RESURGAM Project Presented at Leading Conference in China

The EU-funded RESURGAM project: Robotic survey repair and agile manufacture, was recently showcased to an audience of industry peers at The 2nd International Conference on Mechanical System Dynamics: ICMSD2023, held in Beijing, China from 1 - 5 September 2023.

Hosted by Peking University, and backed the event’s Scientific Committee composed of 60 prestigious scientists from 13 countries and regions, ICMSD2023 was devoted to the understanding of mechanical dynamics to enable technology innovation, and included 18 sessions to promote research in dynamic theories on complex structures, multidisciplinary integration and advanced technologies for applications. The conference is scheduled to take place on alternate years in different countries on a rotating basis.

RESURGAM was presented at the conference by project consortium representative Darren Williams, Director of the Joining 4.0 Innovation Centre (J4IC), a strategic partnership between Lancaster University and TWI. During his talk 'Real time quality assessment enabling friction stir welding tool dynamic control', Darren shared with the audience the technologies behind RESURGAM and achievements on the project to date.

The partners collaborating on RESURGAM have conceived a new system for the friction stir welding FSW) of steel structures underwater, for use in the fabrication and repair of ships, which is enabled by robotic equipment, processes and qualification routes, and the inclusion of secure, digital, Industry 4.0 infrastructure and techniques. It also offers the benefit of being able to be retrofitted to manufacturers’ existing CNC machines, utilising a computerised manufacturing process that includes pre-programmed software and code to control the movement of production equipment. This makes it a cost effective solution with the potential to facilitate rapid, coordinated and distributed modular manufacture of ships and watercraft throughout Europe.

Also attending the event was RESURGAM Coordinator Min Xia, Senior Lecturer in Advanced Manufacturing at Lancaster University who further cascaded the impact of the project during the conference.

The RESURGAM consortium comprises: Aislamientos Termicos De Galicia SA, Asociacion Cluster Del Naval Gallego, Element Six (UK) Limited, Engitec Systems International Limited, the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting, Forth Engineering (Cumbria) Ltd, Ned-Project SP Z OO, Stirweld, Technische Universiteit Delft, Turkiye Gemi Insa Sanayicileri Birligi Dernegi, the University of Limerick and J4IC, between them representing nine different countries.

Speaking of J4IC’s experience at ICMSD2023, Darren Williams, Director of J4IC (pictured), said “We were delighted to have this opportunity to highlight the novel technologies behind the RESURGAM project at this leading conference, and engage in discussions on the rapidly developing field of mechanical system dynamics with this international audience of global scientists.”

Visit the RESURGAM website to find out more.

This project has received funding from the European Commission's Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101007005.