In a significant advance for the UK, the new hub aims to lead research, development and collaboration on metal additive manufacturing, developing and testing ideas for taking the technology forward.
The new hub, in the MTC's Aerospace Research Centre on its Ansty Park, Coventry campus, will be formally launched to industry on October 15, and will also be the home of an online reference resource as well as a manufacturing facility. Its opening underscores progress in the £15 million MTC-led DRAMA (Digital Reconfigurable Additive Manufacturing facilities for Aerospace) project which encourages suppliers to the UK aerospace industry to adopt additive manufacturing.
Supported by £11 million from BEIS's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, DRAMA has already engaged with more than 50 aerospace supply chain companies and is still inviting applications for new projects.
Unveiling a plaque in the new facility, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “I am delighted to launch this new facility. It is a great example of the strength of the UK's capability in cutting edge manufacturing technology and has significant potential to help boost the competitiveness of UK companies and their supply chains. We're investing £11 million to help build it and support aerospace suppliers to develop their manufacturing capability.
“The Manufacturing Technology Centre is making an important contribution to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in advanced manufacturing and I'm looking forward to seeing companies from across the sector make use of this facility.”
The new hub includes a workshop and design, research and test facilities for additive manufacturing users and experts who can shape the technology, which is among the most important developments in advanced manufacturing for many years. The hub is among the first such centres in Europe.
As well as a manufacturing facility and online resource, the new centre will offer training at all levels, expert advice on AM suitability, business case and implementation, research, both bespoke and collaborative and face-to-face and online business and technical support. Participating companies will have access to facilities and expertise in a commercially neutral but technologically world-class environment. They can also get advice on funding technology development.
