As MariLight moves forward, the National Manufacturing Institution of Scotland shares their experience of the project
MariLight is a feasibility study which aims to lightweight ship structure to reduce CO2 emissions and hence make the industry cleaner for the environment. Amber Lithgow, Chris Dunn and Jonathan Brown from our very own Malin Marine Consultants (MMC) are leading the project, working with consortium partners Altair, BAE Systems, Lloyd’s Register, and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), who together believe that the adoption of Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) will propel the marine fabrication industry towards advanced manufacturing.
Today we shine a spotlight on NMIS, and the key part they played in this exciting project.
As a magnet for innovation in advanced manufacturing, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) group of specialist R&D centres, supports manufacturing, engineering and associated tech businesses of all sizes, to thrive domestically and internationally through accelerating productivity, embracing new digital technologies and achieving net-zero targets.
It turns smart ideas into reality and delivers ground-breaking research. through its centres: the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), Lightweight Manufacturing Centre, Digital Factory, Manufacturing Skills Academy, and Digital Process Manufacturing Centre.
The institute stands as a beacon in high-value manufacturing and large-scale additive manufacturing (LSAM) expertise, offering knowledge in complementary sectors.
According to Dr Misael Pimentel, DED-Arc Theme Lead at NMIS, “when it came to the MariLight Project, demonstrating LSAM’s feasibility was key, so we addressed project requirements by developing and manufacturing lighter shipbuilding demonstrators onsite, followed by material performance assessment – all witnessed by Lloyd’s Register, enhancing industry confidence in LSAM whilst reducing material wastage for a more sustainable manufacturing route.
“Working alongside MMC, we are disseminating findings via knowledge transfer events such as the International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (ICAM) 2023, the Clean Maritime Day – London International Shipping Week, and the Scottish Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo, to name a few.”
NMIS’s involvement ensures that the project outcomes are reliable and market exploited, enhancing the UK’s competitiveness and diversification.
It permits deepening their understanding of marine industry challenges and opportunities, supporting their R&D endeavours across a broader range of marine applications, leading to a more competitive and sustainable marine industry, with findings being transferable to other Key UK sectors.
You can read more on the MariLight project, our other partner organisations, and the next stages below.