Thursday 7th April 2015 saw the successful launch of BCAST's Advanced Metal Casting Centre and the Constellium University Technology Centre with the Shaping the Future official launch event. Attended by over 300 delegates, the day provided attendees with presentations from key speakers from Brunel University London; the funding agencies supporting BCAST; BCAST's industry partners; brief videos explaining the Centre’s work; the launch of our state-of-the-art laboratory/building and the exciting new research centre; tours of the new facility; top-of-the-range cars and components on display; as well as research posters outlining BCAST’s work.
The £17m, 1500m2 building is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Innovate UK, global aluminium component producer Constellium and car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover. The research facility should be able to bridge the so-called “valley of death” between lab-scale success and mainstream factory floor implementation through validating techniques using industry-standard equipment.
Brunel’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Julia Buckingham at the launch also announced that work will shortly begin on a second facility the Advanced Metal Processing Centre so that a broader range of components can be produced and tested against current practice. Once operational both the AMCC and AMPC will form, along with Constellium’s University Technology Center at Brunel, the National Metals Research Park to broaden the end customer base to include aerospace, rail and other engineering industries.