Via TECU Consulting Flickr
Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)
The British government has announced its plans to invest in a dedicated additive manufacturing hub, as the number of major organisations making use of the technology grows.
The British aerospace industry is anticipated to benefit from the creation of the new national centre for 3D printing, which will be located next to the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Ansty Park, Coventry, where major work in the field of additive manufacturing in the industrial arena is already being done.
Chancellor George Osborne is set to outline his plans for the additive manufacturing hub in full today (January 16th), which will include a £15.3 million boost for the centre, supporting the development of manufacturing sophisticated components for jet engines. The UK is a leading player in jet engine production because of Rolls-Royce, while Airbus and General Electric are also making use of additive manufacturing technologies in their manufacturing supply chains.
A separate cash injection of £15 million will be given to the MTC to support a new dedicated aerospace facility for developing materials for fuselages and wings. Both projects are part of a wider strategy to support aerospace, which will boost research into the next generation of passenger jets by £2 billion.
The industry is set to match both sets of £15 million from the government, which means some £60 million is set to be channelled towards the crucial work the MTC conducts at Ansty Park.
Mr Osborne said: "Our long term economic plan is working and the economy is growing. But there is still work to do, which is why we are working with industry to drive innovation and lead the global race in technology, engineering and manufacturing.
"We are already the best in Europe for aerospace and I want to do even better. Up to 27,000 new planes are needed between now and 2030, worth billions of pounds to the UK economy in contracts. That is why I am announcing today that, together with industry, we will invest around £60 million in a dedicated facility for aerospace manufacturing as part of £2 billion of support for this growing sector."
