Tuesday, 19 October 2021
The University of Nottingham and BAE Systems have formalised a strategic partnership which will see the organisations collaborate on developing new and innovative digital manufacturing technologies.
A recognised leader in Industry 4.0 technologies, the University has extensive capabilities including additive layer manufacturing, lightweight materials, metrology and digital approaches to design and manufacture, as well as sustainable energy and power management systems.
Professor Andy Schofield, Programme & Technology Integration Director, within BAE Systems’ Air Sector and Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham, said: “We’ve had a strong partnership with the University of Nottingham for a number of years, with our teams working closely together to jointly develop next generation manufacturing capabilities that will transform the future of aircraft production.
“We look forward to deepening our relationship and exploring how the University’s world-class industry 4.0 knowledge and research capabilities can be applied to other areas of our business.”
“Formalising our strategic partnership will allow us to translate the latest research results into industrial applications, develop new technologies and deliver major societal, environmental and economic impact. It will also provide our students with more exciting opportunities to gain valuable industrial experience, enhance their knowledge and develop their future careers.”
Confirmation of the formal partnership follows a sustained period of successful collaboration in key technological areas such as ‘cobotics’, which enables people and robots to work in co-operation on complex tasks. This was born from the Integrated Autonomous Assembly Demonstrator which prototyped robotic assembly of aircraft structures and used data from digital designs to optimise manufacturing processes.
This work was led by the University of Nottingham with input from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
Nottingham and BAEs other strategic universities are also active in research into sustainability, particularly in energy management. This is of great importance to the company, given its target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions operations across its operations by 2030 and help inspire the development of sustainable technologies for its customers.
BAE Systems continues to develop its UK university partnerships, with Nottingham becoming the Company’s sixth strategic university partner. This builds on existing partnerships with Cranfield University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, the University of Southampton and the University of Strathclyde.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Svetan Ratchev on svetan.ratchev@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 951 4018 or Emma Lowry, Media Relations Manager (Engineering) on emma.lowry@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 84 67156
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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