Training in casting and foundry related processes returned to a dedicated £4m foundry training centre in the UK for the first time in over a quarter of a century in March.
The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers (ICME) hosted a large UK automotive OEM at the new National Foundry Training Centre (NFTC) in Dudley Port, West Midlands.
The NFTC is one part of the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills (ECMS) which represents an investment of £12.6m in skills development in the casting and metalforming industries, with the creation of three bespoke training centres around the Black Country. The NFTC will have design, moulding and melting facilities to enable practical as well as theoretical training at all levels.
Over the course of three days, Andrew Turner FICME and Richard Heath Prof MICME, hosted a group of twelve costing and purchasing engineers from Jaguar Land Rover to present a foundation course in high pressure diecasting.
The course, included an overview of the range of casting processes as well as visits to two local foundries – Sarginsons Industries Ltd in Coventry and Amtek Aluminium in Kidderminster.
This was the first group of people to be trained in the NFTC and the first of several courses agreed with JLR as they seek to improve the knowledge of their employees in foundry processes.
ICME is able to arrange bespoke training courses on a range of foundry and castings related subjects for any type of business, including foundries, suppliers and customers in addition to the regular courses that are on offer.
For details of bespoke training programmes or to find out more about ICME’s current programme of short courses, contact Andrew Turner (07802 420917) or Julia Cartwright (0121 601 6979).
Pictured: Andrew Turner and Richard Heath pose with the group of costing and purchasing engineers from Jaguar Land Rover during an ICME three-day foundation course in high pressure diecasting