AEMRI (Advanced Engineering Materials Research Institute)

Project description

TWI Wales is delivering an Advanced Engineering and Materials Research Institute and has secured £7.5m ERDF funding for a £12.6m project over a 5-year period. The specific objective is priority axis 1 research and innovation S1.1. This will be 50% matched by industry support and underwritten by TWI Ltd, a global research and technology organisation (RTO) employing 900 people. (AEMRI). It aims to drive business growth and competitiveness for manufacturing and engineering organisations through identified research into advanced engineering and materials. Its technical facilities are scheduled for completion in 2023.

The Institute will provide a unique facility where a critical mass of equipment, expertise and resources will provide an environment where the limits of performance of advanced materials can be determined, tested and proven. Through the use of advanced modelling and simulation methods, full large-scale mechanical test structures will be designed and built upon finite element analysis (FEA) calculations. Advanced, automated non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques to detect critical flaws will be designed, tested and validated, which will save the industry time and production costs as well as minimise the risk of catastrophic structural failures.

Delivery model

AEMRI will deliver the objectives of this proposal through the following four technical strands which are fully described in technical strands:

1. Modelling and Simulation of High Performance Materials and Structures.
2. Advanced Robotic Inspection of Complex Geometry Structures.
3. Inspection Systems for Very Large Structures for the Green Energy Sector.
4. Nuclear Fabrication Research Centre.

The AEMRI research environment will combine expertise, equipment and resources for bespoke structural testing and evaluation services designed to determine, test and validate the limits of performance of advanced materials and to find ways of saving time, minimising production costs and reducing the risk of structural failure.

Geographical coverage

The project will benefit the Cardiff area of the CCR and also Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.

Specific targets

• £5.4m of business expenditure revenue for research & development BERD projects is planned over the 5yr period from 2015 to 2020 and will be captured by AEMRI. An additional £3.2 will be captured by AEMRI from 2020 up to 2023.
• £6m of capital spend over the 5 years of the project.
• Future RCUK, STFC and Innovate UK funding by £2.5m over the 5yr period from 2015 to 2020 and a further £1.5m will be captured by AEMRI to 2023.
• Total research staff for AEMRI targets – 25

Contact details

Name: Ian Nicholson
Email: Ian.nicholson@twi.co.uk
Telephone: 01639 873100
Address: TWI Technology Centre Wales, Harbourside Business Park, Port Talbot, SA13 1SB
Website: