Edmund Keefe

Edmund Keefe serves as Senior Lecturer in Industrial Digitalisation within the Engineering Department at Manchester Metropolitan University, leveraging 25+ years of industry experience in Architecture visualisation, Product Design, and Additive Manufacturing since joining in 2014. He established PrintCity—a flagship AM research/teaching facility—and contributes to the Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering Research Centre through cross-disciplinary collaborations with artists, electrochemists, and engineers.

Research Focus: His expertise spans Computer-Aided Design (Autodesk Fusion 360, SolidWorks), Additive Manufacturing (FFF/CFF techniques), AI-driven generative design, and circular economy applications. He pioneers sustainable innovations in 3D-printed electrochemical sensors for environmental/healthcare monitoring and recycled material feedstocks for manufacturing, emphasizing functional integration of engineering principles with emerging technologies.

Publication Trends: Analysis of 2019-2023 articles reveals dual dominant themes: (1) electrochemical sensing platforms using AM for heavy metal detection and medical diagnostics, and (2) circular economy solutions converting waste (coffee pods, plastic) into functional materials for energy storage and manufacturing. Collaborations span electrochemistry, materials science, and biomedical engineering, yielding high-impact applications in water quality monitoring and sustainable electronics.

Grants & Projects: He leads EU-funded initiatives including Cirmap (circular economy furniture), Transform CE (plastic waste valorization), and PrintCity Network. During the pandemic, he coordinated PPE production for Greater Manchester healthcare facilities and delivered government-backed 'Made Smarter' digital skills training to regional companies.

Labs & Teaching: As PrintCity founder, he directs a state-of-the-art facility supporting cross-disciplinary R&D in sustainable manufacturing. He teaches BSc Product Design Engineering, MSc Digital Design & Manufacturing, and BEng Biomedical Engineering while collaborating with industry partners (Autodesk, Siemens, Formlabs) on projects ranging from electronic engineering to heritage casting digitization.