AMCASH – the Advanced Materials Characterisation and Simulation Hub – is an initiative part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supporting West Midlands-based SMEs to improve and create new products and processes, with a specific focus on materials, including; metals, plastics and ceramics.

Based at the School of Metallurgy and Materials of the University of Birmingham, our part ERDF-funded programme offers fully-funded technical support to qualifying SMEs .

We support SMEs right through the product development process. Our support ranges from research of markets and investigating suitable materials, through to evaluation and testing of new products and the evaluation of product failures.

Our expertise covers metallurgical characterisation, microscopy, mechanical testing, polymer science, ceramics engineering, thermal monitoring and computational modelling.

Through the AMCASH programme SMEs can accelerate improvements in quality; reduce waste; and manage the risks associated with new product and process development.

Current LEP areas

  • Greater Birmingham
  • Solihull
  • Black Country
  • Coventry & Warwickshire
  • The Marches
  • Stoke & Staffordshire

Find out how we can make our R&D expertise work for you.

Businesses are reconfiguring their operations and adapting new practices, processes and supply chains. All this amidst financial constraints on investment.

AMCASH is a free support mechanism to deliver business improvement

  • Reduce waste
  • Optimise output
  • Develop supply chains
  • Benchmarking and products

SME Business Engagement:
Michael Small

Project Management:
Michael Taylor

Microscopy and Materials Characterisation
Theme led by Dr Yu-Lung Chiu

Polymers
Theme led by Dr Mike Jenkins

Computational Modelling
Theme led by Professor Paul Bowen

Ceramic Science & Engineering
Theme led by Profesor Jon Binner

  • Successful Phase 1 of AMCASH (2017-2019)
  • Over 200 SMEs supported to date
  • Improved quality, reduced waste, de-risked new product development
  • £48.8 million net economic impact *
  • Funding now extended through 2022

*Source: Summative Assessment, Final Report, AMCASH, University of Birmingham, September 2019