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Coventry University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
Coventry Very Light Rail vehicle tested on revolutionary track for first time The pioneering Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) project has been successfully run on its test track at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley.
INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING SETS ITS SIGHTS ON UNLOCKING SUPPLY CHAIN POTENTIAL AFTER £6 MILLION EXPANSION The UK’s first Faculty on the Factory Floor has unveiled a six-million-pound expansion to help boost industry’s journey towards a sustainable and digital world. Coventry University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), which was originally born out of a collaboration with Unipart Manufacturing in 2014, has been relaunched thanks to a £5 million investment by the university and a £1 million grant from the government’s Local Growth Fund. The investment has delivered nearly 2,000 sq metres of additional space for new laser welders, laboratories, a robotic and testing area and new digital twin capabilities. The relaunch marks nearly a decade of achievement for AME, with more than £110 million of research and development and commercial projects completed for major automotive marques such as Aston Martin, Ford, Lotus and the new battery manufacturing facility Hyperbat, helping generate more than £500 million of economic benefits for the UK.
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Nearly 175 companies – including large manufacturers alongside SMEs, have collaborated through the centre, and more than 400 students have graduated thanks to the combination of real-world shopfloor and classroom learning. AME has spearheaded projects that have improved production precision and efficiency and has been pivotal in developing lightweight, eco-friendly products and methodologies. It also helped create high-volume fuel rails that are now exported from Coventry to China and other parts of the world. Carol Rose Burke CBE, Managing Director at Unipart Manufacturing, said: “As the transport sector transitions to EV manufacturing and greener solutions, Coventry University’s latest investment will empower AME to expand Unipart’s capabilities into new sectors. “This involves collaborating on R&D with academia and strengthening ties with supply chains – including small and medium-sized firms – all working together to generate business growth.”
The battery-powered vehicle and revolutionary track system will offer cities the chance to install rapid passenger tram systems faster and at a much lower cost than traditional light rail systems. The innovative track is thinner than the track used in existing light rail or tram systems. As a result, it can be laid just 30cm deep into the road surface, reducing the need to divert all pipes and cables, which can add significant delays to light rail projects. The Coventry VLR project has been developed by West Midlands organisations including Coventry City Council, Transport for West Midlands, WMG at the University of Warwick and the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, which runs the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre. The project is backed with funding from the £1.05 billion City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement awarded to the West Midlands Combined Authority by the Department for Transport. The CVLR project has been allocated £40 million funding to progress the research and development to deliver an affordable integrated mass transit system that could be deployed in cities across the country. Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said: “As VLR picks up pace, we’ll be able to further reduce traffic congestion and improve our air quality – offering a convenient and sustainable transport option for local people to enjoy.”
