The five-year project will see around 10 researchers and four students dedicated to the initiative from seven university departments, led by Professor Ian Hutchings of the Institute for Manufacturing, alongside expertise from the likes of Domino, FFEI, Inca, Linx Printing Technologies, Sericol, Xaar and Sun Chemical.

The aim of the project is to address the physical challenges behind advancing inkjet processes, such as how to increase speeds without impacting resolution, and vice versa.

Similarly, Hutchings said that increasing speeds means increasing the energy needs which, in turn, makes it more difficult to create consistently round droplets.

Other factors that the team will target include creating a robust single-pass process. Hutchings said it is important to reduce the number of steps in any manufacturing process, as even a 99% yield is commercially unusable in a process that requires 50 steps. This means that tackling factors, such as nozzle failure, will be key to the success of the project.

According to Hutchings, while there are advanced inkjet technologies already in existence with commercial applications, such as printing solar cell panels and circuit boards, or even creating bespoke jewellery using material deposition, the resolution and robustness of the inkjet processes are still not comparable with traditionally manufactured equivalents.

"It would be very nice if, in 20 years people, could visit a factory and see inkjet machines in manufacturing lines, alongside welding and others things," he added.

The commercial inkjet companies involved will open up some of their own intellectual property to drive the project forward, as well as donating funds. Hutchings said one of the most interesting aspects is to have "direct competitors sitting in the same room co-operating on the project".

The grant was awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the first progress reports will be published within a year.