LAST NEWS
HRH The Duke of York opens the Factory of the Future
Wednesday, 9, September, 2009
The Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) joined guests from the top flight of the world´s aerospace companies and suppliers last week (9 October 2008) to open the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre´s (AMRC) £15 million state-of the-art Factory of the Future.
A collaborative partnership, the Factory applies scientific theory, environmentally sustainable solutions and manufacturing principles to solve advanced manufacturing problems for the aerospace industry.
As part of his visit, The Duke of York was given a tour of the Factory where he learnt about measurement systems and robotics, metal injection moulding, advanced machining and shaped metal deposition. He was also given the opportunity to meet apprentices who work at the AMRC.
As part of his visit, The Duke of York was given a tour of the Factory where he learnt about measurement systems and robotics, metal injection moulding, advanced machining and shaped metal deposition. He was also given the opportunity to meet apprentices who work at the AMRC.
The Duke was also given a 3D experience in the Factory´s Virtual Reality Suite, which allows complicated engineering solutions to be tested and practised in a virtual way.
Keith Ridgway, Research Director at the AMRC, said: “We are extremely privileged to have had HRH The Duke of York open our new facility, it was real honour.
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Prince Andrew (first at right) meets a group of young technician at AMRC, with Sergio Durante (center) Executive Vice President at DIAD , Hamid Mughal (right), Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering at Rolls-Royce, Adrian Allen (right) Financial Director at AMRC
Our approach has always been to work very closely with the real manufacturing needs of our partners. In addition to the existing capabilities of the AMRC, the machine tools in the Factory of the Future will be arranged in production cells enabling companies to trial new processes before embedding them in their own production facilities. This gives manufacturers the information they need to implement change quickly, with a minimum disruption to production, and provides techniques that enable them to stay ahead of the competition.
“The carbon-neutral building with its distinctive wind turbines stands on the former Orgreave Colliery site, once famous as the scene of confrontation between the miners and police. Today it is truly regenerated as an international exemplar of sustainable manufacturing and progressive research-led industry which seeks greener, more efficient ways of working.”
During his visit, HRH The Duke of York said: “What an absolutely amazing place. I have had somewhat of a connection with the AMRC over the last few years and I am really really pleased to be able to come back and to open what I can only describe as a brilliant facility.
“I would like to say thank you to the AMRC and to Boeing and Rolls-Royce for what they are doing because its through this facility and others like it that we can continue to grow in the manufacturing field and make things better, make things more technological and stay competitive with other parts of the world.”
Sergio Durante, Executive Vice President at D4S Motorsport and member of the Boad at AMRC, said “It was a great experience and honour to meet Prince Andrew, HRH The Duke of York, and see how deeply He was able to motivate the young technicians in continuing the path to become qualified engineers in the futuristic structure of AMRC”
Hamid Mughal, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering at Rolls-Royce, said: “The continuous development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies is a critical enabler for Rolls-Royce to meet increasingly demanding product and business objectives. We believe the new Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future provides an ideal environment for the rapid development and exploitation of technology to meet these challenges.”
Sir Roger Bone, President of Boeing UK, agrees. He said: “The AMRC epitomises Boeing’s approach to growth in the UK that adds value and builds competitiveness in the long term. With the opening of the new factory and as a long standing UK research partner for Boeing, the AMRC is also helping us to deliver sustainable aviation growth and environmentally progressive manufacturing. Boeing is now seeking to actively pursue opportunities to replicate the success of the AMRC around the globe.”
Invited Keynote lecture at TRAM 2009 worldwide Conference
Wednesday, 9, September, 2009
New methodologies for development of high efficient Machining of difficult to cut materials
Authors:
Sergio Durante, Mauro Comoglio
1D4S Motorsport, Mar Adriatico 2, 38612 Granadilla de Abona, Spain,
2DIAD , Str. Della Praia 12/C, I-10090 Buttigliera Alta (TO) Italy,
In Sheffield at the AMRC with Boeing facilities, Dr. Eng. Sergio Durante presented a paper on high efficient machining.
The article and the keynote focuses on the automotive and aerospace industries. In these industries the need for enhanced materials performance is necessary if they are to remain competitive in global terms. Unfortunately the material properties, which make them so attractive to the aerospace and automotive industry can also make them difficult to machine. This paper will discuss integrated developments in machining techniques and cutting tools, which are emerging to cope with difficult to cut materials.
Introduction
Due to the increasingly competitive nature of the commercial aircraft and automotive markets, environmental issues and affordability are the prime market drivers.
In the aerospace sector, the implication of this is a market requirement for faster, cheaper, quieter aircraft. There is also a need to reduce operational costs by producing, more economical and reliable aircraft with an increased operating life. To meet these requirements the aircraft designers are producing larger, thinner complex (monolithic) parts, which can be assembled more easily without the recourse to jigs and fixtures. This is forcing manufacturers to consider using more exotic alloys, composites and mixed metal matrices, with a large impact on machining technology.
Similar trends are occurring in the military aircraft sector where, in addition to affordability, stealth technology is forcing the use of new materials and design techniques.
In addition to the technological issues the aerospace industry is now moving towards the model of the automotive with the large OEMs concentrating on large system integration with component manufacture moving into the supply chain. This is having an impact as the companies now machining difficult to cut materials are unaware of the materials research being carried out at the OEM level and they can be faced with a machining problem on a material where they have little previous experience.
In the automotive sector new products now face stringent economic and environmental demands. In Europe emission legislation and the demands for higher performance from smaller engines have together driven the development of diesel engine technology over the past 10 years.
Participation to the NIST Assembly Workshop in Chicago
Tuesday, 19, September, 2006
DIAD, in the person of Dr. Eng. Sergio Durante, participated to the important NIST Assembly Workshop in Chicago, where all the big american players companies were represented. Focus of the meeting is the comparison between running innovation in Europe and USA and find way to cross fertilize the sectors, to gain common competitiveness.
Picture: Dr. Eng Sergio Durante with Prof. Keith Ridgway in a recent image at the British Consulate in Chicago