Full Conference Agenda

As the electrification of transport accelerates, the materials inside battery packs have never mattered more. From electrical insulation and thermal management to structural integrity and long-term reliability, material selection is fundamental to how well a battery pack performs and how safely it does so. This panel examines which advanced materials are proving most effective in modern EV battery pack design, what testing and performance standards engineers should be applying, and how the industry is navigating the tension between high performance and the growing imperative to deliver more sustainable, recyclable solutions. A practical session for engineers, designers and materials specialists working at the sharp end of electrification.

Discussion Points:
• Which advanced materials are best suited to the electrical insulation and thermal management demands of modern EV battery packs, and why?
• What testing methods and performance standards should engineers be applying to ensure long-term reliability and safety in battery components?
• How can the materials industry balance high performance requirements with the growing pressure to deliver more sustainable, recyclable battery solutions?

Extending the operational life of critical assets is one of the most pressing challenges facing industry, and materials science is central to meeting it. From coatings and composites to predictive maintenance and AI-assisted monitoring, the tools available to engineers and operators are advancing rapidly. But the gap between what is technically possible and what is practically deployable remains wide. This panel takes an honest look at where materials science and digital innovation are genuinely delivering longer lasting, lower cost solutions, what is still holding back wider deployment, and what it would take to bring research capability closer to the realities of industrial operation.

Discussion Points:
• What does “lower cost, longer lasting” actually require from materials science right now?
• Where does predictive maintenance and AI genuinely add value, and where is it still overpromised?
• What are the biggest barriers moving solutions from lab to deployment?
• What would it take to close the gap between what researchers can do and what operators need?

An overview of emerging defence technologies and their applicability to system-level thinking.

The presentation will look at the difference between batch processing and continuous processing, using rotating tube furnaces, of materials for calcination, sintering and reduction. We will use case studies to explore the drivers for the shift to this technology including energy usage, reduced material handling and part consistency as well as where the technology can be applied.   Discussion Points:   Understanding the technology  Understanding the processes suited to the technology   Limitations of the technology and scale up  

This talk explores how state-of-the-art characterisation is bridging the “Interpretation Gap” between raw data and actionable business intelligence. We move beyond static, “post-mortem” snapshots to reveal the “real” internal structure of intact objects and commercial devices—exactly as they function in the real world. Industrial exemplar studies will be presented including applications across energy, chemical and emission sectors. Discussion Points: • Beyond the Lab Bench: Why standard laboratory tools often fail to capture the dynamic phase transitions and structural evolutions critical to performance. • Operando Insights: How high-energy beams penetrate solid steel reaction vessels and battery casings to map chemical changes in real-time (in situ and operando). Solving the “Data Deluge”: • Utilizing innovative algorithms and Machine Learning to translate terabytes of raw facility measurements into clear engineering solutions.• Quantifying the Invisible: Identifying the fundamental mechanisms behind degradation, aging, and manufacturing defects.

Discussion Points:

• How are modern characterisation techniques helping industries move from post-mortem analysis to understanding materials as they behave in the real world?
• What stands in the way of turning complex characterisation data into clear, actionable business decisions?
• How should industries like energy, chemicals and emissions be using advanced characterisation differently to improve performance and reduce risk?

Moving beyond theory and buzzwords, this panel focuses on the practical, real world value of data science and computational techniques in advanced materials development and manufacturing. Through industrial case studies and expert insight, the discussion will examine how approaches such as computational modelling, data driven optimisation, and AI enabled materials discovery can reduce material waste, accelerate R&D, optimise formulations, and improve performance. The panel will span applications from traditional ceramics manufacturing to advanced aerospace materials, highlighting how digital tools are already delivering measurable benefits across the materials lifecycle — from research and scale up to system integration.

The way advanced materials are tested is changing. From AI-assisted analysis and digital simulation to next-generation non-destructive testing techniques, new approaches are accelerating qualification timelines, improving accuracy and opening up possibilities that traditional methods simply could not deliver. This panel brings together experts from across the materials testing landscape to examine what is actually working, where the most significant advances are being made, and what the adoption of new testing methods means for manufacturers, researchers and end users alike. Discussion Points:  • Which new testing methods and technologies are having the most meaningful impact on how advanced materials are evaluated and qualified? • How are digital and AI-assisted approaches changing the speed and accuracy of materials testing, and what are the limitations? • What are the biggest barriers to adopting new testing methods at an industrial scale, and how are organisations overcoming them? • Looking ahead, which emerging testing technologies are most likely to reshape the field over the next five years?

The aerospace sector depends on advanced materials that, in many cases, are designed, qualified and manufactured far from UK shores. This panel examines where the gaps in domestic capability are most acute, what it would take to close them, and how UK industry can position itself as a serious competitor in the global advanced materials supply chain. From the challenge of part qualification and digital certification to the role of SMEs in accelerating innovation, panellists will assess the realistic path forward and where the most promising opportunities lie.

Discussion Points:

• Where are the most significant gaps in UK advanced materials capability for aerospace applications, and how did we get here?
• Part qualification remains a major bottleneck, with certification timelines stretching to decades in some cases. What is being done to accelerate this, and how close are we to a solution?
• How can the UK realistically position itself as a competitive domestic supplier of critical aerospace materials currently sourced internationally?
• What role can SMEs play in driving innovation and closing capability gaps, and how should they be supported alongside the tier one and prime players?

This Royce-facilitated panel will bring together experts from deep-tech entrepreneurship, industry and research to explore how advanced materials innovations make the journey from early-stage laboratory discovery to scalable commercial success.

Turning world-class materials science into real-world products requires far more than breakthrough research. It demands the right sequence of technical validation, market insight, customer engagement, IP strategy, team building, pilot partnerships and of course the right forms of capital at every stage.

Our panel will examine the many steps between lab proof-of-concept and market adoption, with a particular focus on how founders, universities and investors can build ventures that are both technically credible and fundable. Join us to discover how researchers, founders, manufacturers and investors can work together to accelerate the path from materials innovation in the lab to transformative impact in the real world.

Discussion Points:

• Navigating the full commercialisation pathway from fundamental research and proof-of-concept through spin-out, scale-up and market entry.

• Understanding the venture capital mindset – what investors are looking for in advanced materials and deep-tech opportunities at from pre-seed to growth stages.

 

Additive manufacturing is evolving fast, but where are the breakthroughs that actually matter? This session brings together leading voices from across the ceramics and advanced materials sectors to assess the current state of AM innovation: from process and materials development to software advances and post-processing. Panellists will examine which application areas are becoming viable for the first time, what is still holding back wider industrial adoption, and where the most meaningful progress is likely to emerge over the next five years. Expect an honest, experience-led conversation that cuts through the noise and focuses on what is genuinely changing.

Discussion points:

• What innovation in additive manufacturing has surprised you most in the last couple of years?
• Where are the most significant advances happening, processes, materials, software, or post-processing?
• Which application areas are opening up that weren’t viable before, and why now?
• What are the remaining blockers to wider industrial adoption?
• Where do you expect the most meaningful progress in the next five years?

 

The development of high-productivity laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process themes for Ti-6Al-4V offers a promising pathway to strengthen the business case for additive manufacturing (AM) in the aerospace sector. By increasing deposition rates and reducing build times, these process parameters can significantly improve manufacturing throughput and cost competitiveness compared with traditional manufacturing routes.

This opening panel will explore The AMRICC Centre as a leading example of how public private partnerships can successfully drive industrialisation, scale up and commercial impact in advanced materials. Panellists will discuss how collaborative models can bridge the gap between research, innovation, and manufacturing, enabling faster translation of advanced ceramics and materials technologies into industrial reality. The session will highlight lessons learned from building and operating AMRICC, including aligning public investment with industry need, de risking innovation, and creating sustainable routes to market that benefit the wider materials ecosystem.

The business case for ceramic additive manufacturing is becoming harder to ignore, but for many organisations the path from interest to investment remains unclear. This panel brings together perspectives from across industry to examine what a realistic investment journey looks like, from initial assessment and timeline planning through to deployment and return. Panellists will weigh the tangible benefits of ceramic AM adoption, explore the barriers that give organisations pause, and discuss practical strategies for reducing risk and building confidence.

Discussion Points:
• What does a realistic investment path into ceramic additive manufacturing look like, and what are the key decision points along the way?
• What are the most compelling benefits driving organisations to commit, and how quickly can a return on investment be realised?
• What are the biggest risks associated with ceramic AM investment, and what practical steps can organisations take to mitigate them?
• For those earlier in their evaluation, what would you do differently with the benefit of hindsight?

 

Ceramics manufacturers face growing pressure to improve yield, reduce risk, digitise processes and scale faster. Midlands Advanced Ceramics for Industry 4.0 was designed to meet these challenges head on, focusing on practical, industry ready solutions. This presentation showcases what the programme has delivered: new products, smarter manufacturing processes, and capabilities and skills services to support the Advanced Ceramics Sector. Developed collaboratively across industry and academia, these outputs are available now—giving ceramics businesses faster, lower risk routes from innovation to production, supported by skills, training and a connected Midlands ecosystem.

Discussion Points:
• Demonstrate that Industry 4.0 for ceramics is real, practical, and available now
• Showcase what has been delivered for industry
• Enable industry engagement and action

This high level fireside discussion brings together senior leaders from industry, academia, and government to explore how advanced ceramics can underpin national resilience, security and competitiveness in an increasingly challenging global environment.

Covering themes such as secure and sovereign materials supply chains, the role of advanced materials in defence and critical infrastructure, and skills and workforce development for the future, the session is designed to be interactive and audience engaging. Drawing on real world insight rather than formal presentations, the discussion will examine how collaboration across sectors can accelerate innovation, strengthen UK capability and ensure long term industrial resilience.