Engineering news
High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres host measurement best practice events
Precise measurement is vital to high-value manufacturing, and being able to demonstrate high quality levels can give companies a real competitive advantage, but this is where UK industry is starting to struggle.
As high value manufacturing continues to go from strength to strength in the UK, there is an important function in the manufacturing process that is often overlooked, but which is critical to delivering high quality products.
The subject of dimensional metrology, or measuring the geometry of components, assemblies and products, has never really received the respect that it deserves in the world of engineering. Few engineering graduates leave university with anything more than a basic knowledge of metrology and yet the majority of products created in a manufacturing environment require some level of dimensional confirmation before delivery to the customer.
The HVM Catapult centres, whilst specialising in different areas, all have a common interest in metrology, and are working together to both improve their own internal measurement processes, and the capabilities they have to offer to their industrial partners. The seven centres are collaborating with a number of academic institutions, as well as the National Physical Laboratory, to transfer best practices into UK industry and, in particular, the supply chains to the country’s major aerospace, automotive and energy sector manufacturers.
To this end, the HVM Catapult is hosting a series of events in association with the National Physical Laboratory to promote good measurement practice in industry. These events will provide opportunities to find out what the HVM Catapult is focusing on in the field of metrology and how to engage with them, learn about the centres’ different measurement technologies and fields of expertise, and become involved in NPL’s National Product Verification Programme and learn about the various training courses available to industry.
The next event in the series is being held at the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Rotherham (M1 J33), from 9:00am on Tuesday 28th April 2015. Attendance is free, but places are limited, so please confirm your attendance by 23rd April. To register for this event, please email carl.hitchens@namrc.co.uk
The final event in the series will take place at WMG, University of Warwick, on the 24th June 2015. For more information about either event, please email a.attridge@warwick.ac.uk