Queen's University of Belfast and Laser Prototypes (Europe) Limited KTP 24_25 R2

A metal 3D printer and a milling machine will soon run themselves through the night without a single person in the factory. The project tackles a bottleneck in aerospace manufacturing: the time and skill needed to set up and probe parts between machining steps. Currently, a technician must manually check each component, adjust tool paths, and translate computer code from one machine to another. This is slow, error-prone, and limits factories to daylight hours. The team will develop automated probing routines and a software translator that converts CNC programs directly from design files, eliminating manual intervention. If successful, the system will allow "lights-out manufacturing"—production that continues unattended after workers go home. For Laser Prototypes Europe, this means higher throughput, lower scrap rates, and a stronger position in the competitive aerospace supply chain. For the wider industry, it demonstrates how small and medium-sized manufacturers can adopt advanced automation without replacing their entire machine fleet. The project is applied engineering, not fundamental science; its value is measured in reduced labour hours and fewer wasted parts.