Cutting-edge additive manufacturing facility backed by Heart of the South West LEP
Plymouth Science Park has been awarded £507,000 for a new digital engineering test facility, to complement their Advanced Digital Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The funding has been allocated by the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), from the £8m Digital Investment Programme.
The DREAM (Digital Reverse Engineering And Metallurgy) project will offer businesses a digital engineering test facility for reverse engineering, design, manufacturing and validation of additive manufactured prototypes and products.
Ian McFadzen, CEO at Plymouth Science Park, said: “We are thrilled to have secured this substantial funding, a testament to the Park’s commitment to innovation. DREAM will support modern production methods and pioneering technologies, helping to expand our offer to additive manufacturing and engineering companies in the South West and beyond.”
The project is being developed in response to companies outlining their need for local digital engineering test beds, to underpin new production methods empowered by digital technologies. Having access to state-of-the-art reverse engineering, design, inspection and validation technologies will support the creation of regional jobs, develop skill sets, and improve productivity and throughput of the manufacturing base, whilst strengthening supply chain resilience.
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “We are proud to support Plymouth Science Park’s visionary DREAM project. The test facility aligns with our mission to drive regional innovation, and is a testament to our region’s potential in shaping the future of engineering.”
Procurement of the equipment is underway and should be installed in spring 2024.
