The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council invites outline proposals for its call on novel manufacturing instrumentation.

It is an opportunity for the development of novel manufacturing instrumentation to improve existing processes and develop new capabilities. It is aimed at the development of novel techniques in manufacturing, manipulation and metrology with the intention that they can be incorporated into or form the basis of new, laboratory standard instruments.

Instruments developed should be capable of supporting research work into novel manufacturing and further development into industry-standard machines.

The goal is to establish new technologies with a strong UK base, in terms of intellectual property, supply chains and expertise.

An industrial partner is not a requirement for this call. However, partnerships are encouraged between university partners and companies that will either be users of the instrument or potential future suppliers of the instrument to the market.

The budget is £8 million, with £4m for equipment procurement and £4m for in-house development and commissioning. Resource costs and consumables are supported at 80 per cent of full economic costing.

Between eight to 12 projects, up to 36 months in duration will be funded.

Closing date: 15 May 2014

For  further information go to: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/calls/2014/Pages/novelmanufacturinginstrumentation.aspx