University of Leicester to Base UK Testing and Analysis Centre at MIRA Technology Park

MIRA Technology Park is pleased to announce that the University of Leicester will create its Advanced Structural Dynamics Evaluation Centre (ASDEC), at the 1.75 million sq. ft. Enterprise Zone site near Hinckley.

The centre will enable the University to offer the UK’s first commercially available 3D laser structural dynamics vibration testing and analysis centre for the automotive, aerospace and space industries.

ASDEC represents £2.5million of investment, and has been supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, and is delivered in partnership with Polytec. This advanced research facility will be the first of its kind in the UK to offer collaborative R&D and independent commercial 3D laser interferometry scanning measurement and modal analysis, modelling and certification services.

Terry Spall, Commercial Director at MIRA Technology Park, said:

“We are delighted to welcome the University of Leicester to MIRA Technology Park with their ASDEC facility, in what is our first University collaboration at the site.

“The ASDEC facility will be based in the Technology Park’s Control Centre building and will create 15 new jobs along with 27 indirect roles. It’s a very welcome addition to our developing transport sector technology cluster.”

The ASDEC works using three robot-mounted laser scanners, which make non-contact vibration measurements of a surface, thus measuring anything from small components to whole vehicles. The laser beam is directed at a surface and the vibration amplitude and frequency are extracted from the laser beam frequency caused by the motion of the surface being measured.

Professor Kevin Schürer, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at the University of Leicester, said:

“We are very excited about the launch of ASDEC, and the support it will offer UK industry by advancing research and technical development.

“Our investment in ASDEC will enable companies to realise valuable time and cost savings by providing facilities – and expertise – that will allow them to conduct research and bring products to market much faster than previously possible.”

ASDEC is the University’s first off-campus industry-facing commercial facility, and will be available for use from mid-2014.

Since 2009, MIRA Technology Park has created over 250 technology-related jobs as a result of the development. The aim is to create a total of 2,000 jobs in the Technology Park by 2021 and eventually house businesses from across the global automotive, aerospace, rail, defence and associated digital technology sectors.

More information about MIRA Technology Park can be found here.