping the many smaller companies.

“If these SMEs can grow and diversify, this will improve the supply chain, but it will be a long-term process.”

And, in addition to ongoing Government support – which Meese sees as crucial – better public engagement will also help to bring private investors on board.

“There are some great guys out there who would invest but don’t understand what the industry is doing. They need to see the composites industry as a good long-term investment.”

Three top tips

IMechE’s recommendations to boost competitiveness in composites.

• Identify where composites could replace traditional materials

• Address gaps in knowledge and skills base

• Manufacturing should engage with the composites industry to identify gaps in the supply chain

www.imeche.org