The AMRC has signed a new collaboration agreement with South Korea's leading composites research institute.

The agreement between the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Jeonju Institute of Machinery and Carbon Composites (JMC) covers joint research and development on carbon composite materials, including joint proposals for technology development projects.

The memorandum of understanding was signed at a ceremony at the AMRC Factory of the Future. Signatories were (from left) Hun Kim, director of the JMC; Professor Keith Ridgway, research director of the AMRC; Ha Jin Song, mayor of Jeonju City; Myeong Yeon Lee, vice chairman of Jeonju city council; and Jeong Youle Kim, representing local companies from Jeonju City.

Carbon fibre composite materials are increasingly used in aerospace, marine, automotive and other high-value industries. They provide a valuable combination of light weight and high strength, but present a host of manufacturing challenges.

The AMRC Composite Centre focuses on areas including automated production, machining, and advanced curing technologies. The Composite Centre will move into expanded facilities in the new extension to the AMRC Factory of the Future in April.

Jeonju City is at the centre of a world-leading cluster of carbon composite industry and research. For more information on the Jeonju Institute of Machinery and Carbon Composites, see http://www.jmc.re.kr/