MTC Space Month

This virtual mini series of events will explore the current challenges of the space sector, and how manufacturing technologies are an enabler for growth. Taking place throughout May 2021, the weekly events will provide a platform for delegates to hear about state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies and solutions for space, gain insights into future art-of-the-possible technology innovation, and collaboration opportunities.

Across four 90 minute sessions, delegates will hear from MTC experts and be an active part of facilitated discussions to promote collaboration and ideas for development.

Each session will focus on manufacturing technologies and processes with potential solutions to Space sector challenges, and draw on parallels from analogous industries and their tech adoption. Technology themes will include, but are not limited to:

• Additive Manufacturing
• Knowledge-Based Engineering / Design for Manufacture
• Robotics and Automation
• Digital Engineering
• Supply Chain Readiness

This series is an opportunity for the space industry to understand how they can engage and work with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to support the growth of their businesses by overcoming manufacturing challenges, optimising processes and innovating for competitive advantage.

It will also be an opportunity for industry to voice their biggest barriers to progression in the space sector, and understand how existing and future developments taking place at the MTC could assist their endeavours.

Event Agenda

Session 1: Ready for Space?

Wednesday 5th May, 2021
10:00am – 11:30am

New processes, new materials, and new components: How do I de-risk my investment? How do I determine the best method of adoption or roll out? Is there a supply chain to support this?

These are just some of the questions the MTC has helped industry address when introducing new processes, products, services and materials into their value chain. This session will focus on the tools and capabilities (supply chain readiness assessment, establishment and process optimisation to name a few) the MTC employs to support UK industry access to a wide variety of manufacturing process. The facilitated discussion will be your opportunity to tell us what you, as a Space sector player, needs or would like to see to support development of manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing.

Session 2: Optimising Access to Space

Wednesday 12th May, 2021
10:00am – 11:30am

Automation for low volume high value assets, artificial intelligence and evolvable robotics: What are the advancements in digital engineering that will create step changes in spacecraft assembly and production?

The technologies of Industry 4.0 and the Smart Factory continue to transform manufacturing operations. Leveraging these tools will undoubtedly help the UK space supply chain to scale up and capitalise upon new opportunities. However, several barriers to technology adoption must first be addressed. This session will present current research in this field; proposing practical next steps towards digitally-enabled production.

Session 3: Advanced Manufacturing and Design Techniques for Space Craft Components

Wednesday 19th May, 2021
10:00am – 11:30am

Advanced manufacturing technologies are enabling a new level of product performance or efficiency for space applications.

Focusing in particular on additive manufacturing and functional surface texturing, this session will highlight manufacturing capabilities and advanced design exploration tools that can help you, as a space based company, efficiently design and turn these capabilities into optimised products for manufacturing to scale or cost. Two presentations will be given by our technology experts followed by an interactive discussion to understand the challenges to your company being able to adopt these approaches and how we could support you in overcoming them.

Session 4: Create it, Don’t Take it

Wednesday 26th May, 2021
10:00am – 11:30am

In-Orbit Service and Manufacture (IOSM) promises significant opportunity for a sustainable and growing space presence as well as conditions that enable frontier innovation.

This session positions 3 IOSM Use Cases areas for consideration:

• Sustainable space – Manufacturing for Maintenance Repair and Overhaul.
• Creating assembles, facilities enabling space development
• Frontier innovations e.g. life sciences, alloys in zero gravity, what benefits does Space environment have on manufacturing (the good and the bad)

Through an active discussion with you and the rest of the audience, together we will explore how existing advanced manufacturing processes, technologies and a distributed approach to manufacturing can be applied and purposed for IOSM, covering such themes as Additive Manufacture, Remote Operations and Extended Reality. Whilst considering the capability gaps that industry needs to close. We want to hear from you how the MTC and its partners can support the IOSM agenda and roadmap with advances in these processes, technologies and their adoption in the value chain.