Production process research investigates manufacturing processes at the component level, with an emphasis on understanding and applying the underlying science. The main areas of research are the investigation and exploitation of today's industrial laser systems, the generic science underlying inkjet technology and improvements to nanomaterial processing to support a wide range of technological advances.

In addition, research into industrial sustainability looks at manufacturing products and processes to identify ways in which environmental performance can be improved.

There is a strong emphasis across all these research activities on the transfer of technology to industry.