SAFRAN Prize: The University of Birmingham Advanced Materials and Processing laboratory led by Dr Moataz Attallah from the School of Metallurgy and Materials has received recognition for its contribution to the Use of Metal 3D Printing Technology (known as Selective Laser Melting Process) for Hot Section Parts of a Gas Turbine project in partnership with MicroTurbo and MONASH University.
The University of Birmingham Advanced Materials and Processing laboratory led by Dr Moataz Attallah from the School of Metallurgy and Materials has received recognition for its contribution to the use of Metal 3D Printing Technology (known as Selective Laser Melting Process) for the Hot Section Parts of a Gas Turbine project in partnership with MicroTurbo and MONASH University.
The programme has won the Prize for Innovation for Product and Technology from Safran Group, leading international high-technology group specialised in aerospace, defence, and security.
Recognised for breaking new ground, the project, which has developed the manufacture of the hot section of components of a gas turbine by laser powder bed fusion, has divided the manufacturing cycle time by 3.
Dr Attallah said:
We are very pleased to receive an international recognition for our work, and especially for working with French and Australian partners. It clearly shows the global impact of our research, and marks our presence on the world map of research in this hot topic.
The award was presented at a prestigious ceremony in the Safran Aerospace Museum in Paris on 22 May by the SAFRAN executive committee.
The Advanced Materials and Processing Laboratory (AMPLab) is based in the Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) for Materials Processing, in the School of Metallurgy and Materials. The research programme carried out in AMPLab aims at understanding the influence of advanced materials processing techniques (additive manufacturing, powder processing, and solid-state joining) on the microstructure-property development in advanced materials. The research is performed in close collaboration with a large number of industrial end-users in the aerospace, defence, nuclear, and general engineering sectors. Currently, there are 26 members in AMPLab, working on projects of value ~£4 million funded by the EC, EPSRC, and other governmental and industrial funds.
Safran is a leading international high-technology group with three core businesses: Aerospace (propulsion and equipment), Defence and Security. Operating worldwide, the Group has 66,300 employees and generated sales of 14.7 billion euros in 2013*. Working alone or in partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership positions in its core markets. The Group invests heavily in Research & Development to meet the requirements of changing markets, including expenditures of 1.8 billion Euros in 2013. Safran is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris and is part of the CAC40 index.
The annual Innovation Awards recognize creativity in a multitude of forms. From grassroots ideas to disruptive technologies, spanning products and services, methods and processes, all initiatives that spur innovation are encouraged and recognized by Safran. This generates tremendous momentum that will ensure Safran’s future success and also reflects the Group’s unyielding commitment to serving its customers
