The launch, hosted by Lord Whitby, took place at The House of Lords on Monday (11 February 2019), and included over 100 participants drawn from across industry, academia and government.
The aim of SELF is to provide a unified forum for the diverse surface engineering community to undertake the transformational journey to become match fit, best in class for digital manufacturing and eventually world class in design for manufacture.
In order to achieve this, SELF will concentrate on areas including skills and training, research and development, supply chain integration, operational performance, cooperative venture partnerships and sustainability.
Part of this work includes helping to progress the next generation of experts in collaboration with the government’s Trailblazer Group. An application for a level 7 apprenticeship standard in Materials Process Engineering has already been submitted. TWI’s coatings and surfacing teams have been working together to support the SELF initiative to build partnerships to promote growth and support the UK government’s productivity agenda.
The SELF launch saw TWI joined by a number of invited Industrial Member companies including BAE Systems, Tremco Illbruck, and Lloyd’s Register, as well as representatives from the British Coatings Federation, the Institute of Materials Finishing, Innovate UK, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, MTA, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and the Surface Engineering Association.
With the successful launch behind us, SELF can now look to the future and build a strong base for industry, academia and government to move forward together.
Image: (Left to Right) Dr Selina Ambrose (Promethean Particles), Prof Alan Taylor (TWI, Technology Fellow) Sue Dunkerton (KTN), Dr Amir Rezai (TWI Industrial Member, BAE Systems), Prof Géraldine Durand (TWI Section Manager FCR /Centre Director of ARCTIC, LSBU) Richard Dawson (TWI Industrial Member, Lloyd’s Register), Dr Henry Begg – (TWI Section Manager, SUR) John Hudson – (TWI Industrial Member, Tremco Illbruck)