Tens of millions to be ploughed into manufacturing research projects in the West Midlands

TENS of millions of pounds of new investment is to be pumped into automotive research and medtech projects in the West Midlands. Business Secretary Vince Cable travelled to the region to see the projects in action.

During a visit to WMG at the University of Warwick he launched a £10m simulation technology engineering research programme and was shown how WMG is working with Midland-based automotive SMEs.
 
Jaguar Land Rover will lead the five-year research programme, in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and four leading UK universities including WMG. The research projects will give the UK the opportunity to take a global lead in virtual simulation technology.

This unique collaboration between JLR and the country’s leading academics will develop the capability of the virtual simulation industry in the UK and will give manufacturers like JLR access to new, world-class simulation tools and processes. This is the first phase of a 20-year strategic project that could put the UK at the leading edge of virtual simulation globally.

The research will improve the quality and capabilities of simulation, using sights, sounds and even smells to make virtual simulation more realistic.

Giving engineers a more realistic perception of what a design might achieve, as well as giving them access to more powerful computers, will mean even more engineering can be virtual. This will help manufacturers like JLR deliver more complex new vehicle programmes more quickly. It will also help reduce the cost of product development by reducing the reliance on physical prototypes and have environmental benefits by significantly reducing the number of prototypes that need to be driven and tested in the real world.

“With world-class universities and cutting edge companies like Jaguar Land Rover, the UK is well placed to be at the forefront of driving innovation and developing new technology. This investment will support the Government’s industrial strategy by boosting the UK’s manufacturing capability and helping to keep us globally competitive,” said Mr Cable.

In addition, the Technology Strategy Board and Research Councils are to invest £8.4m into projects that will leverage an additional £6.3m of private investment. The funding will help businesses to develop new manufacturing solutions in 3D printing technology across industries such as healthcare and energy.

As part of the Industrial Strategy the Government has committed to support ground-breaking technologies that are often too risky or resource intensive for individual companies to nurture on their own.

Mr Cable announced the funding during a visit to the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, one of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres.

“Investing in tomorrow’s technology will bring jobs and economic growth throughout the UK. That’s why last month the Government announced the biggest ever investment in the work of the Technology Strategy Board. With £440m of funding they will support new manufacturing techniques to maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in technology and design.

“This joint investment with the Research Councils highlights the commitment from across the sector to boost manufacturing in the UK,” he said.

The MTC opened in 2011 following a £40m investment. It is a partnership between some of the UK’s major global manufacturers and three forward-thinking universities: Birmingham, Nottingham and Loughborough as well as TWI Ltd, the operating division of The Welding Institute.

The MTC aims to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions, in line with the Government’s manufacturing strategy.

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