ATKINS - Rapid Manufacturing a Low Carbon Footprint

A new digital manufacturing platform aims to slash the energy used to make metal parts for cars and aircraft by redesigning how they are designed, produced, and shipped. This matters because conventional manufacturing wastes energy at nearly every stage—from machining solid blocks of metal to shipping heavy components across continents. The project, called ATKINS, tackles this by combining rapid manufacturing (RM) technologies—which build parts layer by layer, adding material only where needed—with a fully digital supply chain. Instead of making parts in one factory and shipping them elsewhere, the platform would allow components to be produced locally, on demand, cutting transportation energy. If successful, the platform could transform how lightweight, energy-efficient metallic components are made for the automotive and aerospace industries. These sectors rely on complex, high-strength parts that are currently energy-intensive to produce. By integrating design, manufacture, and distribution into a single energy-optimised system, ATKINS could reduce waste and emissions without sacrificing performance. The project also involves UK manufacturers directly in specifying the system, ensuring the solution fits real production needs rather than remaining a lab concept.