The Silverstone Park metrology facility, at its Innovation Centre building, is scheduled to open early in 2016. The facility will provide measurement services. Equipment will include two Hexagon CMMs (coordinate measuring machines), an Optiv multi-sensor system, a Leica tracker system for large volume measurement and a Romer articulated scanning arm plus an assortment of other precision instruments and measuring systems.
Companies using the facility will also be able to ‘reverse-engineer’ components already manufactured or trialled back into CAD designs through the likes of contact-probing, cameras and laser-scanning.Roz Bird, commercial director for Silverstone Park, says: “A metrology facility right at the heart of a region that is so rich in high performance technology and motorsport activity is just what the industry needs and we want to make this facility accessible to companies whether they are based on site or in the surrounding area.
“Funded by MEPC and Hexagon, we will be running a metrology network offering reduced rates on contract inspections to new SME businesses and providing access to young people for training in order to help address the metrology engineer skills shortage in the HPT&M cluster.”
Sajeeda Rose, chief operating officer, NEP, adds: “Northamptonshire is home to a strong industry cluster of over 1,000 high performance technology companies, employing 21,000 people and contributing £2 billion to the local economy. The continued development of this cluster is a key priority for NEP and the investment in advanced and accessible R&D facilities such as the metrology centre at Silverstone Park is vital to the continued growth of the cluster. NEP looks forward to working with MEPC to promote the availability of this facility to the wider engineering community.”
