TWI’s Head of Materials, Dr Steve Shi, who is currently leading the China programme, notes that the co-operation is being encouraged and supported by the Chinese government as it seeks to strengthen international links to further develop quality and safety in product manufacture.
Recent project news in this area has included a number of research agreements and collaborative programmes between TWI and organisations including the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials (BIAM), the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Manufacturing Technology Institute (MTI), and the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI).
These collaborations include three joint industry projects, which have four different Chinese companies signed up to help progress research and development and address common problems. Indeed, these projects are indicative of the move by business in China to look towards R&D, to be able to compete more effectively with global market leaders.
Dr Shi adds that in the past six years, interest has also increased for TWI knowledge and knowhow through a series of seminars covering the adoption of new welding and joining capabilities for fabrication. He and the team have sought to back this up with the creation of a Chinese-language website (providing insight to its interdisciplinary capabilities and services) and by employing a number of Chinese-speaking technologists based in the UK.
Training and examination in welding and inspection techniques is also proving popular, and TWI has been working closely with ten local agents to make individuals and companies aware of the importance of these competences and the opportunities available.
Similarly, the organisation has also seen an increase in demand for support through its welding engineering software products, such as Weldspec and RiskWISE, with the new Beijing office playing a key role in extending the reach of these tools.
Dr Shi makes the point that with a post-Brexit landscape ahead, TWI’s increased activity in the Far East looks to be timely and will allow it to help its Industrial Members to access business collaborations in new markets.
To find out more about TWI’s ongoing work in China, please contact us.