The National Technical Platform for Materials Innovation (NTPMI) empowers Research Technical Professionals (RTPs), providing access to training and events, and the opportunity to share expertise and develop best practice, across materials innovation and associated manufacturing technology communities.

NTPMI is led by the Henry Royce Institute and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). 

RTPs are crucial to the effective operation of research infrastructure across the UK. They have a vital role in deploying their skills and experience to support both academic and industrial research and development, as well as to train users in the latest techniques and methods.  

NTPMI delivers training, development, professional networking, and secondment  opportunities across the UK’s materials innovation community, and in the process increasing RTP visibility.

The NTPMI is centred around four key areas that underpin materials innovation: 

(i) make, (ii) test, (iii) characterise and (iv) modelling. 

Themes include technical innovation, automation, novel techniques, equipment and capability development, training methods, teaching tools, and creating a connected and visible community.  

Activities include: technical workshops and masterclasses for a range of techniques, visits to equipment suppliers or manufacturers, non-technical skills training, conferences and industrial secondments. The platform naturally aligns to many of the existing Royce Research Areas and engages with existing national networks, community of practices and initiatives in respective materials innovation fields.