An innovative Birmingham firm which provides parts for aerospace and specialist surgical procedures can be a role model for regional businesses, according to Advantage West Midlands Chairman Nick Paul.

Mr Paul visited Materials Solutions to witness the progress made by the firm since it was launched in October 2006 backed by grants from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Micro and Nano Technology (MNT) program.

Materials Solutions’ vision is to be a world leader in the development and deployment of advanced materials technologies- bridging the gap between basic research and commercial end users.  Although the firm is not yet two years old it is already expanding its workforce and supplying components and devices to industries as diverse as Formula One racing teams, food manufacturing, aerospace and medical technology.

The first technology in-house is called ‘powder bed laser sintering’ and creates solid objects layer by layer from 3D computer Aided Design (CAD) files using an infra red laser and 20 micron layers of fine metal powers.

The core of the technology is a machine – called an M270- developed in Germany by EOS GmbH and costing £350,000. Materials Solutions had the first operating in the UK and has expanded to three.

Materials Solutions has since used the M270 machines to produce components which it sells back into Germany.

“We are doing things in this technology that simply were not possible in the past,” said Carl Brancher, Chief Executive of Materials Solutions.

In the laboratory behind where Mr Brancher sits a laser traces lines relentlessly as it forms a component from the metal alloy dust in the machine.

“This process is absolutely ideal for complex parts that conventionally would be made from many parts fastened together. We couldn’t make products like this with moulding techniques.”

Mr Brancher holds up a component for the aerospace industry which, save for its matt-grey appearance, looks like a complex seashell.

“We are manufacturing parts in high performance stainless steels, cobalt chrome and nickel super alloys. This is the step-change over similar technologies used for prototyping where a look-alike shape could be made- but not in the materials needed to do the job. Future developments include extending the range of materials to include titanium alloys.”

Mr Brancher is also keen to point out the technology’s advantages in speed, accuracy and repeatability, the lack of tools and moulds and the recycling and reuse of the metal powders not solidified by the laser.

“Research and technology-led manufacturers are currently facing two significant challenges - the environment and the new Asian economies - both as consumers and manufacturers.”

“Environmental concerns and legislation are driving an urgent quest to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and the competitive threat of Asia requires rapid product development by European manufacturers.”

“Our manufacturing process allows us to make complex parts in hours or days directly from a design file rather than the weeks and months required by conventional techniques,” he said.

“This enables rapid design verification and testing of components under operating conditions.”

Mr Brancher continued: “As our manufacturing costs come down we expect to be making higher volumes of parts where we can take full advantage of the extremely good repeatability of the process.”

Mr Brancher believes the West Midlands can be at the forefront of this technology, redeploying the skills and knowledge that traditionally exist in the region into the field of precision engineering.

“Being in Birmingham is a big advantage for us as we are surrounded by high quality engineering customers and sub contractors. Our manufacturing process does not operate in isolation, but adds to existing core skills here in the West Midlands.”

Advantage West Midlands Chairman, Mr Paul, said he was delighted with the progress the firm had made.

“We are competing, as a region, in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, so it’s of fundamental importance that we find innovative ways of doing things.

“We need our companies to tap into the fantastic knowledge base we have within our universities. This knowledge is vital in giving our firms the competitive edge.”

Mr Paul said West Midlands scientists could exploit nanotechnology to be at the forefront of science.

“Nanotechnology could provide answers to many of the challenges we face in the West Midlands. Money can be saved through time and labour efficiencies, products can be tuned to high specifications and the manufacturer can be more responsive to customers’ needs.

“Materials Solutions is a wonderful example of what can be achieved using the specialist knowledge and strengths in innovation we possess.”

Mr Paul added that the West Midlands economy had faced challenges in the past and proved its resilience and would do so again.

“Advantage West Midlands has created more than 17,000 jobs in the last year and attracted or created 1,307 new businesses to the region,” he said.

“There is much to be optimistic about and firms such as Materials Solutions are showing us the way forward. We have a resilient economy.”