Celebrating 25 years of research impact

High Speed Sintering (HSS) is a 3D printing technology capable of mass-producing high-volume components that was created in the Wolfson School in 2003. As with all 3D printing, HSS does not require tooling, which drives down set-up time and costs by replacing multiple processes. It also allows for faster product design and modification, improves manufacturing efficiency, and enables the creation of on-demand, high-value parts with geometry freedom. The commercialisation of HSS has taken a long and winding, but ultimately successful, road. The patented technology produced and sold globally, under license from 含羞草视频 since 2013, has generated an estimated £1Bn+ in revenues to licensees (including a Fortune 100 company) and created thousands of high-value jobs across the supply chain. To date, circa 2,500 HSS machines are in operation with components mass-produced for leading brands across multiple sectors including Ford, Nike, and Siemens.

An estimated 300 million people play cricket worldwide, and it is enjoyed by billions more spectators. Our research has been critical in changing the International Cricket Council’s policies and regulations for cricket helmet safety. All helmets used in professional cricket throughout the world must now pass two new standard tests based on research carried out within the Wolfson School. Head protection for cricketers has been revised twice; the 2013 revision included a test for faceguards for the first time, and the 2019 revision included a test for neck guards. Both have been effective in preventing serious and life-threatening injuries and are now part of safety standards across 104 countries, improving the health and safety of cricketers worldwide. This success has influenced other sports governing bodies, including the International Hockey Federation and The Football Association, leading to investment in new research-based approaches that address health and safety concerns within their sports.

Solar Panel Efficiency

A team in the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) in the Wolfson School has developed a new way to improve the cover glass for solar modules. This improvement increases the amount of light transmitted into the panel while decreasing the amount of soiling clinging to the surface. The new concept aims to reduce the number of panels with anti-reflective coatings, with 90% of modules currently unable to withstand regular cleaning. With solar use forecasted to exceed coal by 2027 as the most important source of electricity generation, the global economic and environmental impact will be substantial.

Battery Electrolyser

Aftrak is an initiative created by the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) in the Wolfson School, which aims to bring affordable green energy and food security to communities across Africa. It involves a revolutionary self-sustaining system made up of a solar microgrid, a micro electric tractor—both of which have been invented and manufactured at the University—and Deep Bed Farming, which more than doubles crop yield. It recently overcame four other finalists to secure the top spot and $1 million in the Milken Motsepe Prize in Green Energy in May 2024.