The IfM offers a wide range of manufacturing expertise across different disciplines and sectors that is based on both world-leading research and practical industry experience. We collaborate regularly with companies on research projects. Please email us if you have a specific enquiry, or feel free to contact one of our academics directly.
The table below is not comprehensive, but provides a useful summary of our key areas of expertise.
Subject area |
Expert |
Specialist knowledge |
| Strategy and Performance |
Dr Ken Platts |
Manufacturing strategy, performance measurement |
|
John Mills |
Manufacturing strategy, performance measurement, competences |
| Technology Management |
David Probert |
Technology and innovation strategy, technology management processes, software sourcing, industrial sustainability |
|
Dr Tim Minshall |
Technology entrepreneurship, university technology transfer, national systems for technology commercialisation |
|
James Moultrie |
Innovation and design management, New product introduction (NPI), NPI collaboration, good design practice |
|
Dr Elizabeth Garnsey |
Technology transfer, technology enterprise, business development, complexity studies |
|
Dr Roger Baker |
Instrumentation, flow measurement, measurement in the production process, technology transfer |
| International Manufacturing |
Dr Jagjit Singh Srai |
Global supply networks - understanding supply chain capabilities, network configuration and industry structures for key international manufacturing sectors |
|
Dr Don Fleet |
Global manufacturing virtual networks |
|
Dr Yongjiang Shi |
Global manufacturing virtual networks, developing international manufacturing capability, multinationals' corporate strategies in China |
| Automation |
Dr Duncan McFarlane |
Manufacturing and control systems, response and agility strategies for manufacturing businesses, distributed (holonic) factory automation and control integration of manufacturing information systems |
| Servicitization |
Prof. Duncan McFarlane |
Service and support engineering, automation and information solutions in supporting service environments. |
|
Andy Shaw |
Responsiveness of manufacturers and their supply chains |
| Production Processes |
Prof. Ian Hutchings |
The application of tribological principles to manufacturing processes, surface engineering, all aspects of the tribological behaviour of materials |
|
Dr Julian Allwood |
Technology for sustainable localised production, low energy material reconstitution, dynamic models of industrial systems |
|
Dr Claire Barlow |
Materials, interrelationships between processing parameters, mechanical properties and material microstructures |
|
Dr Bill O'Neill |
Flexible and reconfigurable production technologies, laser beam monitoring and control, rapid manufacturing technologies |
| Inkjet printing |
Prof. Ian Hutchings |
Generic issues in industrial inkjet printing including understanding, characterisation and modelling of fluid flow, fluid-nozzle and fluid-substrate interactions so that the inkjet process can be optimised. |
| Economics and Industrial Policy |
Finbarr Livesey |
The changing nature of manufacturing and its strategic role within companies and economies, with the aim of supporting sustainable economic growth. |
