A new doctoral training centre in Sheffield will train research engineers to solve the machining problems that arise when cutting advanced materials like composites and high-strength alloys. Machining—milling, turning, grinding—is the backbone of almost all manufacturing, from aircraft engine parts to replacement hip joints. As engineers demand more from components and shift to stronger, more complex materials, those materials become harder to machine. The result is slower production, more manual intervention, and more parts that fail tolerance checks—all driving up costs. The centre aims to close the gap between academic research and industrial practice, so that new knowledge in machining science gets transferred directly to the factory floor. If successful, the centre will produce a pipeline of research engineers who can tackle real, industrially posed machining problems. Their work could make manufacturing faster, cheaper, and more reliable for sectors such as aerospace and medical implants. The centre is based at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, where trainees will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and be co-funded and supervised by industry partners. This is applied, industry-facing training with a clear goal: to keep UK manufacturing competitive by solving the practical challenges of machining tomorrow’s materials.
View original technical description
The aim of the centre is to train research engineers with skills and expertise at the forefront of knowledge in machining science. Machining is at the heart of almost all manufacturing processes, ranging from the milling and turning processes used to create parts for the air-craft engines that power the planes we travel on, through to the grinding processes used to shape replacement hip-joints. As we demand more from engineered components, and move to materials such as composites or high strength alloys, their intrinsic strength or complexity as materials makes them harder to machine. This frequently means that machining processes are slower, require more manual interventions, and produce more out of tolerance parts: all these factors result in higher costs. Research into machining science can make a tangible difference to the way in which modern engineering components are produced. For example, recent machining research by the AMRC will be used at Rolls-Royce's new 20,000 square metre factory in Tyne & Wear. This factory will employ over 400 people and make over 2000 engine components per year, for aircraft including the Boeing 786 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380 [1]. Our doctoral training centre will equip research engineers with the skills and expertise that places them at the forefront of machining science. Cohorts of doctoral researchers will each work on an industrially posed machining problem. They will aim to bridge the gap between industry and academia, as they will first research areas of appropriate machining science, before transferring this technology to their sponsor company. Research and training will take place within a collaborative environment, with research engineers based in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield, where they will be mentored by academics working at the forefront of machining science, and will have access to some of the latest equipment available. Industrial participation is central to our training vision, where in addition to working on an industrially proposed problem, each research engineer will be co- funded and supervised by industry. We see this interaction as essential to ensure the research and training we provide is timely, and addresses the key challenges posed by UK industry. [1] Rolls-Royce press release, Friday, 21 September 2012. "Rolls-Royce breaks ground for new facility in North East"
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know