The University of Derby is supporting an advanced manufacturing project that has secured a £1.2m UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant.

Funding has been released for a project led by engineer Ayantika Mitra of Hampshire-based firm TISICS to transform advanced materials manufacturing through digital technologies. The four-year project, named ‘RAiSE: Radical Approaches in new materials Science and Engineering’, will develop tools to enable the rapid certification and qualification of new lightweight products for spacecraft and aircraft.
The University of Derby is providing advanced materials and expert support.
For further information www.tisics.co.uk

UK manufacturers targeting new growth opportunities in North America are being urged to avoid costly mistakes when trying to meet specific technical standards for the territory.

PP Control & Automation (PP C&A), which provides strategic manufacturing outsourcing solutions for over 20 of the world’s largest machinery builders, has launched a new educational campaign on UL508a, a technical standard for industrial control panels in the US.
Working with specialist partners Rockwell Automation, Lutze and Product Approvals, the company is set to host a number of detailed virtual presentations that will be available to view or download, followed by an interactive Q&A platform. These presentations follow a series of blogs and short videos that have been viewed more than a thousand times by manufacturers keen to avoid the expense associated with rectifying machines to make them UL compliant, and any subsequent disruption that could impact the customer.
For further information www.ppcanda.com

Dormer Pramet aims to lead a change in the metalworking industry by making sustainability an integral part of its business.

At the core of this strategy is the use of new technologies and ways of working that deliver value for employees, customers and suppliers, brought together under a programme called ‘Make the Shift’.
The programme encompasses a range of initiatives and targets under four key headings: circularity, climate, people and fair play. A list of key actions and objectives are now in place with the aim to deliver all by 2030, including: increasing recycling of the company’s products and packaging material; reducing waste; lowering CO2 impact; halving the total recorded injury frequency rate; developing a diverse and inclusive workforce; and engaging in community involvement projects.
An example of the tangible results already achieved by this initiative comes from Dormer Pramet’s production and R&D department. Through international collaboration, a project team has made innovative technological developments which have enabled significant reductions in energy consumption and, at the same time, improved product quality. By implementing new insulation on its furnace coating (pictured), the manufacturer improved the heating of its CVD coating reactor, significantly shortening cycle time. This move not only improved deposition conditions, which affects the evenness of the coating on inserts, but also generated a positive environmental impact, reducing CO2 emissions by 25 tonne per year.
In addition, Dormer Pramet modified the sintering cycle during the production phase, which involved a redesign of the gas flow passing through the charge to enable a more efficient furnace. The project succeeded in shortening the length of a single sintering cycle by 100 minutes (10% of the total length of the cycle), while maintaining process quality.
For further information www.dormerpramet.com

MTC chief executive Dr Clive Hickman has been appointed to head a new body aimed at leading the resurgence of manufacturing industry in the Midlands.

The Midlands’ Manufacturing Resilience Commission, to be known as M2R, will review the Midlands’ manufacturing landscape post-COVID, contribute to the creation of a wider Midlands’ manufacturing strategy, and develop recommendations to help build the region’s manufacturing resilience and its subsequent economic impact. Contributions will be invited from senior industry, academia and government representatives.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

A Birmingham-based metal pressings and stamping specialist has secured funding to help it develop a solution for easing global shortages of PPE.

Brandauer is one of the first companies in the country to be awarded Innovate UK-backing through the ‘COVID-19 Business-Led Innovation in Response to Global Disruption’ competition, and is now setting its sights on increasing its capacity to produce more than 100 million nose clips for use in face masks every year.
The company will use the £50,000 grant to develop its ‘Quick Clip Tool’ modular tooling that will add a quick changeover capability to a progression tool, something that has never been offered to the PPE marketplace before. This innovation means the clips can be developed and manufactured in multiple materials, such as steel or aluminium, and can be produced in various widths, thicknesses and lengths. The project will take about five months to complete and will allow Brandauer to increase supply to existing customers and open up production capacity to other clients.
For further information www.brandauer.co.uk