Technium Performance Engineering

Special feature: Low Carbon Automotive Technologies

Technium is a technology–led innovation network that provides the relevant knowledge, support and physical facilities to help young technology businesses in Wales realise their potential for long-term growth.

Technium Performance Engineering is supported by Swansea University, IBM, Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gâr, Swansea Metropolitan University, the Welsh Automotive Forum, the Aerospace Wales Forum and the British Automobile Racing Club (Pembrey).
Technium Performance Engineering has the perfect location, range of facilities, contacts and business support to help you develop your Low Carbon Vehicle technology.
This business innovation centre is based in Llanelli, south west Wales, UK.

Building for the future at Technium Performance Llanelli

The Calsonic Kensei Group has seen the potential for the automotive industry in this area, recently investing £11.4 million in a Llanelli automotive plant which will make new products for the next generation vehicles including hybrid and electric vehicle technologies that require lighter and more efficient components.
Roger Evans, Plant Director at Schaeffler (UK) Ltd, Llanelli, the most recent Welsh company to join LCVC, said, “The Cluster is also about member companies sharing their business contacts, which could lead to brand new business opportunities.”

In January 2010 the Welsh Automotive Forum set up the Low Carbon Vehicle Cluster (LCVC).

The LCVC currently has 22 member companies, who will share their skills, experiences and resources in order to help each other address specific technical, manufacturing and marketing issues. Member companies will observe and adopt best practices from other members that will lead to improved processes and systems.

Schaeffler UK plant director Roger Evans

Roger (left) added, “As a company, we will be actively seeking and submitting collaborative R&D and commercial projects, which can generate sustainable wealth for contributing members. This will include the development of innovative products and technologies that will help to secure new business.”
Schaeffler is no stranger to low carbon technology developments. The Schaeffler Group has already developed a range of innovative bearing solutions that are helping automotive manufacturers produce more compact, lighter vehicles, with improved fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. These products include the FAG wheel bearing, which is more compact and 10% lighter than its predecessor. The new bearing also offers simplified mounting via a unique self-centering, axial spur gear teeth design.

The automotive giant Ford has also committed to a £1.5bn investment in low-carbon vehicle manufacturing in the UK, in a move safeguarding the future of its flagship car engine plant in the nearby Bridgend. The company has said it is now committed to the UK and the production of a new generation of low-emission car and vans and has started Bridgend production of a new generation EcoBoost engine for the next Ford C Max and Grand C-Max models (top right).
Other exciting developments to have taken place in the Low Carbon Vehicle industry in Wales include the recent development at the Toyota manufacturing plant in North East Wales which has become the first factory outside Japan to build a specialised hybrid engine.
The plant, which employs 529 people, produced the 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine for the new Auris Hybrid vehicle (lower right).
The Auris Hybrid is zero-rated for UK road tax, thanks to CO² emissions as low as 89g per km, and will offer outstanding economy potential of up to 74.3mpg on the official combined driving cycle.

Ford C-Max and GrandC-Max have Welsh made green engines

Toyota Auris has hybrid engine built in North Wales

Technium Performance Engineering at Llanelli is perfectly situated to gain the best advantages of local expertise in the Welsh Automotive Forum and LCVC and the centre manager can put companies in touch with all the right contacts.

Image produced with CATIA software (left)

This centre has excellent facilities ideally suited to the design and production of your Low Carbon Vehicle technology, such as the IBM Product Lifecycle Management Suite which includes CATIA and SmartTeam, core PLM application software which support and manage collaborative creation, simulation and visualisation of products, processes and resources.These software applications are already widely used within manufacturing industry, and in particular by automotive and aerospace companies.

Other facilities available to resident companies include modern office space, workshops, a product showroom, and convenient access to the BARC Pembrey circuit for vehicle testing.
Members also benefit from an extensive business support programme provided by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Technium Performance Engineering Workshop Facilities (left)

The Wales Automotive industry is changing its focus to Low Carbon Vehicles. If you are interested in developing these technologies, Technium Performance Engineering is the perfect location for you.

For more information: visit http://www.technium.co.uk/performanceengineering

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