High Temperature Research Centre drives investment in campus laboratories

Significant funding is being invested across the High Temperature Research Centre (HTRC) laboratories in the School of Metallurgy and Materials to support the delivery of rapid high quality products and process innovations. The facilities will underpin development of the next generation of jet engine turbine components and manufacturing technologies leading to enhanced engine efficiencies and performance.

The High Temperature Research Centre, a £60m joint collaboration between the University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce, is a unique casting, design, simulation and advanced manufacturing research facility. The Centre, co- located at Ansty Park near Coventry and at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus, enables research and experimentation spanning low and medium Technology and Manufacturing Capability Readiness Levels (TRLs and MCRLs). Substantial investment for large laboratory equipment, including a furnace operating at temperatures up to 1800˚C and a ceramic processing laboratory capable of producing moulds for the lost wax casting process, are planned. These will support future innovations in new materials for high temperature applications.

Professor Nick Green, Director of the High Temperature Research Centre said:

“This investment will further enhance the quality and outcomes in the research being undertaken across both sites and establish HTRC as a centre of research excellence. The new facilities are available to support researchers and projects across the College. The wide-ranging research interests of HTRC encompass and embrace innovations in metallurgy and materials science, chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics. With the new equipment and facilities we will link the rich data streams to outcomes at industrial scale. This will enable us to develop methods for better real-time control of processes, inform process understanding, spawn new research challenges and deliver to our research partners an ability to manufacture better performing components and systems for high temperature applications.”