The manufacture of composite materials, formed of resin and fibres, is an expensive process. It requires human supervision over multiple stages and these stages need to maintain a reliable vacuum. Supervisors have to manage vacuum, moisture and temperature of resins and to act quickly if a problem arises. Fatigue or human errors during this hours’ long process can be costly.
Mark Prince is an IT specialist who both uses and sells composite material making equipment. Mark has now developed a smart vacuum gauge that can help manufacturers reduce cost and frustration in the composite-making process via automation. The core engineering consists of an IoT-enabled secure microcontroller with machine-learning capabilities.
Mark’s vacuum gauge device measures different data points and alerts composite technicians to real-time problems. It offers automated help and mitigates issues in the manufacturing process that are usually done manually. There is currently no other gauge that includes process automation and data for analytics.
Mark joined the Regional Talent Engines programme in 2023. He says “The programme’s vetting process is done by a very respected and learned panel: if you are selected it is vindication that your idea has merit! My mentor is very well matched with me, and he’s given me access to further networks that I’ll need in order to move my product forward.”
Mark has made a prototype that is at proof of concept stage. He is now working on the first customer-test prototype version that represents the complete product. By 2025, Mark plans to be selling hundreds of units a year and helping composite manufacturers to avoid costly processing errors.
