How MAPP is helping deliver on the promise of advanced powders

Anyone who works with advanced powder processing in manufacturing is familiar with the challenge of achieving consistent results using variable materials. Tackling this issue and delivering on the promise of powder-based processes are some of the key objectives behind the EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub, MAPP. University of Sheffield’s Iain Todd, talks powder, collaboration and crisp packets.

You can argue that the idea for forming the MAPP (Manufacturing using Advanced Powder Processes) Hub began with a packet of crisps. In 2015, I was attending a session on variability in manufacturing at a food-focused conference in Cambridge when someone made an interesting comment that stuck with me: ‘potatoes come in all shapes and sizes and yet we are still able to make packages of crisps that look and taste the same each time.’

With a background in materials processing, I immediately drew a comparison between the potatoes and metal and polymeric powders – they are all variable materials. Generally speaking, putting variable materials through a fixed process will achieve a variable outcome.  By accepting the variation of the starting material (like potatoes or powder) and varying the manufacturing processes, however, we can achieve relative consistency (like packets of crisps).