How Precision Engineering Is Used in The UK Cleantech Industry

The cleantech industry is a diverse and rapidly evolving sector of the UK’s economy, helping to develop sustainable technology and reduce the environmental impact of our day-to-day lives. In the process, the cleantech industry relies on companies like PCML to create boundary-pushing, innovative components for new green technology.

Our precision engineering and manufacturing capabilities play a key role in this process, allowing us to support our clients in cleantech by developing complex components for custom-built products. With the cleantech industry constantly evolving, experimenting and trialling new kinds of components in necessary to develop the most efficient solutions for the key environmental problems we face in today’s climate. But what kind of technology does precision engineering help to develop?

What technology does the cleantech industry develop?

The UK cleantech industry is diverse and multi-faceted, however, some of the most important developments being made in cleantech today include renewable energy, waste reduction, energy-efficient technology, and sustainable transport.

Renewable Energy

The UK cleantech industry is heavily focused on developing alternative methods of generating electricity, including solar, wind, hydroelectric and tidal power. These technologies harness natural and renewable resources to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and its reliance on depleting oil, coal and gas resources.

Waste Reduction

In order to reduce general waste levels across the populace, the UK cleantech industry develops solutions based around recycling plastics, metals, and other materials. It may also delve into biotech design and manufacturing by developing new methods of composting or creating bio-degradable products.

Energy-Efficient Technology

Additionally, the UK cleantech industry aims to develop products which use less energy overall. This can include LED lighting to reduce the energy wastage of traditional lightbulbs, smart thermostats for household heaters which allow consumers to more carefully track their usage, and more efficient household appliances.

Sustainable Transport

The UK cleantech industry develops alternatives to traditional, carbon-heavy transport vehicles. This includes electric vehicles, but also more advanced solutions like hydrogen fuel cells and biofuel engines.

How does precision engineering play a role in the cleantech industry?

Many of the innovative technologies that the cleantech industry develops are only possible due to precision engineers and manufacturers like PCML. To ensure a high level of energy efficiency in wind turbines and solar panels, extremely complex and optimised components need to be designed by expert engineers, while the mass production of these components can only be accomplished with the appropriate manufacturing technology.

Sometimes, boundary-pushing technology requires incredibly specific, bespoke components that need to be rapidly prototyped in order to assess their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Incorporating precision engineering into the prototyping phase allows cleantech companies to assess the viability of these components and their implementation into green technology solutions before mass production begins.

The UK cleantech industry also needs to make sure that it is using the highest quality parts and components at final assembly. It’s important for the supply chain of the manufacturing process to be as transparent, trustworthy, and sustainably sourced as possible to embody their vision of a greener world not just in their end-products, but also in their development workflow. Our precision engineering and manufacturing services guarantee access to reliable supply chain management and allows the UK cleantech industry to use innovative new materials with the confidence that there won’t be any nasty surprises later down the line.

PCML is proud to champion green manufacturing methods for cleantech components, and our incredible team of precision engineers is always happy to help clients develop the bespoke solutions that work for them. For more information, and to enquire about our precision engineering and manufacturing services, visit our contact page or call us on 01223 293904, and find out how we can support your cleantech innovations today.