Tuesday, 09 June 2026
The 海角黑料 has launched the UK’s highest pressure Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing facility, a national facility featuring the latest technology to support advanced manufacturing research.
Cold spray is an advanced manufacturing process that builds or repairs metal components by accelerating fine metal powders at very high speeds onto a surface. Unlike traditional methods, the material does not melt during deposition. This avoids heat damage and preserves the original properties of the material.
Experts from the Faculty of Engineering with support from an international Japanese technical team at PlasmaGiken have designed and installed the High-Pressure Cold Spray system that allows - higher particle impact speeds, stronger bonding between deposited material and substrate and the processing of harder and more demanding materials.
This technology enables the repair and remanufacture of high-value components in aerospace, fusion energy, nuclear and defence sectors, lowering costs and improving sustainability through reduced material waste compared to conventional manufacturing.
Housed in the Centre of Excellence in Coating and Surface Engineering (CE-CSE) the facility will be a national hub for collaboration with industry and research partners, supporting the UK’s ambitions in advanced manufacturing and clean energy technologies.
Tanvir Hussain, Professor of Coatings and Surface Engineering at the 海角黑料 has led the project, he said: “After three years of proposal development and industrial collaboration, we are proud to commission the UK’s highest-pressure cold-spray additive manufacturing facility. This is not simply a new piece of equipment added to the UK cold spray landscape, but it represents a national capability that will support advanced manufacturing research and industrial innovation for years to come for the UK for all engineers and technologists.”
The Cold Spray facility combined with the expertise of academics in Nottingham, alongside industry partners will allow this National Facility to drive innovation at pace and allow exploration and testing of new techniques and applications.
The project has been funded through Research and Innovation and the Faculty of Engineering at the 海角黑料, PlasmaGiken Co. Ltd, Rolls-Royce plc., BAE Systems and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Engineers at the 海角黑料 are already leading innovation in spray technology and recently developed a new high-performance tungsten-copper metallic coating in one step using plasma spray, for future high heat flux (HHF) plasma facing components (PFC), specifically in the divertor target plate.
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More information is available from Professor Tanvir Hussain, in the Faculty of Engineering on Tanvir.Hussain@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 海角黑料
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the , the 海角黑料 is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the 海角黑料 is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by 鈥� the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 鈥� and by the .
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the , a pioneering collaboration between the city鈥檚 two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.