A world-class centre for advanced manufacturing amrc.co.uk contents
Overview of the AMRC with Boeing 3 The AMRC Group & Catapult 4 Research Themes 5 Machining Group 6 / 7 Integrated Manufacturing Group (assembly) 8 Composite Centre 9 Design & Prototyping Group 10 Structural Testing 11 Medical AMRC 12 Research Support 13 Programmes 14 Work with us 15
BUILDING FUTURES
The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing helps manufacturers of any size to become more competitive by introducing advanced techniques, technologies and processes.
We specialise in carrying out world-leading research into advanced machining, manufacturing and materials, which is of practical use to industry. Our 80-plus industrial partners range from global giants like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Airbus to small companies. Our operations have grown significantly since we were founded in 2001 and in 2003 we became the anchor tenant on the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Catcliffe, South Yorkshire. Further expansion is underway on a new Advanced Manufacturing Campus on the nearby Sheffield Business Park.
3 AMRC Group The AMRC with Boeing is part of the AMRC Group, a cluster of world-class centres for industry-focused research and development of technologies used in high-value manufacturing sectors. The group has specialist expertise in machining, casting, welding, additive manufacturing, composites, designing for manufacturing, testing and training.
It has a global reputation for helping companies The Advanced Manufacturing Park overcome manufacturing problems and has become a model for collaborative research involving universities, academics and industry, worldwide. Sub-centres of the AMRC with Boeing include AMRC Castings, the Medical AMRC and the National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC). Also located on the Advanced Manufacturing Park is Offshore the Nuclear AMRC, which helps UK companies win Renewable Energy work in the civil nuclear sector in new build, operations – Glasgow and decommissioning, the AMRC Training Centre and High Value the Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC). Manufacturing AFRC – Strathclyde CPi – Wilton/Sedgefield High Value WMG – Coventry MTC – Ansty Manufacturing Catapult NCC – Bristol AMRC with Boeing & The AMRC with Boeing is a core part of Nuclear AMRC – Rotherham the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, an alliance of seven leading manufacturing research centres backed by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Being part of the Catapult ensures that we play a core role in the revival of the national manufacturing sector. It also allows companies working with us to tap into a national network of manufacturing research excellence. If any aspects of a particular challenge fall outside any Catapult member’s areas of expertise, each can call on the other centres’ knowledge and resources. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is just one of a new generation of Catapults targeting the most vital technologies for the UK’s future. Transport Systems Future Cities – London – Milton Keynes Connected Digital Economy – London Satellite Applications – Harwell Cell Therapy – London
4 But you don’t have to be a member to take advantage Research Themes of our world-leading expertise and resources, which are open to all manufacturers. The AMRC’s board of industrial partners While we focus on aerospace, we work in a wide range advises on the topics for our research and of sectors, including automotive, marine, rail, medical development, ensuring our work focuses technology, food processing, energy and construction. on industry’s commercial requirements Our researchers work with individual companies on and provides lasting value to members. specific projects and collaborate on generic research which will benefit all members.
Researchers are organised into a number of core groups, backed by support services:
Machining Group Integrated Manufacturing Group Research into high-performance machining is at the (assembly) heart of our work. The AMRC Machining Group focuses The AMRC Integrated Manufacturing Group (IMG) on developing systems for machining components in specialises in solving problems assembling the shortest time possible, without compromising their low-volume, high-value and difficult-to-handle structural or surface integrity. The Machining Group components. Key areas include automation of can typically improve a machine tool’s efficiency by component assembly, large-volume metrology, around 40 percent by using dynamic analysis and other digitally assisted (human in the loop) assembly techniques to reduce chatter and avoid other problems. and manufacturing informatics.
Design and Prototyping Group Structural Testing The AMRC Design & Prototyping Group undertakes The AMRC’s Advanced Structural Testing Centre high-risk research to develop novel products, machinery (ASTC) provides testing and certification services and equipment to help UK manufacturers deliver the for components and assemblies. The centre can next generation of innovative, high-value offering. also ensure parts produced by innovative methods meet industry standards. Composite Centre The AMRC Composite Centre develops manufacturing Research support technologies for advanced fibre reinforced plastics. Our Our core research groups are supported by teams core research focus is development in the design and with a wide range of specialist expertise. Support manufacture of advanced composite structures and services include microscopy, metrology, quality hybrid materials in areas of research such as services, virtual simulation, modelling and project advanced cure technology (including microwave management for large collaborative research curing), automated production, composite machining programmes. and novel materials and processes.
5 Machining Group
The AMRC Machining Group develops innovative techniques and optimised processes for machining high-performance materials.
Our technology teams develop techniques which deliver significant improvements in machining performance and span:
• Process Monitoring and Control – enabling lights-out • Computer-Aided Manufacturing Development – machining by deploying the latest tools for intelligent, creating next generation knowledge based CAM autonomous manufacturing. systems and generating more cost-efficient NC programs to reduce cutting time or improve tool life. • Machining Dynamics – developing new methods to predict, diagnose and control machining vibration. • Gear Manufacturing – combining sophisticated software, modern machining centres and standard • Machinability – understanding the characteristics of tooling as an alternative to traditional bespoke high-performance aerospace materials and cutting equipment and making it easier for companies to tools and exploring emergent machining techniques develop prototype gears, launch new designs and such as ultrasonic and cryogenic machining. make a wider range of products. • Process Modelling – developing a deeper • We are also exploring unconventional machining understanding of metal cutting, composite techniques such as cryogenic machining, ultrasonic machining, residual stress and distortion. milling and drilling and abrasive waterjet machining • Grinding – improving productivity across the range of metals and composites. of grinding and surface finishing operations whilst controlling part integrity precision.
6 The Machining Group has a number of platform teams which focus on particular component families for our core aerospace partners. The teams develop machining processes using techniques created by the technology teams and make demonstration components to prove these processes, so that they can be introduced into industry.
Platform teams include: • Rotatives – manufacturing techniques for aeroengine discs and shafts. • Casings – strategies, tooling and workholding technologies to optimise machining of aeroengine casings. • Aerofoils – manufacturing aerofoils for aeroengines and power generation. • Structures – techniques for machining large and complex components like landing gear and actuation systems. • Workholding & Automation – techniques for optimising machining strategies.
7 Integrated Manufacturing Group (assembly)
The AMRC Integrated Manufacturing Group (IMG) develops new ways of automatically assembling complex products to help partners in the aerospace and other high-value industries improve their global competitiveness.
We use advanced technologies, such as robotics, augmented reality and large-volume metrology, to develop innovative, integrated systems that ensure industrial partners can assemble complex structures perfectly, first time and every time. IMG’s new base will be the £43 million Factory 2050 facility, built on Sheffield Business Park with £10 million backing from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and £10 million from the European Regional Development Fund. Factory 2050 will be the UK’s first totally reconfigurable, Factory 2050 will be able to optimise its own digital demonstration factory, built to help advanced operations, using ‘Big Data’ technology to process manufacturers develop ways of responding to an large volumes of information, collected from sensors increasing requirement to be able to make rapid in the manufacturing environment. changes to product design, as a result of ever-changing Our main research themes are: customer demands. • Digitally assisted assembly The development will ensure the UK’s advanced • Integrated large volume metrology manufacturing supply chain can tap into the expertise • Robotics and automation it needs to make the most of those trends. • Automated process monitoring and big data
8 Composite Centre
The AMRC Composite Centre is a state-of-the-art facility for advanced composite manufacturing research and development, based in a dedicated extension to the AMRC Factory of the Future.
We extend the AMRC’s expertise in metals production into the new generation of carbon fibre composite materials. These materials are increasingly used in aerospace, marine, automotive and other high-value industries because they offer high strength and light weight, but they also present a host of manufacturing challenges. Our research focuses on producing and machining composite components, including hybrid parts combining high-performance metals and composites in a single structure. These structures can provide significant weight savings while maintaining the highest material and structural performance, offering improved fuel efficiency for aerospace and other transport applications. Our main research area themes are: • Automated production • Machining • Advanced curing • Novel materials and processes
9 Design & Prototyping Group
The AMRC Design & Prototyping Group undertakes high-risk research to develop novel products, machinery and equipment to help UK manufacturers deliver the next generation of innovative, high-value offering.
The Design & Prototyping Group is the winner of the UK be capable of building parts up to three times larger and Space Propulsion Innovation Award in 2015 and home 100 times faster than current additive manufacturing to the world’s first fused deposition modelled (FDM) machines. Ready for spring 2017, the machine has the ABS flying wing. potential to challenge conventional injection moulding for high volume production. Our facility at the AMRC acts as a sand box for collaboration and innovation between industry and By developing designs to meet the requirements of the academic partners. Taking ownership of high-value manufacturing process, we can offer significant cost and projects and developments, we provide our customers weight savings, creating opportunities that enable our with everything from concept designs and working customers to keep their competitive edge. drawings, to fully functional pre-production prototypes We adopt a collaborative approach to delivering or research instrumentation. projects, ensuring our knowledge is shared with you to We are currently developing the world’s first large- build upon the success of the project after completion. volume high speed sintering machine. The machine will
10 Structural Testing
The Advanced Structural Testing Centre (ASTC) has the capacity and capability to help any company or research group prove its technologies and achieve certification for products and systems.
All our work is certified and irrefutable and the results Physical size, load requirements and the number of are auditable, giving our customers complete peace measurements needing to be made at the same time of mind. present no barriers for the wide range of equipment in our fully-fitted workshop. We are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and are currently the Our large reconfigurable testing rig can cope with only structural test facility within a UK university to components up to 10 metres square and its actuators hold ‘in-house methods’ accreditation. can exert a combined force equivalent of 800 tonnes as a compressive or tensile load, giving us the This means we are not restricted to testing to specified capability to carry out tests for the civil engineering, international procedures, but can also develop new rail and marine sectors. test procedures in collaboration with our customers to prove out components under real-world conditions. Further down the scale, we can carry out static and fatigue tests in the one meganewton to We are able to physically validate research, analysis, 10 kilonewton range and have the capacity to go material properties, components, sub-assemblies, as low as one newton. and full assemblies for both research and commercial projects. We can also apply tension, compression or fatigue forces simultaneously from eight separate points on Our capabilities range from testing coupons to a component, sub-assembly or assembly, over a prove the material properties of new manufacturing period of time. processes, to complete finished components and assemblies. Meanwhile, our state of the art data recording equipment can record up to 200 channels of data, We can test materials ranging from composites, taking 16,000 samples, from each sensor every including metal matrix composites, and ceramics to second, if necessary. rapid prototype filled lattices, steels, hi-tech alloys and other metals, such as aluminium.
11 The Medical AMRC aims to push the limits of current technologies and create new opportunities for manufacturers of healthcare products.
We combine cutting-edge manufacturing technologies for high-precision machining processes such as with world-class research and development, ultrasonic micro-milling and medical-grade grinding, innovative design capabilities and access to clinical and additive manufacturing in a range of plastics expertise, including the University of Sheffield’s materials. We also have metal additive manufacturing academic and clinical resources. capability and are currently developing prototype medical devices in Ti for a range of medical implants. Our team includes experienced engineers, software specialists, product designers and material scientists, We also have clean room facilities and advanced with a wealth of experience in medical R&D. analytical tools including CT scanning and high- resolution metrology. Core capabilities include mechanical and electrical design, prototyping and verification, design for Projects have included investigating new materials manufacture, and visualisation. We can also draw on for orthopaedic devices, and developing innovative the wealth of expertise and resource across the AMRC assistive devices for MS patients. and the wider High Value Manufacturing Catapult. The Medical AMRC is supported by the Catalyst Fund, Our workshop within the AMRC Design Prototyping managed by the Higher Education Funding Council and Testing Centre includes state-of-the-art equipment for England (HEFCE).
12 Research Support We have a range of technical, analytical and management support services which underpin the activities of our core research groups and are available to member companies and third parties.
Support groups cover the fields of:
Microscopy Advanced Visualisation Group Our Microscopy team provides a range of surface The Advanced Visualisation Group develops three- integrity analysis services to support product and process dimensional, interactive environments and scenes, development, and to demonstrate components produced simulating real or imagined worlds, products and by innovative manufacturing processes meet the material systems, to support our system design, assembly, standards of safety-critical industries, including aerospace. process development and training programmes.
We have UKAS accreditation for Knoop microhardness, We also help companies obtain greater value from surface roughness and microstructural examination, with their existing digital assets. the capability to: examine surface finish for features such Our team has developed virtual reality visualisation as notches, scratches and pits which could result in fatigue solutions for aerospace and other key industries and cracking; analyse the microstructure of a work piece by has worked on related areas such as virtual factory removing small samples; and conduct semi-quantitative simulations which allow equipment layouts to be analysis (EDX). changed and optimised. Metrology We carry out virtual product design reviews which allow greater understanding of the impact of design decisions Our Metrology team is skilled in many areas of dimensional on downstream activities. We have also developed virtual metrology, they have experience in a number of industry training environments, which enable companies to reduce sectors, employ a range of technologies and collaborate the cost and increase the value of training programmes, extensively with commercial metrology specialists. and a mobile showcase that gives young people interested We can qualify items as diverse as high tolerance in engineering a taste of VR’s capabilities. machined and free form carbon composite parts, airframe Our team uses a variety of platforms, including powerwalls, assembly fixtures and near net shape components and caves and head mounted displays, such as the Oculus Rift. also carry out research and development of new metrology products and methods. European Projects Quality Our European Projects team is responsible for managing our contribution to the numerous collaborative European The AMRC was the first organisation of its kind to structure research projects which we lead and participate in and its research activities around a commercially recognised helps with the dissemination of results. Quality Management System, working to the same management standards as its industry partners. Projects are based on collaborative research involving the AMRC, industrial partners, and other research institutions Our Quality team includes dedicated quality managers and and companies across Europe, and typically run for three engineers, with expertise in Quality Assurance, Process to four years. Improvement and Research and Manufacturing technology, who provide advice and support to partners in addition to overseeing the operation of our management and environmental systems.
13 Programmes The AMRC with Boeing is leading and participating in a number of intensive business support programmes.
These include the Sharing in Growth programme, to improve competitiveness, the Renewables programme, to build the UK supply chain for the sector and our technology network for manufacturing businesses, the AMRC Forum.
Sharing in Growth Renewables We are leading on the advanced manufacturing strand We are building the UK’s capabilities in renewables by of the Sharing in Growth programme. developing strong independent supply chains for both UK and worldwide offshore wind turbines. Our engineers conduct on-site technical assessments with companies and provide a tailored training and We work with companies to reduce manufacturing mentoring package to improve their competitiveness. costs, while maintaining and extending the life of wind turbines and are seeking partners to create consortiums Although aerospace has been the main focus to date, that will develop new renewable technologies. our experience also lends itself to other sectors, including oil and gas, medical, automotive and rail. For more information, contact: For more information, contact: Ben Kitcher, offshore renewables manager Dr Pete Osborne, programme manager [email protected] [email protected]
AMRC Forum The AMRC Forum is our technology network for manufacturing businesses. The Forum organises events that cover a range of topics that are relevant to manufacturers, offering insights into current and emerging technologies and supply chain issues. Membership of the AMRC Forum is free of charge to manufacturing businesses. To join, simply email [email protected]
14 Work with us
We have over 80 fee-paying members, ranging from global giants like Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, to local small businesses and specialist suppliers. Our members have access to our resources and expertise and help to set our research priorities.
Membership is open to all, but you don’t have to be a member to take advantage of our capabilities. Our resources are open to all manufacturing businesses and we work with hundreds of other companies on specific research projects and business support initiatives. We have collaborated on over 300 projects with small and medium-sized businesses in the Yorkshire and Humber region alone, creating or safeguarding over 1,200 jobs.
Becoming a partner Membership of the AMRC is open to any company working in a complementary area or wishing to participate in our research programmes.
We have two tiers of membership: Tier 1 membership costs £200,000 per year. Tier 1 partners have an individual seat on the board and the opportunity to influence the direction of future research. Tier 1 partners participate in, and obtain the results of, all generic projects. They can also propose specific projects to the board for approval.
Tier 2 membership costs £30,000 per year. Tier 2 partners participate in, and obtain the results of, all generic projects. They are represented by a single board member. If your company is interested in becoming a member, please contact Adrian Allen at [email protected]
15 AMRC with Boeing University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Park Wallis Way, Catcliffe Rotherham, S60 5TZ e: [email protected] t: +44 (0)114 222 1747 w: amrc.co.uk