Stratellite

Iain Bomphray

Director, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

A Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and a Professor of Industrial Practice at the University of Strathclyde, Iain has had a successful career delivering lightweight structural solutions across sectors from Automotive through to Aerospace, Marine, Rail, Civil, Defence, Renewables and Formula One motorsport where he worked as Chief Engineer for Red Bull Technologies. Latterly he worked as Chief Technical Specialist with Williams Advanced Engineering supporting cross-sector challenges in higher volume applications for composites.   

Catherine Yokan

Composites Technician, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Cate is a Research and Development Engineer at the LMC. Currently pursuing a part-time PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, she holds a Master of Science degree in Production Engineering and Materials Science from the University of Bremen. Her dedication to advancing her expertise in mechanical engineering and materials science reflects her commitment to excellence in research and development.

Lee Pinnell

Operations Manager, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Meet Lee, a seasoned professional at the helm of day-to-day operations within the LMC. With a keen focus on maintaining optimal levels of Health and Safety, Quality, and NMIS operational standards, Lee brings a wealth of expertise in lightweight material manufacturing. His extensive background spans across diverse industries, including Aerospace, F1, Healthcare, Defence, Automotive, and Vehicle Prototype Build.  Additionally, he serves as the project lead for the Stratellite project, showcasing his leadership and project management prowess in cutting-edge technology initiatives. 

Kareema Hilton

Machining Applications Theme Lead, Digital Factory

With a degree in aeronautical engineering, Kareema embarked on a journey to augment her comprehension of aerospace component manufacture, aligning with her aspiration for a comprehensive understanding of design for manufacture.  Prior to working at NMIS, she spent time at ClydeSpace before moving on to work for the Advanced Manufacturing Resesearch Centre. Originally intending to return to a design-focused role after a couple of years, she unexpectedly discovered a fervor for machining metallic parts that captivated her interest. This newfound passion led her to remain deeply engaged in the field, where she continues to contribute her expertise and dedication to machining within the aerospace industry.

Dickon Walker

Polymer AM Theme Lead, Digital Factory

Dickon, a Research & Development Engineer within the Polymer Additive Manufacturing (AM) team at NMIS since January 2022, has been instrumental in supporting companies with the adoption and development of their own AM capability. His primary focus involves identifying suitable applications and adding value wherever possible. He brings a wealth of experience to his role, having previously founded and grown several start-up businesses in the AM, Product Development, and Space sectors. Dickon is a graduate of Product Design Engineering from the University of Strathclyde in 2013.

Kirsty Pinnell

Composites Engineer, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Kirsty, with over 15 years of experience, holds an MEng in Mechanical Design Engineering from the University of Glasgow and a Postgraduate MSc in Motorsport Engineering with Management from Cranfield University. Formerly a Senior Composite Design Engineer at Williams Racing in Formula 1, she now leads as a Composites Engineer at the LMC. Specializing in lightweight composite structures, Kirsty utilises NX CAD software for design and analysis. She also drives collaborative initiatives, including implementing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software and mentoring engineering students.

Ruoyu Huang

Process Modeller, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Ruoyu, a Process Modeller at the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC) at NMIS, specializes in mathematical and numerical modeling of composite structures and manufacturing processes. His expertise encompasses process modeling for resin infusion of full-scale wing covers in collaboration with leading aerospace companies. He also possesses strong skills in structural analysis and damage modeling of multi-material structures with complex modules and connectors under various loadings. Ruoyu initiated the modeling and programming of robotic systems at LMC, aiming to create Digital Twins for automated composite manufacturing and other industry processes. His key responsibilities include modeling manufacturing processes, structural analysis, constitutive modeling of materials, robotic simulation and programming, developing advanced modeling tools, leading and delivering projects, and engaging with key NMIS partners.

James Chilvers-Grierson

Composites Technician, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

James brings a wealth of expertise to the LMC team. With a background in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Strathclyde University, he joined LMC in June 2019. With over 4.5 years of hands-on experience in various composite manufacturing techniques, including hand layup, RTM, and prepreg layup, James is well-versed in both in and out of autoclave curing methods. In his role as LMC technical lead, he plays a pivotal role in managing workshop assets and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.

Innocent Ufiegbe

Composites Technician, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Innocent is a seasoned Manufacturing professional with over a decade of industry experience. He holds an HND in Mechanical Engineering (Production option) and has worked in various roles, including Production Coordinator and Process Officer. Passionate about continuous learning, Innocent successfully completed a Master of Research (MRes) in Environmental Analysis & Assessment, obtaining his certificate from Heriot-Watt University. He also has experience as a Work Preparator with Shell Petroleum.  With a diverse background, he now serves as a Manufacturing Composites Technician at NMIS, contributing his expertise to innovative projects.

Jon Orr

Partnership Development Leader, NMIS

Jon, a seasoned leader in the space sector, holds a Physics degree and brings over a decade of industry experience, specializing in blue-sky research and development. With more than 8 years at NMIS, he has played a key role in business development and strategy, ensuring NMIS's ability to cater to businesses of all sizes. Jon's dedication extends to the space initiatives at NMIS, where he has been actively involved for 3 years. He currently leads the HVMC Space Community of Practice and is a notable member of influential groups such as the Space Scotland Environment Task Force, the Scottish All-Party Parliamentary Group for Space, and the Space Energy Initiative. Jon's comprehensive engagement underscores his commitment to driving innovation and collaboration in the space industry at both local and national levels.

Mate Csanyi

Composites Technician, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

Mate is an experienced manufacturing professional with a rich and diverse background spanning over a decade. Prior to his role at NMIS, he served as an Assembly Supervisor at METYX Hungary Ltd., bringing five years of experience in overseeing assembly operations. Mate also held various positions at Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai, UAE, including Production Coordinator, Senior Supervisor, and Supervisor, accumulating over six years of full-time experience in composite manufacturing. His journey in the manufacturing industry began as a Laminator at Areva Wind Gmbh in Bremenhaven, Germany, where he gained valuable insights into wind turbine component fabrication. Mate's expertise extends to boat building, having worked both as a Boat Builder at Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai and as a self-employed Boat Builder in Hungary. With his extensive experience and versatile skill set, Mate continues to make significant contributions to the manufacturing sector.

Andrew Bjonnes

R&D Engineer, Digital Factory

Niklas Meyn

Composites Technician, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre

With nearly a decade of experience in aerospace engineering, Niklas has specialised in the design of composite structures. Accumulating over six years in the field of Wind Energy, his expertise spans structural design, hands-on manufacturing, full-scale test campaigns, and certification processes. In his most recent role, Niklas led the design of blades for a 100m rotor, conducting extensive load studies, designing control software, overseeing aerodynamic rotor design, and ensuring the composite structure's manufacturability while achieving certification. Prior to this, his focus involved the design of a wind-assisted propulsion system for cargo ships, involving extensive 2D CFD studies to demonstrate feasibility and developing analysis tools for assessing fuel reductions across various journeys, ship types, weather conditions, and wind-assisted propulsion configurations. Before venturing into wind energy, Niklas contributed to the automotive sector, dedicating his efforts to lightweight jigs and fixtures, encompassing hands-on activities in designing, manufacturing, installing, and maintaining composite metal structures.