Laser based processing technologies have great potential to bring new innovations to manufacturing while at the same time disrupting traditional energy and carbon intensive processes. Lasers enable selective processing and unique but complex material energy beam interactions. However, there is currently a limited understanding of the energy intensity and carbon emissions associated with the use of lasers in manufacturing. New knowledge, understanding, process models and resource metrics, and industry case studies are urgently needed to optimise laser materials processing technologies for low carbon manufacturing. This project brings together leading groups from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) and Chongqing University (CQU) in China, and The University of Manchester and Loughborough University in the UK, to co-create the scientific base and technologies for low carbon manufacturing with lasers. The proposal has a focus on laser cleaning and welding reflecting areas that are distinctive in the UK and China and have the greatest potential for bringing new innovations to growing areas of industry as well as greater potential for impact on low carbon manufacturing.

Potential Impact:
The vision of this research is to become internationally leading in technologies for low carbon manufacturing with lasers and to consolidate the dominant international position for Manchester in laser cleaning and HUST in welding.

Successful delivery of this project will:
(i) bring new laser cleaning and laser welding innovations to high value manufacturing in both the UK and China. The project is supported by three key industrial partners, providing pathways to impact for the research.
(ii) demonstrate to industry and the world that low carbon manufacturing methodologies can be used to transform manufacturing while also bringing in new novel innovations to laser manufacturing processes,
(iii) develop the first data sets, energy and production rate process windows for all laser material processing technologies, and (iiii) support industry in bringing new innovations to automotive and high value manufacturing, using resource efficiency as a competitive and environmental advantage.

This research fits with and complements other major research activities in the area including the UK Future Photonics Hub which provides manufacturing for the next-generation of photonics technologies and the Future Manufacturing Hub in Manufacture using Advanced Powder Processes, which includes powder-based manufacturing technologies. The project will complement the Manchester based £230 million Henry Royce Institute which is a UK national centre for research and innovation of advanced materials as well as exploit its state-of-the-art research facilities.

The project will deliver a transformative low carbon manufacturing system optimisation approach to key technologies for manufacturing in the future and in a digital age.