• Skip to content
• Help using this website
• Contact us
• Feedback
• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Legal Information

• Your sector
  • • Strategy
      • Initiatives
        • Advanced Forming Research Centre

Advanced Forming Research Centre

The Centre will focus on forging and forming:

• primary techniques (e.g. pressing and forming of bulk and thin sheet materials)
• technologies (e.g. data capture and management)
• supply chain issues (materials quality and purity)
• processes (e.g. die manufacture and lubricants)
• design tools (e.g. computer modelling).

The Centre is being set up by industry for industry to drive business improvement. Rolls-Royce and Airbus have played a major part in shaping the centre. The governance allows the industrial partners to drive the research and industrial support agendas, with the University of Strathclyde delivering world-class support from within its own teams and its world wide partners. The University is currently managing the largest forging and forming contract under Framework 6 from the EU. The Governance will allow full participation from other specialist institutes and universities to ensure the most appropriate support is brought to bear.

The project is proceeding at great pace with site investigations now complete and the main design contract tendered. The University is recruiting an international specialist in forming. The early projects for clients to improve their businesses are starting. It is proposed there will be two levels of membership. The higher level (Tier One) is intended for companies with a direct interest and major return opportunity. This category of membership will secure a full seat on the board which directs the research programme. The second category of member, (Tier Two) is designed to ensure supply chain companies, key technology providers and other partners can participate. The model is designed to ensure research programmes are industry led and drive business improvement.

The facility will be located next to Glasgow airport. Site foundation works started in January 2008 with commissioning and opening in March 2009. In advance of the construction phase, research project proposals are already being developed by academic staff. Potential members, who engage with this programme at this definition stage, have the opportunity to define more clearly the make-up of the initial capital list and research areas.

Market information

The worldwide market for forgings was $46.0 billion during 2005. This is forecast to grow to $55.7 billion by 2010. The turnover of the UK forging and forming industry in 2004 was £2.1 billion representing a GVA of £0.8 billion. This project has attracted the interest of some of the world’s leading international engineering and technology companies from across many sectors, including aerospace, automotive, defence, marine, energy, oil and gas.

Contact

For further information on the Centre, please contact: Professor Graham Wren at the University of Strathclyde: graham.wren@eee.strath.ac.uk