Plymouth Science Park has been awarded £507,000 for a new digital-engineering test facility, to complement its Advanced Digital Manufacturing Innovation Centre (ADMIC). The funding has been allocated by the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) – which also supported the ADMIC – from its £8million Digital Investment Programme.
Plymouth Science Park, originally named Tamar Science Park, was incorporated in 1996 as a joint venture between the University of Plymouth and Plymouth City Council. Its new DREAM (Digital Reverse Engineering and Metallurgy) project will provide businesses with a digital-engineering test facility for reverse engineering, design, manufacturing and validation of additive-manufactured prototypes and products.
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‘We are thrilled to have secured this substantial funding, a testament to the park’s commitment to innovation,’ said Ian McFadzen, CEO of Plymouth Science Park. ‘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, while strengthening supply-chain resilience.
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‘We are proud to support Plymouth Science Park’s visionary DREAM project,’ said Karl Tucker, chair of the Heart of the South West LEP. ‘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.’