TextureJet
TextureJet is revolutionising surface texturing for automotive and aerospace parts, particularly in applications like preparing surfaces for bonding or coating. Traditionally, this has been done through grit blasting, chemical etching, or manual methods - processes that introduce unnecessary steps, raise environmental concerns, and drive up operational costs. By offering innovative, efficient solutions, TextureJet eliminates these drawbacks, helping to reduce waste, cut costs, and enhance the competitiveness of high-value UK products, all while promoting environmental sustainability.
TextureJet has developed a new surface processing solution that allows surface preparation or surface finishing to be generated quickly, cleanly and in difficult to work materials. The innovations underpinning this project enables surface modifications to be carried out in-situ, without the need for specialist H&S considerations and without labour intensive process steps such as masking or cleaning drastically reducing processing time and costs and enabling innovation process solutions, therefore providing the UK with a market leading capability.
Utilising a highly localised variant of electrochemical machining, known as electrochemical jet machining, TextureJet delivers a tooling platform with world leading capability to selectively change the surface texture of components without the use of dangerous chemicals or airborne contaminants often associated with these processes, resulting in streamlined production lines. Surface texturing is needed for: Adhesives, Coatings, Functional Properties, and Aesthetics.
TextureJet surface processing technology will deliver results without:
- Affecting component surface integrity
- The need for masking
- Harming the environment
- Extraction or PPE requirements
- Contact with, or heating of, the surface
- Material hardness affecting performance
Leading to:
- Improved accuracy of machined features
- Increased fatigue life
- The possibility to machine delicate components
- Reduced processing time
- Reduced environmental footprint and waste disposal
- Increased flexibility to machine different metals
TextureJet technology has huge potential for use in high value manufacturing industries such as Aerospace and Automotive and, following extensive research, the company was looking to commercialise the technology.
2018
Start Date
Nottingham
Location
27
Employees
£50K
Grants
£1.2M
Equity
The Journey
CEO of TextureJet Jonathon Mitchell-Smith won an ICURe award in 2018 that enabled him to develop an extensive network of contacts in relevant companies and industries. As part of the initial program, he visited 16 trade shows in 8 different countries and engaged in over 150 meaningful conversations about the use of surface processing in their business so creating a unique understanding of the market.
Understanding of the direct industrial needs, relating to the application of surface textures in industry and the need to reduce manufacturing environmental footprint in the market sectors of aerospace and automotive were identified as most relevant to TextureJet’s technology. The aim was to introduce innovative technologies to improve the cost effectiveness of manufacturing chains and enable implementation of novel solutions.
This understanding helped Jonathon secure Innovate UK funding to underpin the incorporation of TextureJet and the development of the initial prototype spinning out the technology from the University of Nottingham and starting the journey of TextureJet.
We were able to identify applications across the aerospace and automotive sectors for precise modifications of component surfaces, specifically generation of rough surfaces necessary for adhesive joining and precision highly controlled featured generation and finishing for high-performance parts, along with precision finishing of additively manufactured parts. The innovation underpinning this project enables these surface modifications to be undertaken in-situ drastically reducing costs and enabling process performance step-changes.
As a raw spin-out company, this project helped to establish TextureJet’s position in the market. The technology was at a critical stage in its commercial development, with the fundamentals having been developed at the University of Nottingham and ripe for commercialisation into a market led product. To transition into commercial uptake, TextureJet developed a commercial prototype based on the teams’ unique understanding of the process which paved the way to develop a stable product platform. With the market validation gained in this programme, we were able to gain equity investment which allowed for the rapid development of this technology leading to full commercialisation and creating employment and export opportunities for TextureJet.
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Completion of IUK ICURe programme technology market research
Secured IUK Grant funding
Secured IUK Grant funding as follow on from ICURe
IP Accumulation & Company development
- Company Incorporated
- Core technology patent filled
- Spin-out from UoN with exclusive license to STAT
- Full board appointed
Feasibility Studies
- Early feasibility studies for Global Blue-chips
- Trademarks granted for STAT and TextureJet
- Patent Files - Electrolyte solution and Nozzle
IP Accumulation & Company development
Patent File - ArcSlice
Secured IUK funding for technology development
Product Development
- New large dedicated premises with robot cell
- Development of standalone research platform to enable delivery of external R&D projects and technology development
- Application specific product development for licensing
Technology Validation
- Technology Validation - Secured License deal with US Corp for global niche market
- Delivery of 12-month R&D project for Global solutions provider
Product Development
- Closed 1st funding round (VC + Angel Investors)
Accumulation of Market Knowledge
- Development of commercial team
- Establish 1st Channel Partner (Asia)
- 52 project customer feasibility projects carried out 23/24
Establishing PMF
- Market validation
- Full solution sale
- Delivery of growth plan
What companies had to say about the Innovate UK ICURe programme?
"The ICURe program was fundamental in the shift from developing the technology fundamentals in an academic setting to understanding how the technology could practically deliver changes in industry. There is no other program like this that helps train and support the entrepreneurial leads, taking them from the comfort of academia and literally dropping them in at the deep end into industry. The amount I learnt in those first 3 months was astounding, and I still reflect back on that process with fond memories as the starting block for this six-year journey I’ve been on"
Dr Jonathan Mitchell-Smith
CEO, Texture Jet Ltd
Future Goals
TextureJet’s long term goal is to have a machine in every manufacturing company on the planet. The company’s vision is to be first in mind for innovative surface processing solutions.
We are proud to have developed the next generation of targeted and sustainable surface processing technology. Our innovative technology can now deburr, roughen, polish, pattern, part mark or remove coatings from almost any metal surface, presenting a huge market opportunity.
Sustainability is essential for all businesses today, and we are committed to developing sustainable manufacturing processes that minimize the environmental impact of our customers operations. For example, our game-changing surface processing technologies can reduce the amount of waste generated by up to 84% (according to the independent Wood report, 2022) when compared to legacy methods.
Since this project, we developed a further 4 patents on elements of the technology that were required for commercialisation. We intend to build on this to enhance the IP portfolio of the company across different technologies that enable the company to provide the complete surface processing solutions. This includes our next development for non-conductive materials called ArcSlice which is in the early stages of development.
Alongside the approaching £1M in grant funding we have previously secured to take our current technology from TRL 3 to 6, we are now looking at similar strategies to accelerate specific applications for Stat, our current technology where alternative funding is not available and overall development of ArcSlice.
We are now looking to enter a series A funding round within the next 12 months building on the £1.2M raised at seed round to continue to develop our growth strategy and expand our sales and market reach. With this funding we will be generating numerous new positions across the company expanding on the 25 employees we have had over the last 5 years and the current 12 permanent employees to bring in the necessary skill sets to implement the company’s growth strategy. This will include long term market goals of the aerospace and power generation markets and continuing to build the export market in the US.