By David Welsh

AERO-ENGINE maker Rolls-Royce is to play the leading role in an investment programme that aims to strengthen the supply chain for the UK's aero-engine industry while also speeding the development and introduction of low-carbon engine technology.

The collaborative R&D programme, eventually totalling some 90 million pounds, will involve universities and research centres as well as industry players. It is being funded by the Technology Strategy Board (http://www.innovateuk.org/) - a non-departmental government body that supports UK business in the development of innovative technology - together with the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council. Regional industry support bodies are also expected to contribute.

The Samulet (strategic affordable manufacturing in the UK with leading environmental technology) programme will be led by Rolls-Royce. Other high profile manufacturers, including BAE Systems and GKN, are in the consortium as well as smaller companies and several of the UK's top universities.

Technology Strategy Board (TSB) chief executive Iain Gray said: "Samulet aims to ensure that the UK aero-engine industry remains competitive in the face of new 2020 emissions targets for aircraft and that it is in a position to manufacture engines for the next generation of civil aircraft.
"We supported this intervention because we felt that it was essential that new technology advances rapidly enough in the industry to ensure that the UK retains a competitive advantage in this field. Through the supply chain and academic partners, Samulet also offers exciting opportunities to promote UK high-value manufacture more generally."

Dave Delpy, chief executive of the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), added: "The application of science and engineering research is vital to help overcome the threat of climate change and sustainable living. This important partnership brings together key stakeholders and provides a strategic focus in the search for new technologies to provide an effective response to emissions targets and to maximise energy efficiency.

"This collaboration is also an excellent example of how the union of research and industry will develop business, stimulate economic growth and ensure the UK plays a leading role in providing solutions to the challenges of the 21st century," he said.

Samulet will focus on productivity and environmental improvements including reductions in raw material use, efficient advanced manufacturing processes and lower engine fuel consumption. The programme aims will be achieved by developing new technologies and delivering a number of knowledge-transfer initiatives, to which end it will be closely linked with the advanced manufacturing research centres in Sheffield, Glasgow and Ansty (Coventry).

Among the academic partners in 15 universities will be the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres at Birmingham, Cambridge, Cranfield, Loughborough, Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton.
Targets for environmental improvements in aviation have been set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe. They aim to halve CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometre by 2020, compared with the best levels achieved in 2000, along with reductions in NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions of 80 per cent and cutting of noise to 50 per cent.
Such targets will need to be met by any manufacturer wishing to sell engines for commercial aircraft in this time-scale, and demand radical change in the design of new aircraft, engines and their systems.
The Samulet proposal builds on the earlier environmentally friendly engine that the TSB and the EPSRC already support, and links closely to the EU Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative that is focused on building and testing engine demonstrators validating cleaner and quieter technologies.
It also forms part of a series of major research programmes that collectively aim to achieve a two-fold increase in engine output over the next eight years without increasing the current size of the industry.
The aim is to achieve a 50-80 per cent reduction in cycle times in key operations, a 30 per cent improvement in productivity of key operations and in "right first time" processes, and a reduction in material waste of 45 per cent. This will make it easier, faster and cheaper to make key components, with the use of less raw material and energy.
Image:
Next-generation flying: the UK aerospace industry aims to achieve environmental improvements in aviation. Image by Ian Spooner, courtesy of AMRC