Advanced Manufacturing Research Centres (AxRCs)

 The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is situated in Rotherham near Sheffield and managed by the University of Sheffield. Its main facility, the Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future, opened in 2008 providing a four-fold expansion (5000 m² in total) of the research capacity. In the last few years, the regional and government agencies have invested over £20 million in the development of the AMRC infrastructure, technologies and research programmes.

Proposals have been submitted to the European Development Funding authorities for expanding the floor space of these facilities by 40% and for building a new Knowledge Transfer Centre. The AMRC employs over 130 highly qualified staff.

• Technology focus is on advanced machining, machine characterisation, programming and measurement technologies
• Industrial membership includes Rolls-Royce, Boeing, BAE Systems & Messier-Dowty, plus 56 other organizations
• Facility equipment includes large 5-axis machining centres, large mill-turn machines, large vertical turning centres, large 5-axis grinding machine and measurement equipment (CMM & GOM)

For further information please visit http://www.amrc.co.uk/

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is being built at Ansty near Coventry and will be operated by TWI and the Universities of Nottingham, Birmingham and Loughborough. The MTC has received over £40 million investment from regional agencies (AWM & EMDA) and will open in May 2011. This is the largest of the seven centres with over 12000 m² of floor space reflecting the intention to straddle a broader range of manufacturing technologies.

• Technology focus is on high integrity joining, automation, advanced fixturing, near net shape manufacture, process modeling and operational performance
• Industrial membership includes the founding members, Rolls-Royce, Airbus & AEC with an overall target of 70 in five years
• Facility equipment includes medium and small inertia welders, a range of robotic cells, automated wing assembly, automated electronics assembly line and pre-production cells

For further information please visit http://www.the-mtc.org/

The Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) has been built near Glasgow airport, is owned by the University of Strathclyde, and has received over £17 million investment from Scottish Enterprise. The AFRC is a 2,500 m² facility that currently supports 30 research staff that will grow to over 50 in the next few years.

Technology focus is forming and forging of metals with associated materials characterisation and process modeling

• Industrial membership includes Timet, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Aubert Duval, Mettis and Barnes Aerospace with 12 other lower tier members
• Facility equipment includes a 300t superplastic forming press, a 1200t screw press, CNC multi axis forming, electrical servo-press and a flow forming machine

For further information please visit http://www.strath.ac.uk/afrc/

The Nuclear AMRC is being built next to the AMRC in Rotherham and is managed by the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester. Over £33 million has been invested by the Government to develop this 8000 m² facility, due to open in November 2011. The primary aim is to help develop a globally competitive and internationally recognised UK Civil Nuclear supply chain.

Technology focus is on the manufacture of clean metal nuclear components & assemblies, civil nuclear quality and accreditation standards & workforce training and development

• Industrial membership includes founding member Rolls-Royce, Areva, Westinghouse, EDF, Forgemasters and Corus
• Facility equipment will include state-of-the-art welding, machining, measurement, automation and virtual assembly

For further information, please visit http://namrc.group.shef.ac.uk/

The National Composites Centre (NCC) will be situated near Bristol and managed by the University of Bristol. Over £25 million of funds have been allocated by the Government and the regional agencies to create this 6000 m² facility which is due to open in June 2011.

• Technology focus is on Composites design, high speed fibre lay-down, resin development and fibre weave technology
• Industrial membership includes founding members Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GKN, Vestas and AgustaWestland

For further information please visit http://www.nationalcompositescentre.co.uk/

The Commonwealth Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) will be built at Crosspointe, Virginia and operated by the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

• Technology focus is on surface engineering, advanced manufacturing systems and related technologies
• Industrial membership includes founding members Rolls-Royce, Northrop Grumman, Cannon, Sandvik and Siemens

 Link: www.ccam-va.com

The Process Technology Research Centre (PTRC) will be situated within the Hub at Seletar, Singapore and operated by Rolls-Royce staff and local secondees from A*Star and Universities. Around 20 members of staff are already operating from the university accommodation and will transfer to the Hub in the middle of 2011.

• Technology focus is on surface conditioning, auto polishing and Repair technology (e.g. edge restoration)
• Facility equipment includes large robotic cells, abrasive flow machine, vibropolishers & GOM 3D measurement equipment