Driving innovation, creativity
THE development of a learning and innovation village in Swansea’s SA1 area supports the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) aim to inspire individuals and develop reflective graduates and practitioners who can make a difference to society.
The Centre for Advanced Batch Manufacture (CBM), established by UWTSD, is a core component of the University’s new SA1 Swansea Waterfront development, driving innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship among companies engaged in new product development and low-volume manufacture.
CBM is an industry focused advanced research, new product development and batch manufacturing facility. Its unique offering is delivered via an experienced development team, utilising state-of-the-art technology platform’s which includes 3D printing, scanning and low volume manufacturing.
MADE (Manufacture for Advanced Design Engineering) project is a suite of European-funded projects, being delivered by CBM, designed to collaborate with SMEs within industry to future-proof their operations, by upskilling and by adopting advanced manufacturing technologies.
The project is being offered to qualifying organisations as an integrated portfolio, to help Welsh manufacturers understand the challenges they face and how they can respond to them, by tapping into disruptive technologies and training, appropriate for their businesses.
UWTSD deputy vice-chancellor, professor, Robert Brown, said: “These are challenging times for manufacturing in Wales, with a number of uncertainties ahead. The ongoing Brexit process will usher in economic shifts, we are seeing rapid changes, relevant to manufacturing, unfolding in the world of technology and there are underlying evolutions in play as far as working patterns and staffing is concerned.
“The MADE initiative offers a smart suite of collaborative projects, providing vital tools for manufacturers who are determined to be wellequipped for the future. We are already liaising with manufacturers of all kinds, to talk with them about how the MADE project can help them. We would encourage manufacturers to get in touch with the MADE team to find out how we can work together to benefit their operations.”
UWTSD vice-chancellor, professor Medwin Hughes, said: “UWTSD has a long tradition of working in partnership with industry, delivering programmes and working in collaboration to meet their needs. The programmes offered through the MADE project will enable us to work with the manufacturing sector to respond to the technological challenges of the fourth industrial revolution and to support the sector to maximise the opportunities offered through such innovation.
“The university shares the Welsh Government’s ambition in securing the funding though ERDF, of assisting companies to boost their competitiveness and productivity in order to secure growth and jobs, particularly in West Wales and the valleys where such investment is much-needed.”
“Eddyfi Technologies, with the UK Headquarters in Swansea, design and manufacture remote robotic inspection crawling solutions for the oil and gas industry.
“This is where we recently approached UWTSD in partnership with CBM to help us investigate alternative materials such as polymers, new additive manufacture techniques among others that would improve the manufacture of the housing and introduce new techniques to the company that we could apply to other products,” said professor Neil Pearson, principal scientist/product manager, Eddyfi Technologies
“Industry Wales is fully supportive of these EU programmes. At a time of significant change and challenge for the Welsh manufacturing sector, this operation is both timely and critical. With an established track record in providing industry-focused solutions UWTSD are ideally placed to deliver such an operation,” added James Davies, executive chair Industry Wales.
CBM Research specialises in applied interdisciplinary research. Research projects typically employ advanced engineering technologies to drive innovation across a range of industrial sectors.
CBM has entered into a number of strategic partnerships in the UK, Europe and Asia. Academic partnerships across Europe support current PhD research projects, and further collaborations are under development in Asia to facilitate commercial opportunities.