ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING feature
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING RESEARCH AND
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AT LOUGHBOROUGH
Rachel Park
Table 1: AM Platforms On-site
INTRODUCTION
When invited to visit the recently
refurbished and expanded Additive
Manufacturing (AM) laboratory at
Loughborough University, I knew that I
“
1 250 Viper SLA 3D Systems
1 Formiga P100 SLS SLS EOS GmbH
1 Formiga P390 SLS SLS EOS GmbH
2 Fortus 400mc FDM Stratasys
1 SLM 100 SLM MTT Technologies Group
1 SLM 250 SLM MTT Technologies Group
was in for an impressive showcase of
the very latest technologies and
processes. Almost the entire technology
Table 2:
portfolio at Loughborough has been
2 Zwick Testing Machines with Environmental Chambers
replaced within the last 12 months, not
a common occurrence with such high
In addition to
(-40–140 degrees °C)
value technologies. Given such an
1 Shimadzu DSC Moisture Analyser
investment, I anticipated great things.
the AM
1 Malvern Mastersizer 2000 (for particle size analysis)
laboratory, the 1 FARO Arm
I was not disappointed.
AMRG also
1 3D Scanners Head
The tour took place with Professor
1 Roland Pixel Scanner
Richard Hague and Graham Tromans,
houses a 1 Next Engine
two stalwarts of the AM industry, who
along with academic colleagues, have
separate
1 SensAble Technologies Haptic Arm
dedicated their careers over the last two
laboratory
AM platforms, covering the broad range of and dates back to the mid 1990s at both
decades to this technology field. processes and materials available on the Nottingham and De Montfort Universities.
containing
market (See Table 1). In addition to the The AMRG has a current portfolio of
With 45 full-time members, the AM laboratory, the AMRG also houses a research worth in excess of £10M, which
research group at Loughborough is the developmental separate laboratory, containing spans both fundamental and applied
largest of its kind anywhere in the developmental equipment, funded by both research into AM processes and materials
world, comprising academics, affiliated
equipment,
government and industry, such as totally development, software and business
academics, post-doctorate and graduate new polymeric and metallic AM management.
researchers, and technicians.
funded by both
processes. However, as expected, this I
government
was not allowed to view at first hand. It Fundamental and blue-sky research
The scale and the diversity of the does reinforce yet again, though, that the projects are generally carried out in
research undertaken by the Additive and industry, research at Loughborough is carried out isolation by AMRG academics, with some
Manufacturing Research Group (AMRG) on every possible front in a highly projects performed as commercial
is impressive, and continues to have a
such as totally
professional and focused manner. contract research. However, the majority
global influence on both AM technology of research activities within the AMRG are
development and adoption by industry.
new polymeric
The laboratories are also supported by a undertaken in collaboration with industrial
Indeed, the personnel that go to make
and metallic
full range of ancillary technology — partners. These partner companies come
up the team at the AMRG bring together housed in the same location — which from a range of sectors, including
an unprecedented level of expertise
AM processes
provides the team with complete design, aerospace, automotive, motorsport, power
covering many aspects of additive scanning, analysis and testing capabilities generation and medical devices, through
technology, including four out of the top (See Table 2). to high street fashion, retailers, consumer
twenty-five most influential people in goods and sportswear manufacturers.
RPD&M, as voted by The TCT Magazine ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
readers (Volume 15/Issue 4) in August
RESEARCH GROUP
WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH
2007 (Hague, Tromans, Dickens and
As would be expected from a leading, UK
It would be hard, not to mention lengthy,
Hopkinson).
university department, the groundbreaking
to cover all of the research projects that
research that the AMRG undertakes is
are currently underway within the AMRG.
LOUGHBOROUGH — AM GLOBAL
diverse and supported by both
That said, it is only fair to provide readers
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE government and industry alike. It was
with some perspective, and therefore
The new AM technology laboratory has strikingly clear that the AMRG is built on
some of the research highlights that are
been expanded and fully refurbished to firm foundations; the combined research
having a significant impact are outlined
house a comprehensive suite of new
”
legacy of the team members is extensive
overleaf.
tct 17/6 53
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