The Welding Institute year in review
With the decorations up and staff sporting their festive jumpers, The Welding Institute is getting ready for Christmas. Yet, as thoughts turn to mince pies, mulled wine and a certain red-suited gentleman delivering gifts, it is also time to reflect on 2017 and look forward to the New Year at The Welding Institute.
Gabriela Gallegos recognised at DevelopHER Awards
Gabriela Gallegos of the London South Bank Innovation Centre (LSBIC), part of the TWI Innovation Network, has been recognised for her work at this year’s DevelopHER Awards, which were held in Cambridge.
Digital twin technology for wind turbine industry wins national environmental business award
WindTwin – a collaborative project to develop a high fidelity, digital software platform combining operational sensor data with virtual system model data for the predictive maintenance of wind turbines – has won R&D Programme of the Year at the Business Green Technology Awards 2017. The consortium behind the winning project comprises engineering technology experts Agility3, Brunel University…
TWI investigates geothermal coatings for the future of renewable energy
TWI is co-ordinating a recently won European Horizon 2020 project for the development of novel and cost-effective corrosion resistant coatings for high temperature geothermal applications. This project, dubbed Geo-Coat, comes from the low carbon energy call to develop next generation technologies for renewable electricity and heating/cooling.
TWI builds on links with China and explores technologies at the International Graphene Summit
TWI’s Surface Engineering Consultant, Dave Harvey, presented at the recent International Graphene Summit in Beijing. This event, co-organised by TWI China Industrial Member, AECC BIAM, celebrated the recent opening of the Beijing Graphene Industry Innovation Center.
TWI demonstrates solutions for aero engineering at the Advanced Engineering Show
TWI Ltd took the lead in demonstrating product and process solutions for the aerospace industry at the recent Advanced Engineering Show at the NEC in Birmingham.
TWI Certification approves high quality welder training at Tyne Metropolitan College
TWI Certification Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TWI Ltd, has delivered certification to Tyne Metropolitan College (TyneMet), confirming their excellent competence and capability in welder training.
World's largest linear friction welded component optimised for use in commercial aviation
TWI has recently showcased the world’s largest Linear Friction Welded (LFW) component – an aluminium wing rib for commercial aircraft.
TWI patented technology key to new renewable energy and aerospace projects
TWI’s patented VitoNano technology is key to a number of new coating-based projects for the renewable energy and aerospace industries. Over £3.5 million of combined UK and EU funding is being used by Opus Materials Technologies to develop a portfolio of market-ready coatings for use in three projects over the next two years.
TWI focus on China brings new opportunities for business in the Far East
The last decade has seen huge growth in the links forged between TWI Ltd and industry in China. With a new technology office opening in Beijing and the number of TWI Industrial Members in the country going from just 1 to 30 over the last ten years, good progress is being made as the organisation develops a best-practice approach for the benefit and support of industrial companies in the Far East.
TWI rewards outstanding undergraduate engineering projects
TWI Ltd was one of 16 prize sponsors at Sheffield Hallam University’s Department of Engineering and Mathematics prizegiving ceremony. The ceremony took place last Monday (13 November 2017), with TWI sponsoring a Welding and Joining Project engineering prize.
Welding Institute branch shows support for new engineering centre at Devon college
Hubert McPhillips, Chairman of The Welding Institute South Western branch, attended a launch party for the opening of a new engineering centre at the mid Devon campus of Petroc Further and Higher Education College.
TWI strengthens links with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
TWI’s Cambridge headquarters hosted a visit from a delegation from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), with a view to demonstrating its industrial support in mechanical engineering. The visit points to closer collaboration between the two organisations with opportunities for sharing and publishing technical knowledge of interest to their members.
Advanced electron beam facilities meet advanced industrial challenges
TWI’s Electron Beam (EB) welding and processing facilities have developed in line with industry needs, with newer equipment and additional capabilities now available to further support its Industrial Member base. The cross section of equipment better reflects industrial needs with modern versatile high and low power machines in the Cambridge engineering hall.
TWI launches collaborative project to spread the use of additive manufacturing
The increased design freedom and potential to reduce manufacturing time has made additive manufacturing (AM) technology an area of great interest to industry. However, there is relatively little data about the properties and potential service performance of AM materials.
Integrity NDT sees innovation at work at TWI
TWI recently welcomed John Stephenson from new TWI Industrial Member company Integrity NDT to its Cambridge laboratories. Integrity NDT is a Turkish NDT/ inspection company operating primarily across the petrochemical and energy sectors.
The Welding Institute’s Liverpool branch renamed
The Welding Institute’s Liverpool branch has undergone a name change to become the Merseyside Branch. Although known as the Liverpool Branch for several years, the change of name comes as a new committee is formed to support members of the Institute based in the local and surrounding area.
‘SUPERSLAB’ programme to meet industrial challenge for thicker high-strength steels
TWI has joined forces with the Materials Processing Institute in Redcar, the University of Leicester’s Materials Engineering Group and Chinese partner Nanjing Iron and Steel Company (NICSCO) to develop new materials and processes for the production of extra thick and higher strength ‘SUPERSLAB’ steels.
100th PhD student enrols at NSIRC
National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC) 100th PhD student Dimitris Fakis officially started on Thursday 26 October 2017. This is an important milestone within NSIRC, since its founding in the summer of 2012.
TWI hosts talks between regional enterprise partnership and TWI Innovation Network member
Steve Clarke, Head of Inward Investment from the GCGP Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) regional initiative, visited TWI, Cambridge, where he met with one of TWI Innovation Network’s innovation accelerators, Floteks.
Linear friction welding review demonstrates industry expertise
TWI employees were instrumental in the creation of a new literature review of Linear Friction Welding, which has been published in the Progress in Materials Science journal.
The Welding Institute shows support for Tomorrow’s Engineers Week
This week, 6-10 November, is Tomorrow’s Engineers Week – an initiative to engage young people to promote careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths). By building links between industry and schools, the aim is to close the skills gap in engineering and demonstrate how what young people learn at school is used in the real world.
TWI working to progress composites in the automotive industry
TWI is involved in two Innovate UK-funded collaborative research and development projects for the automotive industry. The projects are looking to develop technologies to help with the integration of composites into vehicle body structures in order to reduce emissions and fuel consumption while also reducing weight and increasing performance.
‘Ask the expert’ welding qualifications webinar series launch proves a success
October 12 saw TWI host a special ‘ask the expert’ webinar on ISO and ASME welding qualifications. Attendees were invited to provide questions ahead of and during the event, which was handled by TWI Consultant Welding Engineer and member of national and international committees on welding qualifications, Marcello Consonni.
Hany Elmantawy offers IEng inspiration
Developing his competence, skills and knowledge is important for Engineering and Projects Advisor Hany Elmantawy. Spending the last few years working for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC Offshore) has seen Hany involved in projects for a variety of clients working in the oil and gas industry around the world.