Meet Our Partners
The LASIMM project aim is to develop a large scale flexible hybrid additive/subtractive machine based on a modular architecture which is easily scalable. The machine will feature capabilities for additive manufacture, machining, cold-work, metrology and inspection that will provide the optimum solution for the hybrid manufacturing of large engineering parts of high integrity, with cost benefits of more than 50% compared to conventional machining processes.
A key part of this project is the development of ICT infrastructure and toolboxes needed to programme and run the machine. The implementation of parallel manufacturing is extremely challenging from a software perspective and this will be a major activity within the project.
To deliver this extremely demanding and ambitious project a well-balanced expert team has been brought together.
There are ten partners comprising six companies, two Universities and two research institutes. Two of the companies are SMEs and there are three end users from the renewable energy, construction and aerospace sectors. The consortium also features the whole of the supply chain needed to produce such a machine.
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EWF
- About EWF – European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting is an international non-profit association aiming at the collaboration in the study and solution of welding-related problems encountered within its fields of competence and in the removal of technical barriers. The exchange of scientific and technical information, the preparation of harmonised rules for the education and training of personnel involved in welding, joining and related technologies, and the encouragement of projects for co- operative research, enable EWF to act as the representative of the welding community in Europe.
- Contacts www.ewf.be
BAE
- About BAE Systems is a global defence, aerospace and security company employing around 82,500 people worldwide. Our wide-ranging products and services cover air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services. Working with customers and local partners, we develop, engineer, manufacture and support products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security and people and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.
- Contactswww.baesystems.com
Foster + Partners
- About Foster + Partners is one of the most innovative architecture and integrated design practices in the world. Over the past four decades the practice has pioneered a sustainable approach to architecture through a strikingly wide range of work, from urban masterplans, public infrastructure, airports, civic and cultural buildings, offices and workplaces to private houses and product design. Based in London, with offices worldwide, the practice has an international reputation, with buildings in six continents.
- Contacts www.fosterandpartners.com
Vestas
- About Vestas is a global energy company dedicated exclusively to wind energy - improving business case certainty and reducing the cost of energy for our customers. Vestas works in close partnership with customers to offer the most effective solutions towards energy independence. Our core business is the development, manufacturing, sale and maintenance of wind power plants – with competencies that cover every aspect of the value chain from site studies to service and maintenance.
- Contacts www.vestas.com
Cranfield University
- About At the forefront of aerospace and manufacturing technology for over 60 years, Cranfield University (CU) takes a practical and holistic approach to research. Pan-university collaboration delivers multi-disciplinary solutions to the complex challenges facing the aviation and manufacturing industries. The University one of the largest academic centres in Western Europe for strategic applied research, and have decades of experience working closely with partners across the globe including governments, regulatory agencies, research councils and other academic collaborators. The excellence of the manufacturing department is widely recognised: the manufacturing department was ranked Top 2 in the UK for research power. The Welding Engineering and Laser Processing Centre (WELPC) which is within the manufacturing department specialises in fundamental, strategic and applied research in the area of advanced fusion joining processes, laser processing and high deposition rate additively manufactured structures.
- Contacts www.cranfield.ac.uk
Global Robots Ltd
- About Global Robots Ltd is a company based in the UK that buys, refurbishes and sells new and used industrial robots and robot spare parts. We started in 2004 with the goal of making robots affordable to a far wider market than ever before by supplying high quality, used robotic equipment at low prices. We buy and sell robots in large numbers enabling us to keep prices competitive. We have over 600 robots in stock here in Bedfordshire with many more located at our facilities in The Netherlands and India. Focusing on the supply of robots rather than their installation we sell robots from all the main manufacturers including ABB, Fanuc, Motoman and Kuka. We also build robotic systems for welding, handling, milling etc and supply to customers all around the world.
- Contacts www.globalrobots.com
LOXIN
- About LOXIN is an industrial technological group that provides tailored innovative solutions in industrial processes automation to improve our clients productivity and efficiency.
Loxin designs and manufactures high technology machine solutions for industries in which higher technological capabilities are required (in terms of stiffness, accuracy, speed and flexibility), such us in the case of the aeronautical industry.
Loxin’s products are primarily based on a proprietary robotic technology (“Tricept”), i.e. modular robots designed on hybrid parallel kinematics technology that include 5 (or 6) axes controlled by a digital control. This technology enables extremely versatile machining modules of high stiffness and flexibility combined with excellent accuracy and repeatability features. Loxin also provides solutions based on third parties robot technology. - Contacts www.loxin2002.com
HZG
- About The Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht is a non-profit making research institute with limited liability. Its shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany, the federal states (Länder) of Brandenburg, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, the Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Helmholtz-Zentrums Geesthacht e.V. (Society for the Promotion of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht) as well as several renowned companies. The centre is based in Geesthacht, Germany. In 1992, the Working Group Teltow became a part of it. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.
- Contacts www.hzg.de
AUTODESK
- About AUTODESK is an experienced and world leading developer of advanced CAD/CAM software. AUTODESK has in-depth know-how and hands-on experience in driving advanced-capital-intensive manufacturing hardware via their software and is operating at the forefront of technology. AUTODESK is used to operate in collaborative projects in which jointly new possibilities are being researched, developed and implemented. Wherever possible AUTODESK seeks applications which require strong links between CAD, reverse engineering/inspection, additive manufacturing and machining. With AUTODESK, the full design portfolio including generative design capacities as well as PLM also becomes available to use within the project.
- Contacts www.autodesk.com
IST
- About Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST) is the largest engineering school in Portugal, with a long tradition in teaching, research, innovation and training activities. IST is part of ULISBOA. IST's mission is to contribute for the development of the science, economy and society, by promoting a higher degree of education in the areas of Science, Engineering and Technology. The scientific activities are developed in research institutes, recognized by their excellence, in which working groups develop research in specific subjects within its scientific area. The Group of Manufacturing Technologies and Industrial Management - MIM - of IST has a long-lasting expertise in welding and allied processes, in NDT evaluation and more recently in additive manufacturing technologies. The group participates in several R&D projects and activities, both at national and international level.
- Contacts www.ist.utl.pt