The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing has announced a new partnership with the Goodrich Corporation, further strengthening its position as a global centre of excellence for aerospace engineering.

Goodrich Actuation Systems, a key division of the Fortune 500 company, is joining the AMRC as a Tier One member. Goodrich Actuation Systems is a leading top-tier supplier of primary and secondary flight control systems to global aircraft manufacturers.

Prof Keith Ridgway CBE, research director of the AMRC, says: "We're delighted to welcome Goodrich to the AMRC, and look forward to working with them to develop new manufacturing capabilities and technologies. As a Tier One member, they join the likes of Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty and BAE Systems in a comprehensive cluster of aerospace research which can deliver real benefits to all of the companies we work with."

Dale Ballinger, VP Secondary Flight Controls at Goodrich Actuation Systems, says: "We are looking to our membership to support our business on a number of levels, including improvement and step changes of our existing manufacturing technologies and capabilities, and support in the identification and implementation of new manufacturing and materials technologies."

AMRC researchers will collaborate with Goodrich on projects which can deliver immediate benefits in the company's current production. These will involve areas such as optimisation of machining processes, assembly and test automation, and the development of automated 'lights out' machining processes,

In the longer term, the collaboration will address new materials and manufacturing technologies to support new products and drive innovation throughout the business.

By taking Tier One membership, Goodrich Actuation Systems gains access to all the resources and generic research at the AMRC, and also takes a seat on the board to help determine the direction of future research.

"Apart from addressing our own needs, we have the opportunity to collaborate and work with other partners to address industry-wide needs. We gain the ability to learn from each other, about the direction that markets are taking and also what manufacturing technologies and trends are being employed to meet these needs," says Ballinger.

Goodrich will also be able to draw on future developments around the AMRC, including the Advanced Manufacturing Institute Training Centre, which will provide 250 apprentice places a year from 2013, and the proposed Design Prototyping and Testing Centre.