Boeing [BA] yesterday said it has expanded its partnership with the Danish Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre (DAMRC), becoming a full participating member.
Boeing’s membership offers the DAMRC access to a worldwide network of R&D consortia affiliated with Boeing. The membership also allows Boeing to explore with the DAMRC new project ideas focused on developing the advanced manufacturing capabilities of Danish industry.
“Boeing’s participating membership gives the DAMRC the ability to access Boeing-affiliated R&D consortia around the world, vastly expanding our opportunities for collaboration,” said Ole Lauridsen, DAMRC chairman and chief technology officer of Terma A/S, a DAMRC founding member. “This network will help enhance the productivity of Danish enterprises and strengthen their national and global competitiveness.”
The DAMRC is a consortium of Danish firms, government institutions and academia formed with cooperation from Boeing and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre With Boeing (AMRC).
Since its founding a decade ago, the AMRC–a partnership between the United Kingdom-based university and The Boeing Company–has been replicated in Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, India and Canada.
“In just over two years, the DAMRC has made significant strides in forging public-private collaboration for the advancement of Danish industrial capabilities, undertaking six projects, expanding its staff with technical experts and increasing its size and scope to 20 members and growing,” said Tom Bell, vice president of Strategy & Business Capture for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Boeing remains committed to the goals of the DAMRC, and as a member we will explore new project ideas with the DAMRC. We recognize that companies of all sizes and local universities benefit by working together and learning from one another to develop their own unique capabilities. This partnership will enhance the skills of the Danish workforce and allow it to ultimately be more competitive for continued growth in the global aerospace industry and in other markets.”
Boeing previously supported the center’s inaugural technology project to optimize machining operations. Project 1 was guided by technical experts from Boeing and the AMRC. Boeing provided tools needed for machining operation analysis. Participating Danish companies in Project 1 reported achieving productivity improvements of 20-50 percent when milling aluminum, the company said in a statement.
The DAMRC, founded in 2009, includes founding partners Danish Aerotech A/S, Multicut A/S, Terma A/S, Kyocera Unimerco A/S, Vestas Nacelles A/S, Aarhus University, CenSec, Erhvervsraadet Herning & Ikast-Brande, Herning Municipality and Region Midtjylland. Other participating members include Aalborg University, the City of Aarhus, AluCluster, Aarhus School of Engineering, Danish Metalworkers Union, Engineering College of Aarhus, Herningsholm Erhvervsskole Centres of Excellence, Lindoe Offshore Renewables Center, RadiJet Aps and Boeing Research & Technology.