THE QUarterly journal Issue 11 - October 2014 www.namtec.co.uk Demand for bespoke products and a competitive edge drives quest for flexibility aerospace Page 4 Page 10 Page 14 Page 20 Page 22 Acquisition expands New technical focus for The Advanced Structural Collaboration in research Bloodhound & Castle Alcoa’s leadership in jet Global Manufacturing Testing Centre programme to develop Precision enthuse next engine components Festival CO2 capture technologies generation of engineers The National Metals Technology Centre, Telephone: +44 (0)114 222 4786 University of Sheffield AMRC, Advanced Fax: +44 (0)114 222 7678 Manufacturing Park, Wallis Way, Catcliffe, Email: [email protected] Rotherham, S60 5TZ Introduction One of the themes running One thing is certain, whatever “Some of the economic through this edition of the the solution or combination of Journal is the need to look to the solutions manufacturers adopt, uncertainty has been future, not simply in terms of they will need to invest in technologies, but also in terms of technology, processes and meeting the increasing demand people. eliminated by Scotland’s for flexibility within individual To do that, they need the factories and supply chains, in reassurance and certainty recent decision to remain order to develop the capability to provided by stable economic manufacture bespoke products policies. part of the UK, but there with short lead times. Some of the economic Airbus head of research and uncertainty has been eliminated is still a General Election technology Colin Sirett outlined by Scotland’s recent decision to the challenge in his speech to remain part of the UK, but there and a vote on the UK’s the Global Manufacturing is still a General Election and a Festival, which is featured in this vote on the UK’s membership of membership of the European edition. the European Union on the He told delegates at the Festival horizon. Union on the horizon” that Airbus was targeting a Set against that background, it 40 per cent cut in the cost of its was good to see both Business aircraft by 2020 and a 50 per Welcome to the latest Secretary Vince Cable and his cent reduction in the time to get Quarterly Journal, published Labour opposite number, Chuka a new aircraft to market. He also as we gather for our annual Umunna, calling for a stable, urged SMEs to become more conference, focusing, this long term industrial strategy in flexible and able to adapt to year, on advances in net their speeches to the Global change, while investing in shape manufacturing. It’s a Manufacturing Festival. topic that has been the technology to cut the cost of Innovative intern programme targets subject of a lot of hype in machining. advances in medical products p5 recent years. Ways of achieving that aim could That makes it all the more include developing important that we develop a reconfigurable factories and clear understanding of the using powder metallurgy capabilities and the limitations of technology to cut stocks of new net shape technologies finished components and while not losing sight of produce them overnight, on developments in established demand – two more topics New AMRC machine could boost hopes manufacturing processes like featured in this edition. for tailor-made implants p8 casting and forging. Dr. James Hughes Director AMRC-NAMTEC Contents Members News page 3-6 Bloodhound’s bid to enthuse the next generation of engineers strikes chord with AMRC page 22-24 General News page 7-9 Event Reviews page 25 Features New technical focus for Case Studies Global Manufacturing Festival page 10-13 Researchers empty their pockets to help aerospace manufacturers meet a major challenge page 26 The Advanced Structural Testing Centre page 14-16 Tests to improve efficiency and reduce risks Demand for bespoke products and a competitive of damaging components as speeds rise page 27 edge drives quest for flexibility in aerospace page 17 Researchers extend understanding of Modelling and monitoring combine to cut ceramic tool performance page 27 aerospace costs while boosting quality page 18-19 Upcoming Events & Courses page 28 Academics and industry collaborate in pioneering research programme to develop CO2 capture technologies page 20-21 THE QUarterly To keep up to date with all Advertising Enquiries journal the latest news and Kirsten Bolton, Marketing Manager The National Metals Technology Centre, Tel: +44(0)114 222 4786 developments please visit Tel: 0114 222 4785 University of Sheffield AMRC, Advanced Fax: +44(0)114 222 7678 the NAMTEC website at Email: Manufacturing Park, Wallis Way, Catcliffe, Email: [email protected] www.namtec.co.uk [email protected] Rotherham, S60 5TZ 2 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Member News Leading industrial gases group BOC has helped circlip manufacturer Cirteq to cut costs and BOC helps Cirteq improve quality. North Yorkshire-based Cirteq supplies precision engineered circlips to companies worldwide and includes the automotive and aerospace sectors among those it supplies. The company hit problems when Cirteq’s plant in North Yorkshire an ageing Exogas generator, dioxide atmosphere process, which also led to supplying plant annealing wire produced by the Exogas quality improvements. used to produce circlips, Cirteq approached BOC for generator with its Carboflex The success with the annealing became unreliable. help. product, which uses a nitrogen plant has resulted in BOC being and propane-based mixture. With the generator requiring BOC suggested replacing the asked to review the operation of constant maintenance and parts combination of carbon The result was a more reliable other furnaces at Cirteq’s plant. and expertise in short supply, monoxide, hydrogen and carbon and cost effective annealing Sheffield Forgemasters unveils management changes and US Navy success Sheffield Forgemasters has announced a series of management changes designed to maximise its specialist strengths and skills base. Sheffield Forgemasters’ recent appointees l-r, Paul Madin, Dr Martin Novak, Dr Steve Price and Mark Tomlinson Dr Martin Novak has taken over Forgemasters can fabricate more been taken by Matthew Morley. support of US Navy submarines. as managing director of Sheffield complex, safety critical News of the appointments came Representatives from the Forgemasters Steel, succeeding components found at the heart of shortly before Forgemasters aerospace, defence, and security Dr Steve Price, who will head nuclear power stations by announced it had won a sectors have visited Forgemasters’ sales division. Dr welding together parts made landmark US$ 6.2 million contract Forgemasters on a fact finding Novak, 47, spent 10 years as from different materials. to supply crucial castings for the mission. head of the steel making facility US Navy’s submarine fleet. Following ASME NPT approval, at Czech company Pilsen Steel, Around 30 members of the NDI Forgemasters has named Paul The company will supply 84 one of Forgemasters’ historic Supply Chain 21st Century Madin as group welding and castings, to General Dynamics competitors and has a wide (SC21) cluster, which acts as the fabrication director. Mr Madin was Electric Boat Corporation, the range of international contacts UK National Supply Chain the group’s foundry technical company responsible for the and experience. Improvement Programme for the director, a post that has now design, construction and lifecycle sector, toured the company’s Former melting shop technical plant in Brightside, Sheffield. director, Mark Tomlinson Members of the SC21 cluster, pictured during their visit to becomes the group’s business Sheffield Forgemasters International They learned how Forgemasters development director, had used Lean and SC21 responsible for finding new principals to develop an markets and services integrated and collaborative Forgemasters can provide and supply chain internally, and with maximising the company’s supply chain partners, to improve marketing operations. business performance and efficiency. Forgemasters is planning to capitalise on its newly acquired SC21 accredited improvement American Society of Mechanical specialist David Hood praised Engineers (ASME) to gain ASME Forgemasters for being willing to NPT (Nuclear Partials) status with share its best practice with others further appointments. through visits, presentations and discussions. ASME NPT status means E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 3 Member News Global lightweight metals technology group Alcoa has paid US $2.85 billion to buy Firth Rixson, the Sheffield- Acquisition expands based aerospace jet engine components manufacturer. Alcoa says the deal will Alcoa’s leadership in strengthen its robust aerospace business and put it in a better jet engine components position to grow in that market. Firth Rixson has 13 plants in the UK, US, Europe and Asia and supplies customers in more than 40 countries. The company is the world’s largest supplier of Alcoa is the largest aluminium maker in the US Photo: REUTERS seamless rings for aero engines and is a leader in the production Alcoa says the acquisition will of conventionally and isothermally expand Alcoa’s presence into the forged engine disc technology. full range of global aerospace The company’s integrated engine forgings. extrusion and closed die forging Since the Alcoa deal, Firth Rixson operations supply components for has signed a long term critical jet engines, aircraft landing gear supplier contract with international and the mining and oilfield high technology group Safran’s sectors, while its specialised cast aero engine business, Snecma, and wrought superalloy worth more than an estimated operations supply a range of high $200 million initially. technology markets. Firth Rixson will supply closed die Firth Rixson is also one of the forged and seamless ring rotating world’s leading suppliers of components for the LEAP-1A, 1B vacuum melted superalloys used and 1C engine, being developed to make aerospace, industrial gas by CFM International, a joint turbine, oil and gas products and venture involving GE Aviation and structural components for landing Snecma.