Fri, 19 September, 2025
We are pleased to announce that TWI has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Composites UK 2025 Industry Awards’ Innovation in Manufacture category.
Our innovative submission to the awards focused on a novel composite-to-metal joining solution that integrates an embedded metal stud directly into the composite structure during manufacturing.
Unlike conventional bolted or pinned joints, which require drilling and introduce stress concentrations, this approach eliminates secondary machining and enables a seamless connection between the composite and metal adherend.
The key benefits of this novel solution include:
- Improved energy absorption compared to standard adhesively bonded joints
- Enhanced damage tolerance and residual strength post-debonding, addressing a known limitation of adhesive-only joints
- Compatibility with scalable manufacturing methods such as vacuum infusion, making it suitable for large composite structures in sectors like marine and energy
- Reduced weight and simplified assembly, as metal studs are manufactured from the base material
- Ability to arrange / tailor multiple studs to suit the load conditions
This innovative composite-to-metal joint solution directly addresses an important industry need, demonstrates genuine originality, and offers potential benefits for multiple sectors.
The awards take account of the quickly developing landscape for composite applications in industry, with the aim to not only detect, promote and award the most innovative composites solutions from UK companies, but also to encourage and enhance the visibility of those involved in composite innovation.
TWI has been shortlisted and also announced as winners at the Composites UK Awards on several occasions in the past, and this latest recognition shows the continuing technical excellence demonstrated by experts at TWI.
We now look forward to the awards dinner at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on 29 October, 2025.
For more information on this innovation or composites at TWI, please email, contactus@twi.co.uk.