Centre of excellence created for the next industrial revolution

Lancaster University is joining forces with TWI to create a new centre of excellence for smart and advanced manufacturing systems.

The centre will focus on ‘joining’ technologies in the context of Industry 4.0 - a term used to describe what many experts believe is the ongoing fourth industrial revolution. The Industry 4.0 revolution is based on ubiquitous embedded sensors in objects, known as the ‘Internet of Things’, ‘big data’ streams and analytics as well as decentralised and bespoke manufacturing.

The Centre, which will be owned by Lancaster University, will operate from TWI’s 54,000 sq m world-class facilities in Cambridge, and will concentrate on advancing knowledge in the next generation of joining technologies – such as additive manufacturing (known commonly as 3D printing).

Areas for research will include smart and advanced manufacturing techniques and systems, software platforms, new connectivity and communications and additive and joining technologies

An initial eight PhD researchers, over five years, will be funded by TWI to advance understanding in Industry 4.0 technologies.

In addition, it builds on research excellence within TWI as well as Lancaster University’s Department of Engineering and Data Science and Materials Science Institutes.

“It builds upon Lancaster’s leadership in Industry 4.0 recently evidenced in the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Science and Innovation Audit, and it builds upon our expertise at Lancaster University in Engineering, Data Science and Materials.”