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CFMS announces partnership with National Composites Centre

Bristol, 14th January 2019 – The Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Composites Centre (NCC) to build a joint digital capability and develop new technologies for the design and rapid manufacture of high-quality composite products.

CFMS, an independent, not-for-profit specialist in digital engineering capability, which encourages the exchange of ideas and supports the development of innovative and collaborative practices, provides a digital testbed for the design of high-value engineering products and processes. The NCC, which is located with CFMS at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, is a world leading authority on composites, bringing together the best minds and cutting-edge technology to solve the world’s most complex engineering challenges.

Together, the organisations bring the specialist composite engineering and digital design capabilities needed to accelerate the shift to digital composites manufacturing, speeding up the process from concept to product development at large scales.

With a common interest in identifying disruptive technological advances, the collaboration between CFMS and the NCC will help create a mutual understanding of the strategy and business needs of both organisations, as well as those in the wider engineering and manufacturing industries.

Both organisations will also work together to unlock a series of engineering challenges highlighted in the UK Government’s Made Smarter Review, an industry-led review, that sets out how UK manufacturing could maximise productivity through the adoption of industrial digital technology. By combining their strengths, the NCC and CFMS will create a blueprint for the composites industry to deliver Industry 4.0 ambitions.

Sam Paice, Chief Operating Officer at CFMS, said, “Partnering with organisations that share our vision and passion to advance innovation capability and develop strategic advantage in the global marketplace is a key focus for CFMS. The partnership with the NCC is a further demonstration of the regional strength in advanced engineering. We already have a close relationship with the NCC, both geographically and through previous collaborations, so with the formal partnership now in place, we intend to continue transforming design, engineering and manufacturing processes and unlock new business models through new digital services.”

Richard Oldfield, CEO, National Composites Centre, said “The NCC has invested £200m in capabilities to drive the digital revolution in the design and manufacture of composite products, to make composites a truly mass-market proposition for the first time. The partnership with CFMS enhances our digital capability offering to our customers and their wider supply chains, and supports our ambition to stimulate growth in the sector. Our team of 350 specialist engineers is looking forward to working with CFMS on developing new digital solutions.

The two organisations have previously collaborated on projects including Computer Learning in Automated Manufacturing Processes (CLAMPS), which demonstrates the integration of predictive machine learning to drive improvements and minimise variability within a composites manufacturing process. The collaborative project highlights the digitalisation and automation steps necessary to ensure consistently high-quality parts, ultimately reducing costs.

CFMS and the NCC are calling on UK organisations that want to explore the opportunities that digital design and manufacturing technologies can offer to contact them directly via info@cfms.org.uk.

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