Welsh focus for technical support initiative

A TWI (The Welding Institute) product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 27, 2004

Joining Forces Wales is a major new technology transfer programme supported by the Welsh Development Agency.

Joining Forces Wales is a major new technology transfer programme supported by the Welsh Development Agency (WDA).

The organisation behind Joining Forces, materials joining specialist TWI, has technical facilities in Port Talbot, within the recently created Engineering Centre for Manufacturing and Materials.

The objective of the three-year programme is to help engineering manufacturing firms achieve sustainable growth by becoming more profitable and competitive.

Free, expert help will be provided so that companies can readily exploit innovation and best practice to improve product design and manufacturing methods.

Materials joining - which includes welding, brazing, soldering, adhesive bonding and mechanical fastening - is a key enabling technology in all sectors of industry involved in products made with engineering materials; from heavy structures and power plant, to microelectronics and medical devices.

Robert Walker, Director of the WDA's Engineering Centre for Manufacturing and Materials, said: "Manufacturing in Wales as elsewhere in the UK has seen some tough times recently, but it's by keeping up to date with the latest technologies such as those covered in Joining Forces Wales that the best stay ahead of the pack".

Free services provided by Joining Forces Wales will consist of: a helpdesk, providing one-to-one access to experts for advice and technical information; JoinIT, providing comprehensive online technical support through TWI's award-winning website; technology demonstrators, for hands-on assessment of new processes and equipment; product and process reviews, providing in-company troubleshooting or evaluation of manufacturing opportunities (2 days); feasibility studies, in the form of trials to obtain data to underpin decision making (5 days); and near-market R and D, providing development work to facilitate innovation in products and manufacturing processes (10 days) Nick Elbourn, TWI's Head of Technology Transfer, said: "The package of services for Joining Forces Wales is based on our experience of previous TWI technology transfer programmes and those we are currently running in the North-East of England and Yorkshire.

As well as its clear understanding of the needs of SMEs, TWI has the necessary technical resources and the right project management skills to make this another successful programme".

In addition to technical support in joining processes for metals, plastics, composites and ceramics, Joining Forces Wales covers key related technologies.

These include: surfacing; cutting; design; structural integrity, fatigue, fracture, nondestructive testing; manufacturing simulation and factory planning; health and safety; and quality assurance.

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