The proposed Industrial Doctorate Centre aims to provide Research Engineers (Engineering Doctorates) with skills and expertise at the forefront of knowledge in machining science. These individuals will enable UK industry to develop and maintain a world-leading capability in high value manufacturing sectors that involve machining processes. Furthermore the unique training experience that is provided will enable the Research Engineers to foster a stronger collaboration between the UK's fundamental engineering science research, and the manufacturing engineering community.Machining, in particular metal removal processes, are sometimes perceived as a 'traditional' manufacturing process that have been evolving for many decades and rely upon mature technology. However, this view is short-sighted as it fails to consider the significant developments in engineering science that have taken place over the past few decades and the impact that they can make to step-changes in machining performance. In almost every sphere of engineering science - from nonlinear dynamics to electrical machines and tribology - there are recent significant developments that are of direct relevance to machining applications, which could contribute further step changes in productivity and profitability. A failure to successfully translate these technology developments into machining applications would hinder the future competitiveness of the UK manufacturing sector.The proposed IDC will address this central vision by combining the world class research in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sheffield, with the well proven and unique industry-facing activities at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing (AMRC). The expertise of the proposal investigators who form the supervisory pool for the IDC can be applied to a wide spectrum of research problems in the field of machining science. Examples include: Machine tool designCutting tool geometryTool and work-piece characterisationStandard features machiningAdaptive control of cutting processesMetal cutting tribologyCoatings technologyMachine and machining dynamicsWork-holding dynamicsElectrical machines and drivesMachine visionStress analysis of machining Fluid mechanics of coolantsDigital control systems The core engineering science behind these machining-focussed issues (tribology, dynamics, experimental mechanics, control) are all areas where the faculty of engineering has demonstrated world leading or internationally excellent research activity. Meanwhile, the AMRC's track record for industrial collaboration allows this research to be tailored and applied to the needs of manufacturing industry. An IDC provides a unique opportunity for the University of Sheffield to offer industrially-focussed research training at an Engineering Doctorate level. In particular, the IDC will have, from its outset, the most comprehensive network of companies involved in all aspects of machining worldwide via the existing AMRC membership.The proposed IDC complements existing UK training centres, where there is no existing capability that specifically focuses on training manufacturing engineers on advanced aspects of machining. The IDC would align fully with the University's strategic aim to foster research collaborations across the Engineering disciplines, following the recent implementation of a Faculty based management system.

The aim of the centre is to train research engineers with skills and expertise at the forefront of knowledge in machining science. Machining is at the heart of almost all manufacturing processes, ranging from the milling and turning processes used to create parts for the air-craft engines that power the planes we travel on, through to the grinding processes used to shape replacement hip-joints. As we demand more from engineered components, and move to materials such as composites or high strength alloys, their intrinsic strength or complexity as materials makes them harder to machine. This frequently means that machining processes are slower, require more manual interventions, and produce more out of tolerance parts: all these factors result in higher costs. Research into machining science can make a tangible difference to the way in which modern engineering components are produced. For example, recent machining research by the AMRC will be used at Rolls-Royce's new 20,000 square metre factory in Tyne & Wear. This factory will employ over 400 people and make over 2000 engine components per year, for aircraft including the Boeing 786 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380 [1]. Our doctoral training centre will equip research engineers with the skills and expertise that places them at the forefront of machining science. Cohorts of doctoral researchers will each work on an industrially posed machining problem. They will aim to bridge the gap between industry and academia, as they will first research areas of appropriate machining science, before transferring this technology to their sponsor company. Research and training will take place within a collaborative environment, with research engineers based in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield, where they will be mentored by academics working at the forefront of machining science, and will have access to some of the latest equipment available. Industrial participation is central to our training vision, where in addition to working on an industrially proposed problem, each research engineer will be co- funded and supervised by industry. We see this interaction as essential to ensure the research and training we provide is timely, and addresses the key challenges posed by UK industry. [1] Rolls-Royce press release, Friday, 21 September 2012. "Rolls-Royce breaks ground for new facility in North East"

Servitization is the process of transforming manufacturers to compete through Product-Service Systems (PSS) rather than products alone. The commercial and environmental benefits of PSSs are compelling and well documented (Rolls-Royce earning over 50% of their revenue from services is cited to exhaustion). The opportunities are immense (three quarters of wealth world-wide is now created through performing services) and so politically PSSs are seen as key to industrial success in the 21st Century. Adoption of PSS is frustratingly slow in mainstream manufacturing. Superficially the concepts find appeal but fail to gain traction as the potential implications to a business are complex. In the meantime, China is catching up (Chinese manufacturing companies offering services have grown from 2 - 20% since 2006). In the UK, we need to get better at informing, educating and training, our senior manufacturing managers about PSS and servitization, giving them the means to visualize the potential impact upon their business. Gamification offers a radical solution. Gamification bridges video-gaming technologies and computer simulations to offer three-dimensional virtual worlds, dynamic and content-rich, which can be used to entertain, educate and inform. This is especially innovative for user engagement, supporting behavior and attitudinal change, and the design of advanced human and computer interfaces for representing and handling complex data systems. This programme will therefore develop applied game technologies, design principles and protocols, to transform the adoption of PSSs within mainstream manufacturing companies and so accelerate the foothold of gamifiaction in strategic business analysis.