Professor Liam Blunt, director of the University of Huddersfield’s Centre for Precision Technologies (CPT), has spoken before a Parliamentary Committee about the importance of consortia to push and pull measurement technology through the development pipeline.
Professor Blunt was invited before the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee as part of the Commons Select Committee’s Innovation Showcase.
During a presentation, Professor Blunt demonstrated the need to bring metrology systems within the heart of manufacturing processes and inside the machines themselves – delivering enhanced productivity and minimised energy use.
The CPT is the current host of the Advanced Metrology Hub for Sustainable Manufacturing and, Professor Blunt explained, the success of the hub model was down to consortia including academics, catapult centres, manufacturers and end-user companies working together.
Professor Blunt also spoke of how early investment was critical to allow innovative ideas to be developed into viable commercial products – having encountered issues with access to finance when seeking to exploit technologies developed by CPT via spin-out companies.
Professor Blunt said, “This was a fabulous opportunity to highlight the achievements of the Hub at the University of Huddersfield and how innovations in high-value manufacturing across the country can be facilitated by proactive government policy.”
