CI Research Cell Supports Sustainable Materials Research, Process Development and the Next Generation of Composite Engineers
Saltash, September 2026 – Composite Integration has partnered with the University of Leeds to strengthen the University’s advanced composite manufacturing capability through the installation of a CI Research Cell comprising a CIJECT resin injection and infusion machine, mould tool and CIVAC vacuum system. The installation delivers the precision, process control and traceability required for both research and education.
The investment supports a broad portfolio of research into advanced composite materials and manufacturing technologies, including sustainable composites, recyclable materials, multifunctional structures and smart composite systems for high-performance sectors such as aerospace, automotive, marine and space.
As composite manufacturing continues to evolve, researchers increasingly require manufacturing platforms capable of delivering research-grade precision while reflecting the realities of industrial production. The CI Research Cell enables the University to accurately control resin mixing and injection while capturing detailed manufacturing data throughout the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) process.
Integrated pressure and flow-rate monitoring provide researchers with valuable process insight, allowing manufacturing parameters to be measured, analysed and reproduced with confidence across multiple research programmes.
Since installation, the CI Research Cell has become an integral part of the University’s composite manufacturing capability, supporting research into sustainable polymer composites, recyclable materials, manufacturing process optimisation and multifunctional composite structures.
In addition to enabling research, the CI Research Cell provides students with practical experience using industrially representative composite manufacturing technology, helping prepare future engineers for careers across advanced manufacturing industries.
The CI Research Cell provides controlled dual-component resin mixing, accurate resin injection, integrated pressure monitoring, flow-rate measurement and complete process traceability, enabling researchers to validate experimental findings through repeatable manufacturing while generating the process data needed to support ongoing research and process development.
For Composite Integration, the collaboration reflects the company’s commitment to supporting innovation from early-stage research through to industrialised composite manufacturing.
As demand grows for more sustainable, recyclable and higher-performing composite materials, closer collaboration between academia and industry is becoming increasingly important. By combining industrial manufacturing expertise with world-class research capability, the partnership between Composite Integration and the University of Leeds is helping accelerate the development of the materials, manufacturing processes and engineering expertise that will shape the future of composite manufacturing.
