A University of Bristol spin-out that designs machine parts to survive in the harshest conditions has received a £300,000 grant and is moving to the National Composites Centre (NCC) as it works on its next phase of development.
Actuation Lab, which secured the funding from Innovate UK, is addressing the problems of the high-servicing requirements of machines in the marine, mining and offshore industries.
The company will now be co-located within the NCC, which will give the business access to the materials and facilities it needs to develop its components further.
Using the grant and private investment, Actuation Lab is now aiming to start industrial trials on its technology.
Dr Simon Bates, chief executive at Actuation Lab, said: “Up to this point we have received fantastic support from the University of Bristol and the SETsquared network.
“Bristol is an amazing hub for emerging technologies and we are excited to move to the National Composites Centre to begin tackling the next stage.”
Leah Rider, technology programme manager for SME projects at the NCC, added: “Being co-located will provide Actuation Lab with a wealth of composite materials and process expertise right on their doorstep as and when they need it.
“The use of lightweight, corrosion-resistant composite materials enables these innovative actuators to operate in the world’s most extreme environments whilst heavily reducing installation and through life-servicing costs.”
Actuation Lab was founded by Dr Bates, Dr Michael Dicker and Dr Tom Llewellyn Jones who previously completed PhDs in the Bristol Composites Institute’s (ACCIS) Centre for Doctoral Training.
The trio came up with the idea after noticing the astronomical maintenance and servicing costs associated with operating machines in corrosive conditions.
