THE QUarterly journal Issue 11 - October 2014 www.namtec.co.uk Demand for bespoke products and a competitive edge drives quest for flexibility

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 AMRC, Advanced Fax: +44 (0)114 222 7678 Manufacturing Park, Wallis Way, Catcliffe, Email: [email protected] , 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 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 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 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 ’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. gear applications. The LEAP is a high-bypass It is also currently the leading engine that will power global supplier of seamless rolled leading next generation aircraft Ground testing of CFM jet engine rings, engineered from from the Airbus A320neo family International's new Leap-1B nickel-based superalloys and and the Boeing 737 MAX family, to turbofan - Firth Rixson will supply titanium, and is a major supplier of closed die forged and seamless the Comac C919. ring rotating components jet engine forgings.

funding, which will help to keep the UK at the forefront of the global Clegg aerospace research funding aerospace sector and will also support the work of the AMRC.” announcement boost for AMRC Mr Clegg unveiled the government plans during a visit to the Farnborough International Plans for a The AMRC’s Factory 2050 will play a key role in developing the Airshow. £154 million ‘Wing of the Future’ He announced a £42 million government investment in research led by Airbus into designing, investment in manufacturing and assembling aerospace research the commercial aircraft ‘Wing of have brought a “...help to the Future,’ one of the projects keep the UK at researchers from the AMRC are further boost for already heavily involved with. the forefront of the The University of A further £20 million will go to a global aerospace Sheffield project led by Rolls-Royce to sector” The which will share the cash, explore new ways of creating Advanced Rotherham- announced by Deputy Prime lighter, greener and more fuel- Manufacturing based AMRC is Minister Nick Clegg. efficient aircraft engines, while £49 already heavily AMRC Executive Dean Professor million will go to a project led by Research Centre with involved in three of the four cutting Keith Ridgway, CBE, described GKN to create lighter aircraft Boeing (AMRC). edge research programmes, Mr Clegg’s announcement as “a structures – two further areas funded through the UK’s welcome confirmation of long-term where the AMRC is involved. Aerospace Technology Institute,

4 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Member News Innovative intern programme targets advances in medical products Five student entrepreneurs are aiming to make a breakthrough in medical technology after winning places on an innovative internship programme.

The five beat more than 400 a day of activities, presentations students from around the country, and interviews at the AMRC’s vying to spend their year in industry Knowledge Transfer Centre. All are employed at the University of delighted to have secured a year’s Sheffield’s newly established paid employment as an intern. Medical Advanced Manufacturing “Once I saw the AMRC and how Research Centre. amazing it is, I really wanted to The Medical AMRC combines come here,” said Adam Wilson, 28, cutting-edge manufacturing from , who is studying technologies with world-class electrical engineering. research and development, and Adam worked for McDonalds until provides access to clinical an evaluation by the fast food expertise which helps companies chain to see if he was suitable for to develop new medical devices promotion showed he would be and manufacturing processes. perfect in a technical role. It has also launched a medical From l-r, Adam Wilson, Phil Mulver, Asqa Ahmed, Callum Mulligan and Syed Hammad. “I had been thinking about going to products operation, called Prototyping Group at the AMRC. By the end of their year, they will university as a mature student and NextGen Medical, which the interns have created a prototype that The interns will act as NextGen that spurred me on,” he explained. will run for one year. could be turned into a product that Medical’s directors, developing Fellow interns include former Army “We want to promote an is ready for market by future ideas for innovative products aircraft technician Callum Mulligan, entrepreneurial spirit among NextGen interns. aimed at areas of need in the 24, from Chesterfield, now studying students, so we have created healthcare market, such as Staff from the Medical AMRC will aerospace engineering and Phil NextGen Medical with backing promoting cleanliness, improving act as non-executive directors and Mulver, 20, and Syed Hammad, from the Higher Education Funding accessibility, tackling rising costs, advisers and a team of local 21, both from Birmingham and Council for (HEFCE) and improving life for ageing entrepreneurs will give the interns studying business studies and the European Regional populations and tackling the benefit of their experience. aerospace engineering Development Fund (ERDF),” says healthcare issues in the developing The successful interns faced a respectively. Derek Boaler, who heads the world. Medical AMRC and Design and tough selection process, including

Rolls-Royce links with Chinese nuclear reactor vendor CNNC

Rolls-Royce has signed a China is one of the world’s deal with Chinese nuclear biggest markets for civil nuclear reactor vendor, CNCC, to power, with 21 reactors in work together in areas in the operation, 28 under construction field of civil nuclear power, in and further reactors planned. China, the UK and other Rolls-Royce currently employ overseas markets. 2000 employees across China The two companies will explore and supplies safety critical opportunities for collaboration on instrumentation and control engineering support, provision of technology to more than 70 components and systems, percent of nuclear reactors in emergency diesel generators operation or under construction and supply chain management. in China.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 5 Member News AMRC Training Centre helps jobless 22-year- “... life changing opportunity and old secure engineering pointed me in the right apprenticeship direction” Sam Jackson An initiative to help jobless writing and personal skills with the assessment days, Sam secured AMRC Training Centre head of youngsters improve their Sheffield-based, employer-led an interview with Darron SBO, the operations, Kerry Featherstone, chance of finding work has Work-Wise Foundation . Rotherham-based precision said: “We were delighted to be come up trumps for 22-year- Sam enjoyed his two weeks at the machining specialist that makes able to work with Jobcentre Plus old Sam Jackson. Training Centre so much that he hi-tech ‘downhole’ drilling tools for and Work-Wise to give these Sam was one of 15 out of work 20 decided to apply for an the oil industry. young people an understanding of to 25 year olds taking part in a apprenticeship through the centre. “We saw four or five candidates the opportunities that are available in engineering. JobCentre Plus employability “It was a really, really life changing and Sam definitely stood out,” programme which included a two opportunity and pointed me in the says Darron SBO’s Denis Smith. “Sam’s success shows that even week spell at the University of right direction,” says Sam. Sam will work to secure a Level 2 if you left school some time ago Sheffield AMRC Training Centre. NVQ in Performing Engineering and have been out of work for a “Two weeks at the AMRC Training while, you could still become an The youngsters spent two weeks Centre made my mind up. It was Operations on the way to studying in the AMRC Training Centre’s for a Level 3 Extended Diploma in apprentice and work towards a something I definitely wanted to career in the advanced workshop, getting a feel for what do,” says Sam. “It was brilliant.” Engineering as an Advanced apprenticeships and engineering Apprentice before joining Darron manufacturing sector.” are all about, in addition to Following one of the AMRC SBO’s 80-strong shop floor improving their interview, CV Training Centre’s rigorous workforce. Software partnership boosts development of new manufacturing technologies A new partnership with California-based MSC Software Corporation will increase the capabilities of the University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing to to develop new manufacturing technologies. The three year partnership has analyse and optimise innovative major implications for the components across a range of development of new techniques industry-led research work and and technologies for designing simulate cutting processes for and processing components combined metal-composite made from hi-tech composites. components. AMRC Composite Centre project MSC Software has more than engineer Zeeshan Qureshi says 50 years’ experience in the field MSC software will allow the of Computer Aided Engineering, Centre to integrate the design starting out by developing and manufacturing of composite fed back in to the software industrial partners and will also Nastran to ensure the vibration in components. simulations to help to develop be used to help MSC Software to the Saturn V rocket would not put Information from the the best manufacturing validate its softwaretools. MSC astronauts’ lives at risk. manufacturing process will be processes for the AMRC’s software will be used to design,

6 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal General News

“...if he was Top aerospace executive leaving school today he would praises University want to be an apprentice at the apprenticeships initiative AMRC Training A top executive from global aero engine giant Rolls-Royce has Centre” given a ringing endorsement to a University of Sheffield initiative that gives young people cutting edge engineering skills.

Rolls-Royce director of global manufacturing, Dr Hamid Mughal, was speaking at the National Summit for Apprentices and Higher Vocational Education, held at the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Dr Hamid Mughal speaking “You cannot ask for a better change – I think people will (AMRC), in the Sheffield City over 100 companies operating environment for tomorrow’s remember the AMRC for creating Region. here,” Dr Mughal said. engineers to create the complex, world-class engineers.” He told attendees, including “They all have customer-oriented customer-oriented values and Dr Mughal told the summit the Business Secretary Dr Vince problems which means customer- solutions for industry, the future was about creating deep Cable, that if he was leaving oriented opportunities for complex economy and for the UK than this scientific knowledge and values school today he would want to be solutions to be developed by the environment. that develop commercial success, an apprentice at the AMRC people here. Wonderful innovative “In years ahead, long after people capable processes and very Training Centre. environments – we have the like me have retired, I think when capable people. Nuclear AMRC, we have the “If I was 16 years old and I was people look back at the AMRC “Why is the AMRC the ideal place AMRC, we have the Training given a hundred choices for and say ‘What has the AMRC for developing those kinds of Centre and Design Prototyping careers, I would choose here done?’ – apart from all the skills? It is very simple. You have and Testing Centre.” every time,” said Dr Mughal. technologies and infrastructure European funding boost for Drax Carbon Capture scheme The White Rose Carbon Capture Capture Power chief executive contribute greatly to the and Storage (CCS) Project will Leigh Hackett said: “We’re decarbonisation of global power produce enough power to meet delighted. The NER300 award markets.” the needs of 630,000 homes by represents another significant White Rose is intended to be the burning coal and could also burn milestone for us in our anchor project for National sustainable biomas fuels. development Grid’s Yorkshire and Ninety per cent of the CO2 programme and an “We are Humber CO2 transport Plans to build an produced by the plant will be important well on track to and storage captured and transported by potential source demonstrate the infrastructure eco-friendly 426MW pipeline to be permanently stored of funding for the key role that CCS development power plant beside the deep beneath the seabed of the Project, as well can play in the programme. North Sea. as providing a future UK energy existing Drax Power strong signal for mix.” The programme aims to Station, near Selby in Project developer Capture Power CCS in Europe. create attractive carbon has been told it could receive up capture and storage solutions North Yorkshire have got to 300 million towards the “We are well on track to for a variety of energy intensive € demonstrate the key role that CCS a 300 million boost project from the European industries, helping to secure the € NER300 programme, one of the can play in the future UK energy long-term industrial future of the from the European world's largest funding schemes mix. CCS is an important region, which emits 60 million Union. for innovative low-carbon energy technology providing clean, tonnes of CO2 a year, equivalent demonstration projects. reliable and cost competitive to 19 per cent of all UK emissions. electricity with the potential to

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 7 General News

New AMRC machine could boost hopes for tailor-made implants

Medical implants, tailor made Main image above: University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing Design Prototyping and Testing Centre senior for individual patients, could project manager Dr Andy Bell watches machine operator be closer to reality, following Lee Moore mount a grinding wheel on the new Blohm the installation of a state of grinding machine. the art grinding machine at the University of Sheffield Left: Lee Moore (right) and Ben Colman about to mount a diamond dresser on the new Blohm grinding AMRC with Boeing. machine at the University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing Design Prototyping and Testing Centre. The new, PROFIMAT MC607, 5-axis CNC grinding machine, made by German company Blohm Jung, is one of the most profiled grinding wheels. Its flexible machines of its type 24-position tool magazine can and has been installed at hold mills, drills and other the AMRC Design cutters, as well as grinding Prototyping and 3D wheels up to 400 mm in diameter Testing Centre. printing could and 100 mm wide. One of the moving bring major investigated by like for like and 3D printing saves That allows the number of column grinding the newly on material, so there is the separate machining operations machine’s key roles benefits for established potential to reduce weight,” says to be reduced, often to just one, will be to enable patients Medical AMRC, Dr Andy Bell, from the AMRC cutting manufacturing costs and, researchers to which is on the Design & Prototyping Group. when combined with the eight increase understanding same site as the “However, the surface isn’t of a tonne machine’s increased of how materials behave AMRC. high enough quality for rigidity, increasing accuracy. during grinding. At present, patients needing components used in a The machine also boasts Future plans include using the replacement knees have to make replacement joint, so it has to be significantly higher positioning grinder to create a high quality do with the best possible match very, very highly finished, which is speeds and a wheel cleaning finish on artificial knee joints, from a range of standard sizes. where the grinder comes in.” system that helps to keep made from cobalt-chrome In future, the joint being replaced The Design Prototyping and grinding wheels sharp, while powder, using 3D printing could be scanned so that a 3D Testing Centre’s new CNC maintaining their profile, allowing technology. replica can be made that would grinder, supplied by Blohm increased feed rates. 3D printing could bring major be a perfect match. Jung’s UK agent, JRA Bennett benefits for patients and is one “The big advantage is the joint is can produce highly complex area of research being bespoke, so you are replacing components without the need for

8 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal General News

Nanoparticles boost aero engine life and efficiency

Swedish researchers stresses when major have boosted the temperature changes lifespan of coatings on make it expand and aero engine components, contract. The nanoparticles making them more resistant increased the coating’s to heat, while cutting fuel service life by 300 per cent, consumption and emissions. allowing the temperature in the The researchers, from engine to be increased. That University West, added resulted in increased nanoparticles to the efficiency, reduced ceramic coating to emissions and make it more decreased fuel resistant to the consumption. Vauxhall launches Liquid metal first significant manoeuvred into recruitment new applications campaign A technique for controlling the surface tension of liquid metals could lead to for a decade applications in reconfigurable electronic Car manufacturer Vauxhall is "Both of our UK manufacturing circuits, antennas and other creating 550 jobs at its plants have won long contracts technologies. factories in Ellesmere Port, with all-new products and as the Cheshire and Luton in business strengthens, we now Developed at North Carolina Bedfordshire. need to take on more people to State University (NC State), the technique is said to hinge on the Ellesmere Port is recruiting 300 build these exciting new Vauxhalls.” fact that the oxide “skin” of the additional workers to build the metal – which can be deposited next generation of Vauxhall Vauxhall says the announcement or removed – acts as a Astras, while the Luton van plant represents its first significant surfactant, lowering the surface will take on the remaining 250. recruitment programme for a tension between the metal and Ellesmere Port won the contract decade. the surrounding fluid. showed that the change in for the all-new Astra in 2012 and The researchers used a liquid surface tension is reversible. If will start production towards the metal alloy of gallium and researchers change the polarity end of 2015. indium. In base, the bare alloy of the charge from positive to Tim Tozer, chairman and has a high surface tension of negative, the oxide is eliminated managing director of Vauxhall about 500 millinewtons and high surface tension is said: "This is great news for (mN)/metre, which causes the restored. The surface tension Vauxhall and for British metal to bead up into a can be tuned between these two manufacturing, spherical blob. According to NC extremes by varying the voltage State, the researchers also in small steps.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 9 Features “We need an ambitious, cross-government strategy that gives firms confidence of success”

New technical focus

The Global Manufacturing Festival is one of the largest annual events Global Ma n for the manufacturing The festival attracts international Government and of manufacturing industry. visitors in addition to national sector in the Yorkshire opposition unite in He praised the AMRC, and international speakers and a bid to create long describing it as the pioneer, and and Humber region regional audience, including term industrial highlighted the work of the SMEs and senior opinion strategy. AMRC Training Centre in and an event of formers. Politicians from opposing bridging the skills gap. Dr Cable national significance. This year’s festival focused on parties have called for unity stressed the vital role of the UK’s developments in the offshore oil over industrial policy and manufacturing supply chain to and gas, renewable energy, skills development. the country’s economic success aerospace and rail sectors, with and the need for an industrial “Britain a strong emphasis on supply Business Secretary Dr Vince strategy.“We have got to start was starting to chain developments and Cable and his Labour shadow, thinking long term,” said opportunities for SMEs in Chuka Umunna, made their calls Dr Cable. see a serious particular. during separate speeches renaissance, during the Global Manufacturing “Politicians think they are heroic The 2014 festival incorporated Festival, hosted at the University if they do something for five including the revival two special technical sessions of Sheffield AMRC Training years, but we have got to have of manufacturing for the first time, covering Centre. long term certainty, creating industry.” developments in powder structures where we think and metallurgy and composites, with Dr Cable told more than 500 plan well beyond the life of a speakers drawn from SMEs at business people, including Parliament and working as a the forefront of either developing international guests, that Britain partnership.” or using the technologies. was starting to see a serious renaissance, including the revival Dr Cable said the UK faced a

10 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Features

very serious shortage of skilled Engineering SMEs workers, combined with an urged to become ageing workforce in industry. more flexible and “There is a massive need for invest in technology. trained people at apprentice and Moves towards modular and graduate engineer level,” said Dr ‘virtual’ manufacturing, Cable. crowdsourced collaborative Speaking the following day, design, disruptive green Chuka Umunna told Festival technology and ‘intelligent’ delegates: “We need an digital links between different ambitious, cross-government layers of the supply chain are strategy that gives firms the new challenges and confidence of success. opportunities facing UK manufacturers. “The Industrial Strategy cannot A series of speakers to the 2014 Labour shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, addresses the Global Manufacturing Festival, while Jaguar just be a project of BIS (the Land Rover executive director Mike Wright, left, and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce chief Richard Wright look on. Department for Business Global Manufacturing Festival Innovation and Skills). It has to outlined significant innovations in the way products would be Labour shadow be a vision of all departments. Business Secretary, designed, ordered and Chuka Umunna “Both myself and Vince have a manufactured to keep costs huge amount of consensus on down, increase the speed of the need for continuity on manufacturing and ensure industrial strategy and making growth in quality. changes only when necessary.” Among them were Airbus head of research and technology, Colin Sirett, HS2 commercial director Beth West and Subsea Flexibles regional general manager Bruce for Heppenstall. nufacturing Festival Mr Umunna also praised the Colin Sirett told SMEs they had AMRC Training Centre. to become more flexible and able to adapt to change, while “we don’t “What an incredibly impressive investing in technology to cut the have all the place you have here,” he said. cost of machining. answers. A lot of “If we invest in the long term and Airbus’s latest generation A380 solutions are back the talent of our people, and A350 aircraft had pushed coming from what we can achieve is limitless. the boundaries of what could be SMEs ” We need to expand the number achieved, helping to ensure that of high quality apprenticeships. while demand for air travel had In the global economy, a nation risen by 45 per cent, demand for of our size cannot afford to jet fuel had only risen by three Airbus head of research and technology Colin Sirett addresses waste anyone’s talent.” per cent. the Global Manufacturing Festival Speaking alongside Mr Umunna Now, Airbus was targeting a 40 was Jaguar Land Rover per cent cut in the cost of its carry on doing what we are Mr Sirett highlighted the work executive director Mike Wright, aircraft by 2020 and a 50 per doing today,” said Mr Sirett. Airbus was doing with the AMRC on the next generation of ultra who has been carrying out a cent reduction in the time to get “We are very proud of our high strength, corrosion resistant review of how the UK develops a new aircraft to market. products – but we don’t have all steels which could replace more its supply chains at the shadow the answers. A lot of solutions “That’s not going to happen if we expensive metals and urged Business Secretary’s request. are coming from SMEs.”

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 11 Features

SME suppliers to invest in Meeting the cutting their own costs. challenges of “I know there is technology in the tapping UK’s Sheffield region that can take 20 offshore wind power. per cent out of the cost of Britain’s location as the machining. Is that being applied “windy corner of Europe” universally? No it is not. gives it access to a Companies need to be flexible tremendous natural resource and adapt to change. There are for generating electricity, but not going to be long lead times the challenges involved in in future. There will be snap are significant, according to changes because, in the future, Matthew Chinn. we cannot afford to build aircraft in the way we do today.” The managing director of Siemens Energy was speaking Apprentices continue learning as Global Manufacturing Festival delegates begin to arrive. Beth West, from HS2 at the Global Manufacturing emphasised how the high speed Festival, outlining the global rail project was seeking to engineering giant’s plans to involve contractors at an early build a major wind turbine stage to develop new ways of production and installation working that would cut facility on the banks of the time and costs the Humber as part involved. “Completed of what has One solution turbines will be become known as the Green could be to almost as tall as the develop modular Port Hull designs for London skyscraper development. bridges that would known as the Completed allow the process to Gherkin ” turbines will be be industrialised, with almost as tall as the Delegates arrive for the Global Manufacturing Festival. sections being built off London skyscraper known site, improving quality control as the Gherkin and the and health and safety, while seamless blades, made in a reducing the construction single shot injection moulding footprint and waste. process are 75 metres long – Bruce Heppenstall, from GE Oil longer than the A380 Airbus. & Gas subsidiary, Wellstream Turbines need hi-tech electrical Subsea Flexibles said virtual equipment that has to be lifted manufacturing and 20 metres above the waves and crowdsourced collaborative must keep operating for up to design had helped GE reduce 30 years. Getting the electricity the weight of aero engine to shore is another major brackets by 80 per cent. challenge. Now the same principles were to Mr Chinn said the need to be applied to producing the manufacture as close to the flexible subsea oil pipes, location where offshore wind Apprentices at work. capable of withstanding internal turbines will be installed was a Powder metallurgy reduce weight and allow pressures of 1,000 atmospheres key factor in choosing the Green sets the scene for companies to instantly and extreme wave events only Port Hull location. ‘instant’ produce highly complex likely to occur only once in manufacturing, components that would 10,000 years. The company is building a factory the size of 10 football eliminating cash tied otherwise be impossible to Such developments would allow pitches on the site, with its own up in stocks. manufacture. SMEs to become involved in road and hopes to start Major developments in Delegates at the Global what had previously been production in 2016, moving up to technology for manufacturing Manufacturing Festival heard complex, proprietary products. full production in 2017. and processing metal from three companies at the powders are set to cut costs, forefront of developments in the

12 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Features

field of powder metallurgy. UK and spending six months designing a solution. Michael Stephenson, from Rotherham-based Metalysis, British companies need to be explained the technology behind more willing to work together to a revolutionary, eco-friendly develop new world beating process to produce metal products, he added. powders from ore. Vertical axis wind turbines were Lukas Jiranek, from Beckett first developed more than 2,000 MIM, outlined how the company years ago in Persia. According was developing metal injection to 4 NAVITAS, they are simpler in moulding technology, while Dirk design and easier to maintain Aderhold from Atomising than horizontal axis wind Systems – based like Beckett turbines. MIM, in Sheffield – predicted a future where companies would Dominic M’Benga from 4 NAVITAS, the Yorkshire-based manufacturer of UK based vertical axis wind turbines. keep stocks of powder instead of finished components. “British The Metalysis process uses companies had to electrolysis in a bath of molten be more willing to salts to turn a mixture of solid work together to oxides and graphite into pure metals, alloys and carbides. develop new world It allows alloys to be made that beating products” would not normally be possible because of the differences in metals’ melting and boiling Horizontal axis turbines have to points and densities. have huge blades and complex Metalysis has also joined forces gear boxes and control systems, with the University of Sheffield’s to allow them to turn out of high Department of of Materials Dan Fleetcroft from PES speaks at one of the Global Manufacturing Festival’s new technical sessions. winds. Science & Engineering to make British firms fail to companies, trying to bring them They also need to be mounted aerospace and automotive parts seize partnership in as part of the team, offering high above the ground to avoid from titanium, using a 3D printer. opportunities. them long term supply turbulence, while vertical axis agreements” said Mr M’Benga. Lukas Jiranek outlined the metal British manufacturers are turbines can operate closer to injection moulding process, missing out on business “We got the brakes from the ground and have all their explaining how it results in no opportunities because of a Germany because a UK mechanical and electrical wastage of materials and allows reluctance to form company insisted on giving us equipment at ground level. complex designs to be turned partnerships to develop new something ‘off the shelf’ that Despite that, vertical axis into products with a surface technologies, delegates didn’t function and refused to turbines initially lost out to finish close to that achieved by attending technical sessions come out and look at the project. horizontal axis turbines when machining, at significantly at the Global Manufacturing companies began developing reduced costs. “The German company sent two Festival were told. engineers over for six days and wind power systems, because Dirk Aderhold explained how The warning came from Dominic then spent six months materials weren’t available to additive manufacturing using M’Benga from 4 NAVITAS, the developing the product, which cope with the stress levels metal powders allowed Yorkshire-based manufacturer of they then issued us for free to vertical turbines face because companies to make very UK based vertical axis wind test.” they cannot turn out of high complex components that would turbines. Mr M’Benga says 4 winds. be impossible to produce by any Mr M’Benga said 4 NAVITAS NAVITAS was keen to use UK Now, however, advances in other method. also had problems when the two suppliers for as many companies it asked to develop composites and aerodynamic He predicted a future where components as possible, but the gear box and motor, failed to design have allowed 4 NAVITAS companies would keep stocks of has been forced abroad for complete the installation and to develop a turbine with five powder rather than finished some key components. again contacted a German vertical ‘wings’ that can cope components, which would be “One of the challenges has been company which had no with loads up to 10 times those printed off overnight to order. trying to work with UK hesitation in flying experts to the produced by a hurricane.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 13 Features The Advanced Structural Testing

From tow bars, to tyres that still grip the road when they are flat, and nuclear reactor components, the Advanced Structural Testing Centre at the University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing is playing a key role in assuring safety and quality standards.

The Advanced Structural Testing accreditation, this allows it to Centre (ASTC) provides a range develop new procedures, in of testing services for the AMRC collaboration with clients, to and its partners, but its prove out components under capabilities don’t end there. real-world conditions. The ASTC can provide testing The ASTC’s capabilities span the The actuators are capable of “We’ve set ourselves up in such services for other research complete range of testing exerting a combined force of a way as to be able to offer organisations in the ‘Catapult’ requirements and include the eight meganewtons – the these certified capabilities to the network of technology and skills to devise and advise on the equivalent of 800 tonnes – either wide environment of innovation centres, established correct testing strategies and as a compressive or tensile load, researchers, academics and by the Government to help procedures. giving the ASTC the capability to industry and to take on some of businesses to adopt, develop carry out tests for the civil the testing which they may not They start with the ability to test and exploit innovative products engineering, rail and marine have the capability, capacity or ‘coupons’ – samples, including and technologies. sectors. the required certification and new materials or materials accreditation to undertake,” says Further down the scale, the It also fills a key gap for subjected to new manufacturing head of advanced structural ASTC can carry out static and manufacturers with challenging processes – and go on to testing testing, Phil Spiers. and novel testing requirements finished components, sub- fatigue tests in the one that cannot easily be met by assemblies and assemblies. meganewton to 10 kilonewton commercial services. range, with the capacity to go as It can test materials ranging from low as one newton, if necessary. The ASTC’s aim is to composites, including metal complement not compete with matrix composites, and When it comes to applying the commercial sector. ceramics to rapid prototype filled loads, the ASTC can not only lattices, steels, hi-tech alloys and perform loading in a single axis It is keen to collaborate with other metals. but, it can also apply tension, commercial test houses by compression or fatigue forces providing additional capacity Physical size, load requirements from eight separate points on a and capabilities which help and the number of component, sub-assembly or manufacturers develop measurements that need to be assembly simultaneously over a innovative new products and get made at the same time are also period of time. them to market faster. no barrier. Meanwhile, the ASTC’s state of Its ability to take on that role is The ASTC’s large reconfigurable the art HBM data recording boosted by the fact that it is testing rig can cope with equipment can record up to 200 accredited by the United components up to 10 metres channels of data, taking 16,000 Kingdom Accreditation Service square and can supply up to 300 samples, from each sensor, a (UKAS) and is the only structural litres of hydralulic fluid a minute second, if necessary. test facility within a UK university to actuators operating at up to to hold ‘in-house methods’ 3,000psi.

14 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Features

Unique facilities wheel for vehicles ranging from boost development police cars and armoured of revolutionary saloons for politicians and vehicle safety diplomats to military 4x4s, system. combat vehicles and heavy trucks. A revolutionary system that allows vehicles with punctured Mr Lust says existing systems tyres to carry out high speed tend to use expensive, complex wheels, which require specialists tyres and tyre fitting equipment. Changing those tyres more than one tyre is deflated out tests in a much more takes a significant amount and struggle to maintain controlled way than would be Centre sufficient contact with the road possible on track, applying static whilst also locking the tyre bead loads, videoing what is to the rim to stop it coming off. happening to the tyre while recording measurements, and Runflat Systems’ insert, which stopping tests immediately if has secured multiple patents, there is a failure, before the answers all of those problems Runflat device suffers too much and is designed to offer steering damage to see what caused the and handling control, together failure. with traction and breaking performance even if all four tyres “Using the ASTC has saved us are punctured. a fortune in time and money,” says Mr Lust. It has also eclipsed the 50km distance which Mr Lust says is “If you are using a test track and the furthest other systems have something starts breaking, you achieved. can’t see what is happening inside the wheel, but, at the One of the challenges in ASTC, you can see it live, in developing the Runflat’s system action, in front of you. manoeuvres and keep going for of time and has to be done in the has been testing prototypes as miles is being tested to its limits sort of clean environment you the company moves closer to “It’s brilliant. Without the ASTC at the AMRC’s ASTC. won’t find in a combat zone. production. we would be years behind where we are now.” The invention is the brainchild of Existing systems aren’t able to Most normal test houses Richard Lust of Runflat Systems, cope with the weight of the wouldn’t have the equipment or who has many years experience armoured vehicles, his system is the breadth of expertise to carry working on run flat tyre systems. aimed at or the sort of extreme Testing centre rises out tests, but, fortunately for to challenge of new manoeuvres they have to make Runflat, the AMRC’s Advanced Now he has turned his attention and the speed and distance they legislation. to one of the toughest Structural Testing Centre has the have to travel on flat tyres to get capabilities and is based only a New European Union legislation challenges of all – developing a out of trouble. run flat insert that fits inside a few hundred yards away. on towbars has proved to be a testing challenge for standard tyre on a standard They also cannot cope when The ASTC has been able to carry manufacturers.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 15 Features

PCT Automotive, one of applied, and Europe’s leading designers, reacting to any manufacturers and distributors displacement of the of towbars, towing electrics and system. automotive products, is rising to PCT knew that the the challenge, with assistance ASTC had the from the AMRC’s ASTC. expertise to devise European testing of towbars a testing regime began in 1998 when a two that would meet million push pull cycle fatigue Europe’s new test, designed to simulate a requirements. towing environment, was The partnership introduced. between the two When the European Commission means that when one of the latest generation of tube wall and sheet thicknesses, unveiled plans to introduce the new legislation comes into pressurised water reactors. materials, fixing techniques, enhanced tests for towbars, one force, PCT Automotive will be machines and expansion forces. of the first issues was to develop ready with a test that will lead to The part, the heat exchanger’s the equipment and a testing continued European certification baffle cage, comprises 5,000 six- The new manufacturing regime that would meet the new and Type Approval for the towbar metre tubes, all of which must be techniques could lead to requirements. systems it develops, using its threaded through matching significant reductions in advanced CAD systems. holes in 11 plates - known as assembly times for a range of The new test procedure involves tubesheets - and then secured different heat exchangers and applying different loads on three in place. the work of the ASTC has shown axes over a period of 96 hours that the highly demanding safety Testing time for new Tubes can be welded in place or and has been developed to standards set for civil nuclear nuclear expanded, either by hydrostatic more realistically represent the reactors can continue to be manufacturing forming - filling them with water typical use and abuse a towbar achieved after the new techniques ensures under pressure - or using is likely to encounter over its safety is maintained. techniques are introduced. lifetime. Three axis testing is very wedges (swagging) so that the rare and, since each tow bar has The expertise of the AMRC’s friction between the outer wall of to be designed for a specific ASTC has has played a key role the tube and the hole in the model of vehicle, mounting to in the development of new tubesheet holds it in place. the official manufacturers techniques for making heat Researchers investigating the mounting points, the testing exchangers for the next new techniques need to know system has to be robust and generation of civil nuclear how much force is required to versatile to cope with the reactors. break the joint and whether the potential volume of work The techniques, being tube will start sliding as the force involved. developed by Rolls-Royce and overcomes the friction, which is The fact that testing one towbar the Nuclear AMRC, centre on where the ASTC came in. will take four days also means significantly reducing the cost It developed and is carrying out the system has to be capable of and the time taken to a series of tests to determine imposing the load, monitoring manufacture one of the key parts how much force is needed to the correct load has been of the heat exchangers inside dislodge tubes for a range of

16 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Demand for bespoke products and a competitive edge drives quest for flexibility in aerospace Customer demand, rising concern over skills shortages and the need to remain globally competitive are driving a movement towards increasingly flexible, automated factories, capable of making a range of highly customisable products.

Making sure that the UK “In theory, a factory could be Factory 2050 aerospace supply chain can tap manufacturing a car door one has secured into the expertise it needs to week and two weeks later, switch funding make the most of those trends is to manufacturing a winglet. approval and one of the key drivers behind the “Having expensive equipment has been creation of Factory 2050, the specified for aerospace and designed as an latest development planned by working on automotive parts open working the University of Sheffield AMRC may seem a bit over the top, but environment, with Boeing. working to higher accuracy may with staff in a Demand for flexibility has been give savings over the life of a central hub around in the defence sector for vehicle which are being sought and a circular some time, with different variants by the customer.” workflow of the same aircraft required for around the different armed forces, but has hub. now taken off in the commercial The circular sector with even more variants of Factory 2050 the same aircraft, each of which will also have a can be tailored to the customer’s rectangular specific needs. extension large The pressure to be able to enough to respond to rapid change can accommodate even come from different parts an aircraft wing of the same customer’s and designed 3 images above: Artists impression of Factory 2050 production line. to help the UK maintain its lead in Meanwhile, there is an the field. is difficult, or impossible, to store increasing need for suppliers to Machines and manufacturing and manipulate locally on switch partially from desktop computers. manufacturing for aerospace modules will be able to be into other sectors to ensure moved around the shop floor In Factory 2050, the data will be stable production levels in a and connected easily to services used to develop self optimising market where contracts are for running under the factory floor. technology that will allow increasingly shorter periods and Sophisticated monitoring machine tools and processes to customers are more willing to systems will generate large change the way they are change supplier than ever volumes of information, which working, in order to maximise before. will be processed using what production rates and minimise has become known as ‘Big Data’ tool wear while maintaining the “The biggest emphasis is on the required quality. reconfigurability of a factory and technology. with that comes an improved In the past, this technology has ability to ramp production up been used for analysing and down and improved reaction economic trends, predicting the times,” says Ben Morgan, from weather and solving complex the AMRC’s Integrated problems in physics, where the Manufacturing Group (IMG). amount of data is so large that it

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 17 Features Modelling and monitoring combine to cut aerospace costs while boosting quality Advances in process modelling and monitoring at the University of models and measurement Sheffield AMRC with Boeing could open the way to rapidly developing techniques to understand the machining strategies that cut the cost and improve the quality of effect of varying fibre orientations aerospace components made from everything from titanium and nickel on surface delamination and tool wear when machining based superalloys to composites. composites. As simulation’s capabilities increase, along with real time Reducing the time needed to Tools like Finite Element Analysis component manufacturers are monitoring technologies, the make components by increasing are being combined with a range interested in exploring the trends prospect of achieving the material removal rates is one key of advanced, non-destructive that are likely to emerge if they ultimate vision of using feedback way of cutting costs, but with this measurement techniques, change a machining strategy mechanisms to optimise comes the added risk of including X-Ray Diffraction, and tooling, rather than seeking machining strategies and adapt distortion and high machining Digital Image Correlation, absolute values.” the machining process in real- induced tensile residual stresses Ultrasonic and Thermal Imaging With the increased use of time moves ever closer. resulting in increased scrap to study and predict the effect of composites, the AMRC is also rates and reduced service life. machining on the component developing advanced predictive Making a component within distortion and surface integrity. specified distortion limits and Research at the AMRC is also with acceptable surface integrity filling in gaps in generating the has only been possible following material data for high strain rates extensive and expensive at elevated temperatures, to laboratory trials. Moreover, the increase the accuracy of the introduction of newer, advanced finite element models aerospace materials has often developed. forced the manufacturer to start “Simulation is increasingly the process from the beginning becoming important, especially again. for tailoring the surface integrity Recent work at the AMRC aims of the machined component to to use simulation models to acceptable limits,” says Krunal predict the behaviour of Rana, from the AMRC’s Process component materials during Modelling Group. machining process. “All the more so if aerospace A Finite Element Analysis model is compared with experimental results by the AMRC Process Modelling Group to increase the accuracy of simulation.

18 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Features

Composite machining

Recent work at the AMRC aims to use simulation models to predict the Printing may offer are exploring ways of printing what the The solution to tricky thermocouples directly onto tool behaviour of component groups tool tip temperature consumables. designers material during are measurement If they are successful, the new care about working problem. information they will collect on because it is machining process. with the the cutting process and the such a critical University of Electronic components, printed behaviour of the tool and parameter.” Sheffield’s directly onto cutting tools, could material could have major Printing thermocouples School of provide vital data helping to implications for tool and process onto cutting tools should not Mathematics and monitor temperature during development. significantly increase the cost of Statistics to study the uncertainty machining, extending tool life in simulation data. “Cutting temperature is very a tool and opens the way for and the service life of manufacturers to monitor the The collaboration will not only components. difficult to measure,” says Tom McLeay from the AMRC Process temperature of the tool tip during feed back into improved Researchers from the AMRC and Monitoring and Control Group. production. simulation accuracy, it can also fellow members of the UK’s High That would give them a far better exploit large quantities of model Value Manufacturing Catapult “Vision systems require line of and monitoring data in real time, sight, which is difficult to achieve idea of when a tool was reaching the end of its life and needed informing the manufacturer when in a hostile there is an opportunity to environment as changing, without risking damage to components or optimise tool design, increase there is an cutting parameters and avoid abundance of changing the tool too early. It will also lead on to automatic conservative machining coolant and strategies. metal chips. The systems for managing tooling in peak real time, increasing productivity As the results of modelling and temperature at and extending life of monitoring converge they can the tip of the tool consumable cutting edges. point to cost and time saving is of primary Meanwhile, the AMRC’s Process improvements through changing interest but Monitoring and Control and tool designs, cutting speeds or covers a fraction Process Modelling groups are seeking increased control on of a millimetre of working closely together to grain size or other parameters the cutting edge. compare what simulation from material suppliers. “The tool predicts with what the process temperature is produces.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 19 Features Academics and industry collaborate in pioneering research programme to develop CO2 capture technologies

Energy Minister The praise came from Energy praises researchers’ Minister at the time Michael PACT to cut Fallon, speaking at the KTC greenhouse gas conference after officially emissions. opening PACT’s research centre nearby, at Beighton. A pioneering research “There are over 30 companies programme aiming to make collaborating here at PACT, significant reductions in testing, together, novel greenhouse gas emissions is techniques,” said Mr Fallon, who targeting major growth after is now Secretary of State for revealing that its facilities are fully Defence. booked for the next two and a half years. “Those companies – particularly SMEs – would not have the The Pilot-scale Advanced capacity to fund such a facility on Capture Technology (PACT) their own, so academic and facility, operates from several industry collaboration is Pictured at the official opening of The Pilot-scale Advanced Capture Technology’s Beighton research sites and involves academics absolutely essential as we seek centre are (left to right) Professor Mohamed Pourkashian, the then Energy Minister Michael Fallon, from the Universities of Sheffield, Professor Sir Keith Burnett, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield and Professor John Gibbins, to scale up the technology. from the University of Edinburgh. , Cranfield and Edinburgh working with partners from the “Fossil fuels are going to Announcing that the UK Carbon enthusiastic and clever people energy, chemicals and wider continue to play a crucial role in Capture and Storage Research who are doing work that is crucial manufacturing industries. our energy mix for years to Centre had just allocated a to the future of Britain and the come. You might not want that, PACT is playing a key role in further £2.5 million to support 14 world,” said Sir Keith. you might wish it were otherwise, developing CO2 capture new projects, which had led to a “The issue of making carbon but that is the reality, so technologies with applications in £2 million investment from capture a real, commercial developing Carbon Capture and power generation and industry at industry, Mr Fallon said he knew possibility is crucial to us all Storage is essential to us if we large and includes work on PACT and the University of and the fact that the are to cope with climate change developing economically viable Sheffield were already government is and meet our environmental technologies that could be considering future developments committed to it is really commitments. applied to smaller scale and looked forward to receiving important.” manufacturing processes. “Making technology cheaper and their bid for government backing. making it scalable is the secret; Its work recently won praise from University of Sheffield vice making it cost competitive by the government, when it was chancellor, Professor Sir Keith 2020 so that we can build the showcased at a conference held Burnett, joined the minister in infrastructure and develop a at the the AMRC with Boeing's praising the work of PACT and “making supply chain in this industry and Knowledge Transfer Centre the Beighton research centre. carbon capture keep ourselves supplied with (KTC). “Beighton is absolutely fantastic. energy.” a real, commercial During our visit we met with possibility is crucial to us all”

20 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Features

Michael Fallon (second left) and Professor Sir Keith Burnett, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield Researchers explain the work of The Pilot-scale Advanced Capture Technology’s Beighton centre to Michael Fallon (left), pictured during a visit to The Pilot-scale Advanced Capture Technology research centre at Beighton (right), during the then Energy Minister’s visit to the facility. when Mr Fallon was Energy Minister.

Prof Pourkashian hopes to second vessel Advanced Advanced Manufacturing Park Manufacturing Park transfer PACT’s carbon capture before being plan for pioneering plant and research facilities at re-introduced. national energy Beighton and expand them on an Cranfield’s facility research centre. AMP site, close to the University can operate with of Sheffield’s Advanced mixtures of A leading UK energy technology Manufacturing Research Centre different and innovation expert has with Boeing (AMRC). combustible unveiled a vision for creating a If his ambitions are realised the gases to simulate national research centre, pushing new centre would become a any process the boundaries for eco-friendly national, corporate laboratory environment. power generation and opening CO2 a day from a range of facility, working with industrial up opportunities for British sources, including gas turbines, Cranfield is currently studying and government support to carry business. pulverised fuel, coal and calcium capture – where solid out research into conventional, biomass-based power calcium oxide (CaO), reacts with Professor Mohamed nuclear and unconventional generators and is being used to CO2 to produce solid calcium Pourkashian, head of the power generation, together with test and develop capture carbonate (CaCO3) - for the University of Leeds' Energy the introduction of advanced solvents. cement and steel industries. Technology and Innovation materials to the sector. They are also studying the Initiative and Director of the Research also covers finding The centre would go on to development of Pilot-scale Advanced Capture ways to run generators so that support prototyping and technology to burn syngas – Technology Facility, hopes to the types of flue gases they production opportunities for a mixture of carbon monoxide, create what he describes as a produce maximise the efficiency industry large and small. carbon dioxide and hydrogen – “Power 2050” facility, based at of the Carbon Capture plant. with a high hydrogen content. South Yorkshire’s Advanced A number of PACT researchers PACT’s facilities at Cranfield Manufacturing Park (AMP). outlined projects they were University’s Institute of Energy As the turbine has to be started working on at its facilities. using natural gas, before Speaking at the PACT and Resource Technology, switching to syngas, it has to be conference at the the AMRC with Several centre around the former include the UK’s largest pilot capable of operating with a wider Boeing’s Knowledge Transfer RWE npower Carbon Capture chemical looping facility, which range of gases than ever before. Centre (KTC), Professor plant which has been installed at uses twin, circulating fluidised Pourkashian said PACT’s existing Beighton. bed vessels. Meanwhile, PACT researchers facilities were booked up for The plant can remove a tonne of Typically, in chemical looping, a from the University of Edinburgh research projects for the next metal oxide bed provides the have developed a transportable, two and a half years and oxygen for combustion, with remotely operated minilab, needed to expand. material being re-oxidised in a designed to capture lower volumes of CO2 on site. Potential collaborations include testing the minilab on blast furnace emissions at a UK steelworks and a collaboration with researchers in Mexico.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 21 Features Bloodhound’s bid to enthu of engineers strikes chord Bloodhound SCC aims to push the World Land Speed Record beyond the 1,000 mile an hour with AMRC mark by the end of 2016. But that is only the third aim on the British-based team’s agenda...

The top priority is to create a apply science to everyday life. national surge in the popularity of No one is able to do their job or Science Technology, Engineering live their life without the and Mathematics (STEM) involvement of some form of subjects, followed by meeting engineering. the challenge to create an iconic “Engineering is everywhere, in project requiring extreme manufacturing, healthcare, research and technology whilst farming, clothing, from your ball also engaging the UK’s student point pen to your mobile phone population in the adventure. we carry it everywhere.” The need to encourage a new “We need to continue to solve generation to train to become the problems and make things. The engineering leaders and AMRC exists to make practitioners of the future, and manufacturing in the UK more the opportunity to promote the competitive, which is an UK as a key location for incredibly important goal, but we Members of the Castle team with one of Bloodhound's test wheels advanced manufacturing and need the future talent coming thrust it produces to ensure it is together eight cutting edge engineering excellence, has through.” engaged companies like Castle accurately directed. companies to manufacture Precision, based in Glasgow, and The AMRC and the Nuclear The ASTC will also be testing wheels for Bloodhound SSC. organisations like the University AMRC have been involved in Bloodhound’s front suspension The company is one of a host of of Sheffield Advanced manufacturing and testing key bearings and the bearings for its British organisations working on Manufacturing Research Centre components for Bloodhound’s air brakes, which have to virtually Bloodhound. with Boeing (AMRC). bulkheads, the front and rear double the cross-sectional area Castle is heading a high- suspension subframes, rear and drag of the car, to ensure “We are involved in Bloodhound diffuser floor and the gearbox for powered team, including Innoval because its goals are the right that once it has broken the land Technology, TRIMET, Otto Fuchs, Bloodhound’s auxiliary power speed record it can stop before goals for us and the right goals unit, a high performance racing Metalweb, Amfin and MIC. for the country,” explains Phil the race track runs out. engine that has to pump 800 Its team is developing two types Spiers, head of advanced litres of fuel into the car’s rocket structural testing at the AMRC. engine in 20 seconds. Castle “Creating this groundswell of The AMRC has also helped the Precision interest in science, technology Bloodhound team to source A hi-tech and mathematics among young material and has tested a Castle Precision’s involvement kids is critical. manufacturer that number of components made by supplies turbine with Bloodhound began after “We must engage people and other supporters of the project. discs for give them the opportunity to Its Advanced Structural Testing Rolls-Royce jet the company was named consider engineering as a career Centre (ASTC) has fatigue tested engines is heading Manufacturer of the Year and early in life. If we don’t get them Bloodhound’s rear suspension a consortium by the age of nine or ten, they pull rod. making the fastest SME Manufacturer of the Year. drift off into other careers. In addition, it has hardness wheels on earth. “There is little, if anything, that we tested the car’s brake discs and Castle Precision, see around us every day that was involved in calibrating the based in Glasgow, hasn’t been through the hands of rocket thrust ring, which holds is managing the an engineer. Engineers are the the rocket and monitors the project which brings problem solvers; the people who

22 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Castle Precision’s factory Features use the next generation

Bloodhound project leader Richard Noble, right, with members of the Castle team and the desert wheel

of wheel for Bloodhound – one with a rubber tyre that will be used for shakedown tests on a UK runway, during which Bloodhound will reach around 250 miles an hour. The other wheel, made entirely of aluminium alloy, will be fitted to Bloodhound when it runs on the desert site in South Africa where the 1,000 engineering and to spread the engine turbine discs. mph attempts word about its skills to a wider will take place. Amfin tests the wheels and audience. “Some of the projects processes them to enhance the Castle’s director we are involved with are sensitive properties of the material they of operations, and confidential, but Bloodhound are made from, while MIC shot Yan Tiefenbrun is a project that is open source, peens them to introduce residual we can tell people all about it and says creating Assembling one of the test wheels stresses which protect them the consortium allow people in the company to when Bloodhound is running at is just one of the innovative strength, that are vital if the tell their families,” explains Yan top speed. features of the project. forged wheels are to survive the Tiefenbrun. record attempt. Inducing residual stress is hugely Others include developing an Initial design studies for important to control the effects of entirely new grade of aluminium, The 63 year old, 150 employee Bloodhound’s wheels were degradation caused by the described as a halfway house business has also been using carried out by Lockheed Martin. incredibly abrasive surface of the between alloy grades 2014 and the project to enthuse local Material specialists Innoval and desert, which is expected to 7075, which offers a range of school children and potential suppliers Metalweb worked with liquefy as the Bloodhound runs properties, including ductility and future employees about Germany’s largest aluminium over it, covering the length of four producer, TRIMET and forging and a half football pitches in a specialist Otto Fuchs to develop second. the new grade of aluminium for The wheels are subject to huge the record attempt wheels, while radial g forces at top speed, Metalweb also advised on and which would open up any cracks provided the 7075 aluminium and pores, caused by the alloy from which the runway test abrasive surface if the residual wheels are made. stresses weren’t there to close TRIMET transports the molten them, explains Yan Tiefenbrun. alloy down the autobahn to Otto Testing the completed wheel Fuchs, which supplies the assembles is being carried out forgings to Castle. by Rolls-Royce in Derby, which In addition to managing the has adapted one of its aero wheel package project, Castle engine test rigs to spin the undertakes all the precision wheels at just under 10,500 machining work, using the skills it revolutions a minute. developed working on aero

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 23 Features

The wheel performed perfectly, heating up to 96°C as a result of centrifugal forces and the friction between the wheel and the air. Castle Precision’s involvement with Bloodhound began after the company was named Manufacturer of the Year and SME Manufacturer of the Year. Former Confederation of British Industry director general and government export champion Lord Digby Jones was guest speaker the year Castle won its awards and challenged winners to find a way to give something couldn’t do it by ourselves and it Members of the Castle and Bloodhound Teams at Castle’s factory back to engineering. “Being an would be much better to become of young people to become pupils at its factory, spoken SME, we had limited resources. part of something else and have engineers struck a chord with about the project at numerous We came to the conclusion we a much bigger effect,” says Yan Castle, more than half of whose careers events and hosted visits Tiefenbrun. The workforce has been trained in involving the Bloodhound team. following year, house. The company has also made a Castle was at the “Manufacturing needs 100,000 special display wheel stand so Manufacturer of new engineers each year, at the that its handiwork and the the Year Awards to moment, it is generating 30,000, handiwork of the consortium it hand on its prize so there’s a huge deficit,” says heads can be seen at when World Land Yan Tiefenbrun. exhibitions. Speed Record breaker and “Getting involved with Getting involved in the Bloodhound chief Bloodhound was a huge Bloodhound project also enabled PCT Factory Richard Noble was opportunity to attract the best the company to score another the main speaker. skills in the company and technical ‘first.’ showcase what we do at a Noble’s aim of “At one point during the early global level.” using Bloodhound stages, we had four of the to inspire a Since then, Castle has been able foremost aluminium experts in generation to raise its profile at a special the world sitting in one room. launch of its project, which took “That’s never happened before place at the Scottish and will probably never happen Parliament, has again. The expertise they brought “At one point engaged with into the room was truly 10 Glasgow irreplaceable,” says Yan during the early schools, Tiefenbrun. stages, we had four of hosting One of Bloodhound's desert wheels, made by Castle Precision, is packed before being dispatched to a show the foremost aluminium experts in the world siting in one room”

Members of the Castle and Bloodhound teams with the test wheels Inside Castle Precision’s factory

24 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Event Reviews

Event Reviews Sheffield CO2 emissions by at least 20 per cent and could be ready from the Metallurgical and end of this decade, while UltraFan Engineering will offer 25 per cent improvement and could be ready for service Association from 2025. Conference on Advance and UltraFan will be High ByPass jet engines, with the core Advances in Metals jet engine also driving a fan which Manufacturing forces up to 10 times the weight of Technologies air around the core as passes through it, providing additional The Edge, Endcliffe thrust while reducing noise and Village, University of fuel consumption. Sheffield Developments in Advance include introducing a gear box, reducing Advances in 17th & 18th June the number of shafts needed to Machining Radical changes in aero engine rotate the compressor fans which design could result in significant force air into the engine’s (part of GMF) reductions in fuel consumption, combustion chamber and also AMRC Training Centre, according to Dr Alan Partridge, drive the fan. Rotherham chief project engineer for Rolls- UltraFan will use the Advance Royce’s UltraFan project. core, but will also employ new 24th June Dr Partridge was delivering the technologies for the fan itself. Innovation in machining has opening address to the Sheffield Developments include greater use become easier than ever, and is Metallurgical and Engineering of composites, as well as ceramics not the “big bad wolf” at the door, Association’s 2014 conference and the re-introduction of steels for according to Manufacturing and exhibition. some bearings and gears. Technologies Association (MTA) president, Mark Ridgway. The global aero engine Fans could comprise composite manufacturer believes its Trent blades with titanium edges Mr Ridgway was speaking at the XWB engine is one of the most providing impact resistance. start of the Global Manufacturing efficient flying today. Festival (GMF), hosted by the Although Trent engines will AMRC Training Centre. continue in service for decades to He told delegates attending the come, the group is looking to the event, organised by the AMRC, in future and planning to build on partnership with the MTA, that their success with two new machining might seem to be a generation engine designs – mature industry, but it had the Advance and UltraFan. ability to develop new Advance will reduce fuel burn and technologies, new markets and new supply chains. Speakers from equipment manufacturers Starrag, DMG Mori Seiki and Hermle backed his message up with examples of new innovations, including: Cryogenic cooling technology, capable of reducing tool temperatures from 160°C to 40°C Cutting tools that machine glass, ceramics and carbon fibre more effectively by vibrating ultrasonically. Machines combining additive and subtractive technologies that can add metal layers to parts and also carry out 5-axis machining, whose main application so far is to make parts with internal channels for cooling or carrying liquids. their understanding of the challenges posed by chatter and Dr Pete Osborne, AMRC technical vibration and the need to improve lead on hole generation, told fixturing. companies how they could become better at machining Rolls-Royce UltraFan: The Advance and UltraFan will be up to 25% more fuel efficient, materials that are traditionally the company says. Courtesy Rolls-Royce difficult to cut if they deepened

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 25 Case Studies

Case study Researchers empty their pockets to help aerospace manufacturers meet a major challenge

Aerospace manufacturers are getting a better understanding of how to minimise the cost in either time or consumables of one of the most challenging machining operations they regularly undertake.

Researchers at the University of machining, shortest path slot Sheffield AMRC with Boeing have cutting and high feed continuous been studying different strategies ramp cutting. for a process known as ‘titanium The group used extensive data pocketing’. capture, including cutting force, Pocketing involves removing power, tool wear and visual significant amounts of material process measures, such as in- from titanium components to machine video capture, to gain a reduce weight without far deeper understanding of the early stage of development. “Pocketing compromising their strength. key process variables. The group also hopes to look at involves removing There are a number of ways to Analysing the data has enabled it processes for producing more remove titanium until the pocket to identify the relationship significant amounts of complex features, alternate is formed. It is a repetitive and between resultant wear and key machining strategies and a material from titanium time consuming process and cutting parameters and develop broader range of tooling components to reduce making faster or deeper cuts can a detailed cost matrix, which can applications before investigating lead to significant variations in be used to identify when the weight without the machining of deeper pockets tool life and productivity. process costs for a fixed volume and components with thin walls. compromising their Tool life can be affected by a of material removed are at their strength” series of factors, including the lowest. high cutting forces needed to cut It is vital to work out the cost of titanium, the metal’s low thermal the process and not simply make conductivity, the need to make judgements based on the cost of repeated entries into cuts and the tool as there is a balance to wrap around the internal corners be found between productivity, of the pocket, and the way tool consumption and machining titanium reacts with the tungsten rates. carbide which is commonly used Thanks to the group’s work, it to make aerospace cutting tools. had been able to create an As a result, standard industry benchmark for titanium machinability benchmarks can pocketing that should help be of little help to manufacturers AMRC partners reduce when they try to work out the process costs. optimum machining strategy for The work won’t a component which has pockets. stop there The AMRC’s Structures Platform however. The Group has succeeded in next step is to bridging that gap by using a look at new range of different tools and three tooling different machining strategies - technologies, controlled radial depth currently at an

26 The National Metals Technology Centre Quarterly Journal Case Studies

Tests to improve efficiency and reduce risks of damaging components as speeds rise New techniques for measuring what happens to machine tool spindles as they rotate across the machine’s speed range could improve manufacturers’ abilities to avoid damage to components caused by heavy vibrations, known as ‘chatter.’

The techniques are being The system uses a laser developed by researchers at the displacement sensor and a University of Sheffield’s AMRC simple impact device that hits the with Boeing. tool shank to allow researchers The dynamic properties of the to measure the Frequency spindle, part of the machine tool Response Function (FRF) that tool damage, poor surface that rotates the cutting tool, is captures the varying dynamic quality and scrapped workpieces known to have a significant characteristic of the rotating tool. will occur. influence on the quality of Researchers used the simple finished products. and robust system for measuring Having the capability to measure the dynamics of a rotating tool, After developing techniques to FRF with several tools in different they now hope to boost the measure the dynamics when the machine tools to demonstrate accuracy of their results further spindle was stationary, the how the FRF changed with the and reduce the impact of signal researchers have developed a rotational speed of the spindle. noise by using a number of new system that carries out the The data can then be used to sensors, instead of just one. measurements while the spindle update Stability Lobe Diagrams is rotating. that show cutting performance and when chatter, which causes Researchers extend understanding of ceramic tool performance A new bid to raise understanding of the capabilities of ceramic cutting tools has been launched by the University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing.

Cutting tool inserts made from Researchers at the AMRC have cut and have been used to understanding of how ceramic ceramics are increasingly used already developed simulations create a milling simulator inserts perform. by aerospace manufacturers for circular ceramic tool inserts. application, which the AMRC is Researcher Omer Ozkirimli says because of the productivity gains Now they are building on those inviting partners to try out as part the simulations using Milling they offer, due to their ability to models. of its plans to further develop its Force Coefficients (MFCs) and stand up to the elevated The researchers have been Frequency Response Functions temperatures generated during (FRF) of the cutting tools high speed machining. seeking to simulate how both ceramic and carbide inserts mill accurately predicted dynamic However, getting the machining two nickel-based superalloys – cutting forces, but further work is parameters right is all the more Inconel 718 and RR1000 – which needed to collect more data and crucial with ceramics because are widely used in the aerospace investigate capabilities for they are brittle and susceptible to sector. The models cover a range predicting process stability. wear if there are undesirable of different speeds and depths of vibrations.

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)114 222 4786 www.namtec.co.uk 27 Upcoming Events & Courses

Upcoming events & courses

Members only event: Introduction to Machining Kelham Island Museum AMRC Training Centre, tour & networking event Rotherham & West Midlands 28th & 30th October Kelham Island Museum Thursday 11th December 2014 This one day course provides an overview of the wide variety of machining technologies 4.00pm - 7.30pm available for cutting and forming shapes from Our next members only event will be held on metal feedstock. It provides a wide-ranging Thursday 11th December 2014 at Kelham account of the characteristics, advantages Island Museum, 4.00pm - 7.30pm. and limitations of traditional and advanced Delegates will arrive at 4pm for a welcome Stainless Steel Metallurgy techniques. drink and the chance to network in the beautiful Millowner’s Arms. AMRC Training Centre, At 5pm delegates will be taken on a guided Rotherham & SECO Tools, tour of the museum - opened in 1982 it Alcester houses the objects, pictures and archive 21st & 23rd October 2014 material representing Sheffield’s industrial story. The interactive galleries tell the story A one day technical course covering all from light trades and skilled workmanship to aspects of the production and use of a range mass production and what it was like to live of stainless steel alloys. It provides and work in Sheffield during the Industrial professionals with a working knowledge of a Revolution. number of stainless steels grades including Before heading back to The Millowner’s processing, properties and use. Arms for canapés and more networking the delegates will have the opportunity to see the River Don Engine in action. The engine, Metallurgical Failure built by Davy Brothers of Sheffield in 1905, weighs 400 tons and has 12,000 Analysis and Prevention horsepower. It is the most powerful working AMRC Training Centre, Rotherham steam engine remaining in Europe today. 29th October Members of the AMRC Forum with Membership Plus benefits, TIG members This course will enable delegates to and AMRC & Nuclear AMRC tier 1 & 2 determine how and why a metal component partners are eligible for 2 free places has failed or fractured during service and to this event . Please contact Chloe Lidster identify means of detecting and preventing on [email protected] or call such failures in the future. 0114 222 6661 to book your place. Apprentice Mentoring: Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Engineering the Next Generation AMRC Training Centre, Rotherham 22nd October This course will provide an understanding of what is included within the mentoring process for businesses employing apprentices. It will cover attributes required, the mentoring process and how to work with assessors.

For more information about all the upcoming courses at the AMRC Training Centre, visit: www.amrctraining.co.uk/courses-calendar Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0114 222 9958

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