AMTReL
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY (AMTReL)
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Laboratory (AMTReL) is a world leading research laboratory established in the early 1970’s. Initial research focused on abrasive processes. In 2002 AMTReL merged with the Coherent & Electro-Optics Research Group (CEORG) to form the General Engineering Research Institute (GERI). Activities of AMTReL now extend to the wider fields of manufacturing technology including: physical and empirical process modelling, data processing, material analysis, functional surfaces, intelligent sensors and instrumentation, adaptive and intelligent control, knowledge support, system integration, tool design and optimisation and emerging technologies. It was awarded a Grade 5 quality rating in both the 1996 and 2001 Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in the UK. In the RAE 2008, GERI was ranked 11th out of 54 Universities in the General Engineering Unit of Assessment, with 60% of its research outputs rated as ‘Internationally Excellent’ to ‘World Leading’.
The AMTReL brings a multi-disciplinary approach to Advanced Manufacturing Technology research to meet the increased industrial demand for improved product quality, productivity and reduced cost. The research engages with a wide range of industrial sectors, primarily: aerospace, automotive, energy, medical and health-care. The development of innovative, high quality and high efficiency manufacturing technology is our key focus in order to provide industry with the next generation of high value manufacturing systems and expertise. This is achieved along with an outlook that is at the forefront in thinking with regard to issues of environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.
The industrial focus of the research work continues to attract the collaboration of a large and diverse range of National, European and International companies that includes: Rolls Royce; the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC); Vibraglaz; Kistler; Holroyd; Ford; ABL; Finishing Techniques; Cinetic and Neuteq. The research continues to secure the financial support of the UK Government (for example EPSRC and Technology Strategy Board (TSB)), the European Commission Research (BRITE-EURAM) and leading industrial companies.
Research has been recognised by esteemed organisations and members of AMTReL have been awarded, variously: the IMechE Joseph Whitworth prize (twice), the Donald Julius Groen Prize and the A.M.Strickland Prize. Research outputs continue to have significant global impact and recent innovations have been exhibited at international machine tool exhibitions (including, for example MACH and EMO).
Senior laboratory staff have active roles within numerous leading national and international consortia that influence decision making and policy on manufacturing technology research, education and dissemination.
AMTReL engages in consultancy, training and support activities for local and regional SME’s. It is a regular host to visiting scholars and is presently establishing formal links with a number of international universities.
