indUstry news nmis and boeing open new r&d facility in renfrew


The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and aerospace company Boeing have opened a new research and development (R&D) facility in Westway Park in Renfrew, within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland. At over sixty thousand square feet, the new NMIS facility incorporates the Metallics Research Centre with Boeing, which will see the delivery of Boeing’s £11.8 million R&D programme in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), part of the NMIS Group. Key figures, including Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee, attended the event. Aiming to reduce materials waste and identify


opportunities to improve safety, productivity, and the environmental impact of its aircraft, technical teams from Boeing and NMIS are exploring novel manufacturing technologies for metallic components. Part funded by Scottish Enterprise, the


programme is the first initiative within the Boeing Scotland Alliance, which is exploring opportunities to work together in Scotland, with the aim of doubling Boeing’s supply chain and creating 200 new quality jobs in the next five years.


The new R&D facility will also house


cutting edge manufacturing equipment for use across NMIS projects with other innovative manufacturing businesses across the country, bolstering the support already provided through its specialist technology centres, the AFRC and its Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC). In the adjacent manufacturing district site, construction is continuing on the new NMIS headquarters set to open later next year, which will include a skills academy, collaboration hub and digital factory. Trade Minister, Ivan McKee, said: “As we


recover from the coronavirus pandemic it is vital government and industry innovate together to build a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economy. This project shows our £75 million investment in NMIS is already delivering on that ambition. “Aviation and aerospace have a crucial role to


play in fighting climate change. We are committed to ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change and, critically, ensuring we do that in a way that is just and fair for everyone.”


Uncertainty stalls sUbcontracting growth


According to the latest Contract Manufacturing Index, the subcontracting market grew strongly in July and August but fell back in September amid concerns over material, staff and transport shortages. This meant that suppliers were unwilling to quote without knowing what their costs would be, while buyers were hesitant about placing orders due to uncertainty over demand and pricing. The Index for the third quarter of 2021 stood at 117, a 52% increase on the previous quarter and


just slightly (5%) down on the equivalent quarter in 2020 when the market bounced back after the first Covid-19 lockdown. The strong growth in July and August followed by a falling back in September mirrored the results seen last year. The CMI of 78 for September was comparable with the overall CMI of 77 for the second quarter of this year. The strongest sector in the third quarter was Industrial Machinery, which was up by more than


150% on the previous quarter. Construction and construction equipment also saw strong growth, as did consumer products and the food and beverage sector. Conversely, demand dropped significantly in the electronics, furniture and agricultural sectors. In terms of process, fabrication accounted for 53% of the market (47% in Q2), while machining dropped to 36% of the market (44% in Q2). Other processes, including moulding and contract electronic manufacturing, accounted for the remaining 11%. The CMI is produced by sourcing specialist Qimtek. Qimtek owner, Karl Wigart, said: “In September


the mood changed. More projects went unquoted by suppliers and more buyers were holding back on projects. Suppliers are telling us that it is difficult to commit on prices with material, staff and transport shortages. Buyers are hesitant as they are not sure of demand and pricing. It is a Catch 22 situation.”


www.qimtek.co.uk lotus cars selects adi’s wbms


Lotus Cars is planning to incorporate ADI’s wireless battery management system (wBMS) in its next- generation electric vehicle (EV) architecture. ADI’s wBMS technology eliminates the


traditional wired harness, leading to a reduction of up to 90% in the wiring and 15% of the volume in the battery pack. It also improves design flexibility and manufacturability, without compromising range and state of charge accuracy over the life of the battery. According to the company, the wBMS enables simplified assembly and disassembly of battery packs to ensure faulty battery cells can be removed and repaired


quickly and efficiently. “Lotus has a stellar reputation for building


high-performance, long-lasting race and road vehicles, and many reach classic status,” said Roger Keen, general manager of E-Mobility Group at Analog Devices. “Together, we’ve reimagined what is possible and developed a game-changer for the electric vehicle industry: a new ultralightweight powertrain architecture and a wireless battery management system that enables peak performance as well as a more sustainable environment for a healthier planet.”


www.analog.com/electrification 6 Design solUtions october 2021


Keith Ridgway, NMIS executive chair said: “This


is a huge development for Scotland, cementing our dedication to advanced manufacturing innovation on a global scale and the benefits that this can bring to our economy. We’re excited about what the future holds for this new facility, the ground- breaking R&D taking place there, and how we can build on our manufacturing expertise to support Boeing on its journey towards net-zero.”


www.nmis.scot


partnership to boost aerospace sector’s confidence in 3d printed parts


Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced a new solution with Stratasys to help manufacturers in the aerospace sector boost confidence in the performance and safety of 3D printed plastic components and compress time to market. Through the virtual engineering and manufacturing support provided by the partnership, customers will be able to reduce a two-to-three-year timescale of designing and testing a part to six-to-nine months. Users of Stratasys’ ULTEM 9085 filament


can now use Hexagon’s Digimat material modelling software to predict how printed parts will perform. The filament is used to produce parts for aircraft cabin interiors, such as bracketry, pieces for cable routing, covers and duct components, all of which are required to meet stringent certification, for example around flammability and toxicity. Guillaume Boisot, head of ICME,


Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, said: “The aerospace industry is continuously pushing the boundaries of performance and innovation, but current confidence in the performance of additive manufactured parts is mostly limiting its application to highly specialised metal parts. We are excited that this new development in our partnership with Stratasys will help compress the design and testing phases, improve understanding of plastic behaviour and speed up innovation across the sector.”


www.hexagonmi.com/en-gb


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