Open day sparks the start of a new era of research for TWI

Industrial Members and technical experts visited TWI recently for the company’s first open day in over eight years. It was a day to showcase the breadth of new and existing expertise, capabilities and services at the culmination of a £60 million build project to establish technical facilities for a new era of research and education in materials joining and engineering.

3D printing using lasers, linear friction welding, and X-ray microscopy were among the eye-catching technical demonstrations presented by TWI staff along the route at the organisation’s recent open day at its new buildings in Cambridge.

Chief Executive Christoph Wiesner welcomed visitors with a background to the build project and introduced short presentations on the National Structural Integrity Research Centre for postgraduate education, and a look at highlights from TWI’s 70-year knowledge base. Invention and innovation in welding and joining at TWI have shaped the path of progress for many industrial sectors.

Visitors then took part in a tour covering 11 technology stations and more than 10 exhibition areas across five connected buildings and engineering laboratories. Demonstrations and displays represented all areas of TWI business including the world renowned Library, Training and Examinations, The Welding Institute and group company Pi Ltd. During the afternoon, industry guests took part in a series of sector specific briefings and workshops focused on current needs and technical advances.

The open day took place against the exciting backdrop of the live final of the European Welding Federation’s WeldCup competition, which saw teams of bright young welders from seven countries competing for the skills award. Winning team Romania beat off the competition from runner-up Germany, with the UK in bronze medal position. Guest team China also scored highly.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

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