The Digital Manufacturing Centre (DMC) has significantly expanded its collaboration with the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).
The strengthened partnership will combine the DMC’s commercial additive manufacturing (AM) strengths with the MTC’s existing integration with programmes like DRAMA (Digital Reconfigurable AM Facilities for Aerospace).
The MTC hosts the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing, which accelerates the uptake of AM by developing the technology and systems required to address the key challenges within the additive value chain.
The collaboration will be focused on driving innovation and AM-focused solutions within the mobility, transport, aerospace and niche vehicle sectors. Motivated by Net Zero ambitions, OEMs are seeking lightweight, recyclable and sustainable components and manufacturing to improve vehicle energy efficiency and minimise whole lifecycle emissions. The DMC and MTC will work together to unlock the broader potential of AM applications within these sectors to deliver meaningful benefits and advantages.
Using complementary skillsets and capabilities, the partnership will cover Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 4 through 9. This includes everything from lab validation of technology through to prototype demonstration, completed design, production and, finally, fully operational technology and commercialisation.
The MTC’s relevant experience in component design, product design, additive manufacturing and supply chain management will be accompanied by the DMC’s world-class additive production capabilities and industry experience, providing commercial, end-use ready components across a range of sectors.
The collaboration agreement will also include the DMC’s sister company, KW Special Projects (KWSP). KWSP will be providing the partnership with high-performance engineering consulting as and when required.
Chris Dunkley deputy director at MTC, commented: “We are very excited to be expanding our collaboration with the DMC and tackling major challenges around the future of mobility and transport, particularly decarbonisation through lightweighting and the use of recyclable materials. Here, at the MTC, we have extensive experience working within technology development programmes and designing parts for similar applications, we will be able to use the engineering and materials knowledge we have gained within this partnership to deliver competitive advantages for OEMs.”
Kieron Salter, CEO of the DMC, added: “From the beginning, we set out to be a reference site for commercial additive manufacturing, solving industry challenges through the use of world-class AM processes, materials and engineering design. This new, extended partnership between us and the MTC will further our aim of addressing critical challenges within the mobility and transport sectors, leveraging the numerous and exciting benefits of AM to deliver better components and more efficient vehicles.”
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