Knowledge Centre

Aerospace engineering consultancy Novel Engineering worked with STFC Hartree Centre to automate aircraft system Functional Hazard Assessments (FHA) by utilising AI effectively and reliably, through the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme.

You hear AI, and let’s be honest, you don’t think of industrial manufacturing. But what if AI could be a critical tool to decarbonise the UK’s foundation industries?

The foundation industries, which include cement and concrete, ceramics, chemicals, glass, paper and metals, each have a huge carbon footprint baked into them to start with. For example, the British cement industry contributes 1.5% of our total annual carbon emissions – that’s approximately 7.3 million tonnes of carbon, every year.

The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE) has released its fourth Workforce Foresighting report, marking a significant milestone in a national initiative funded by Innovate UK and deployed through the Innovate UK Catapult Network.

A collaboration between Vector Homes Ltd and Wool Insulation Wales Ltd, the project sought to harness the natural insulating properties of sheep wool, by developing a low-carbon, sustainable alternative to traditional external wall insulation (EWI) materials for use in the construction industry.

Led by Kilnsey Park Estate, this collaborative initiative has developed an innovative application for wool as a key growing substrate used in small-scale vertical farming. In collaboration with the Biorenewables Development Centre, the University of York's Centre for Novel Agricultural Products and Harrison Spinks, the project aims to revolutionise local food production and sourcing in the UK.

Join Innovate UK at London Tech Week 2025. Don’t Miss Tom Adeyoola’s first public address as Executive Chair and meet us at stand 425

Materials, associated processing, and new material applications will be the basis for cutting-edge products that reduce emissions, energy consumption and costs. This article explores the vision for Materials for the future economy along with the opportunities for the UK, as informed by extensive engagement with the community through a series of workshops in 2024.

Achieving world-class production relies on the rapid and widespread adoption of cutting-edge technologies. This article explores how recognising and replicating technology stacks can be an effective strategy to achieve this.

Effective design methods, design for resource efficiency, and design for maximum through-life value will be at the heart of UK manufacturing. This article is informed by extensive engagement with the community through a series of workshops in late 2024 and explores the vision for Smart design along with the opportunities for the UK.

UK manufacturing will minimise materials use and waste, practice complete traceability, and use new remanufacturing services. This article explores the vision for Longer in use and reuse (LURU) as informed by engagement with the community throughout 2024.