With the continuous introduction of new facilities worldwide, cash has continued to be injected into 3D printing, especially in the aerospace sector. Now, the Scottish National Manufacturing Institute (NMIS) in Renfrew is launching an £11.8 million research and development program with Boeing.
The 60,000-square-foot site will have an area dedicated to additive manufacturing projects, space for storage of advanced engineering equipment, and space for specific technologies required for the program. The team of personnel hired by Boeing is expected to arrive by the end of this year.
The Boeing plan is operated by the Advanced Forming Research Center of the University of Strathclyde (part of the Scottish National Institute of Manufacturing and Scotland’s only high-value manufacturing catapult center) and is an extension of AFRC’s previous work related to metal parts manufacturing.
Strathclyde University and AFRC have worked with Boeing for decades. In fact, the aerospace company is one of the first members of the technology center. The establishment of the Boeing Scotland Alliance is to promote such cooperation in Scotland and further promote Boeing’s ultimate goal of doubling the country’s supply chain, greatly increasing Scotland’s economy, and creating a contract in the next five years. 200 new job opportunities.
“This facility is a significant step not only in the development of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, but also in bolstering the future of manufacturing across the country post lockdown,” said John Reid, the new CEO of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland. “We are delighted to be bringing Boeing to Scotland at this time to work on such a critical project with our team and play a crucial role in developing the aerospace supply chain across the country for generations to come.”
Now, the Boeing team will check:
- How to increase productivity
- Ways to reduce material waste
- Ways to improve safety
- Reduce the environmental impact
“We announced our broader Boeing Scotland Alliance with Scottish Enterprise in March at the AFRC because this R&D program was a cornerstone of that agreement,” said Sir Martin Donnelly, president of Boeing Europe and Managing Director of Boeing in the UK and Ireland.
“Seeing such progress with the signing of this lease amid the challenges of 2020 is a testament to the teams involved and a precursor of what we know we will achieve through the talent and resources found in the Glasgow City Region and throughout Scotland.”
Boeing continues to occupy a place in the 3D printing industry, marking the first flight of the Boeing 777X carrying 300 3D printed parts. At the beginning of this year, the company manufactured the first 3D printed metal satellite antenna and cooperated with other companies to build a real 3D Printing of standard functional titanium aerospace parts, and more printing as the aerospace industry continues to accept the technology and various materials.