2 minute read - 13th November 2023
Coventry University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering relaunches with £6m expansion
The UK’s first ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’ has unveiled a £6m expansion that will aim to boost industry’s journey towards a clean, sustainable, and digital world. Coventry University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), which was originally born out of a collaboration with Unipart Manufacturing in 2014, relaunched yesterday at a special event that attracted over 200 domestic and international guests.
Benefitting from a £5m University investment, followed by a £1m grant from the government’s Local Growth Fund though the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), the recent changes have delivered nearly 2,000 square metres of additional space that is home to state-of-the-art laser welders, six new laboratories, a robotic and testing area and new digital twin capabilities.
The relaunch marks nearly a decade of achievement for AME, with over £110m of R&D and commercial projects completed for the likes of Aston Martin, Ford, Lotus and Hyperbat, helping generate more than £500m of economic benefits for the UK.
Picture: AME
Nearly 175 companies – including OEMs, tier ones and SMEs in the supply chain – have been involved in collaborative work, whilst more than 400 students have graduated through the unique combination of real-world shopfloor and classroom learning.
Marcos Kauffman, director of AME and centre director of the university’s research centre for manufacturing and materials, said: “The AME expansion is more than just physical growth of an additional 2,000 square metres; it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to bridging the skills and R&D gap between academia and industry. From our inception in 2014 to today, AME has consistently aimed to be at the forefront of innovative teaching and research with our ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’ model. This expansion is a beacon of our dedication to nurturing industry-ready talent while also fostering pioneering research that helps solves everyday issues.
“We are more energised than ever to open our doors to the wider manufacturing and engineering supply chain in the West Midlands, giving them access to world-class facilities, equipment, and experts. Together, we will support the UK’s collective journey into a clean, sustainable and digital world.”
AME aims to be at the forefront of the UK’s journey towards net zero and support business growth, where ideas become reality, and the future of sustainable mobility is redefined. This will be achieved by creating the engineers and researchers of the future and providing an ecosystem that cultivates new technologies, supply chain development and start-up potential.
Picture: AME
The latest £6m funding takes the total investment in the AME to £18m, with the latest facilities including a digital twin pilot environment, a series of physical stations that maximise artificial intelligence and virtual reality and dedicated materials, metrology, lasers and functional materials and chemistry laboratories.
With its diverse capabilities, AME has been instrumental in spearheading innovative projects that have significantly enhanced precision and efficiency in production through cutting-edge manufacturing.