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British engineering firms, including a company specialising in making innovative filter designs through additive layer manufacturing (ALM) techniques, have travelled to China as part of the Technology Strategy Board’s first trade mission to the country.
Speaking in advance of the trip, which took place late last month, Merlin Goldman, lead technologist for high-value manufacturing at the TSB, said the aim was to drum up business and forge partnerships with businesses in the country.
“It’s a big country but we’re going to try and cover the manufacturing heartland,” he said. “It’s our first mission to China. We’ve been to India, and Brazil is coming up. But this is exciting.”
Goldman added that companies on the mission would aim to marry their technological capabilities with Chinese manufacturing know-how to form partnerships. Without the TSB, these companies might not have existing connections with China or struggle to access Chinese companies, he said.
Chinese firms might, in turn, access innovative technologies not available on their own domestic market. “They are excited about UK companies, and I hope to provide a spark of interest,” he said.
Neil Burns, a director of Warrington’s Croft Filters, one of the companies due to take part in the mission, said he had not been to China for eight years. “Additive manufacturing has not caught on as fast as we thought but in China it is, perhaps, slightly more advanced than in Europe. We’re interested in working with Chinese partners.”
Croft has been developing metal additive layer manufactured filters for its customers with novel geometries. “Shared resources are a possibility, as some of this ALM technology is expensive. We’re also interested in developing research into what can and can’t be made. It’s a disruptive technology – making things that are totally different,” said Burns.
He and two other directors of Croft Filters – his brother Mark and Darren Travis – have invested almost £500,000 in a Realizer SLM-250 additive manufacturing machine and have launched a specialist company to use it, Croft Additive Manufacturing (CAM).
The Realizer SLM-250 features technology that enables complex metal components and assemblies to be designed and produced for industry, using the selective laser melting process.
The machine will allow CAM to offer businesses opportunities in design and production. An in-house team of experts will provide companies with consultancy on product design and manufacturing solutions for metal 3D printing.
ALM has already been used in CAM’s sister company to produce filters that cannot be manufactured using traditional techniques.
Mark Burns said: “We are ready for our next challenge and are looking for opportunities to help overcome traditional manufacturing constraints and move from complex concept to completed product.”