INTERACT: Establishing New Collaborations with China in Advanced Metal Forming and Related Processes (Interact-MetForm)

金属成形是制造业中最重要的分支之一。金属成形具有节省材料和高生产效率的显著优势，适用于各种材料类型和几何形状，一直是并且仍然是广泛用于航空航天，汽车，机床和许多其他行业的产品的关键竞争力制造工艺。英国在金属成形技术和相关工艺的研究和开发方面拥有悠久的传统和丰富的遗产，并且在许多领域仍然处于世界领先地位，特别是在航空航天和能源行业。然而，英国面临着巨大的挑战，要继续积极主动地提供世界级的基础研究和尖端技术，以确保其对众多领先企业的支持基础。发展新的国际合作，特别是与中国等主要新兴制造业国家的合作，无疑是一项有远见的战略，也是维持英国在世界舞台上的研究实力并为未来挑战做好准备的有用手段。通过组建一个由英国知名和活跃的研究人员组成的团队，该项目的目的是会见领先的研究人员，并参观先进金属成形及相关工艺的中国顶级研究中心和研究所。访问的大学包括上海交通大学、华中科技大学、哈尔滨工业大学和清华大学。研究重点的关键领域将是（i）新的和新颖的成形工艺;（ii）微成形和材料加工;（iii）新的模具设计和制造技术;（iv）响应过程模拟和优化。在访问期间，我们会安排一连串精心策划的活动，包括图尔斯研究实验室、举办讲座/研讨会，以及与主办机构的研究人员举行座谈会，以便交流新意念、找出双方的共同兴趣和理解，以及为长期合作建立稳固的基础。访问结束后，将组织一个研讨会，向英国大学研究界和行业协会的观众传播成果和主要发现，以促进与中国在更广泛的层面上建立新的和可持续的联系和联系。

Metal forming is one of the most important branches of manufacturing. With significant advantages of material saving and high production efficiency for a variety of material types and geometry, metal forming has been, and still remains a key competitive manufacturing process for products widely used in aerospace, automotive, machine tools and many other industries. The UK has a long tradition and rich heritage in research and development of metal forming technologies and related processes and is still a world leader in a number of areas, particularly in association with aerospace and energy industries. However, there is a huge challenge for the UK to be pro-active in continuing to provide world-class fundamental research as well as cutting edge technologies, to ensure its support base for numerous leading-edge enterprises. Developing new international collaborations particularly with the major emerging manufacturing countries such as China is surely a farsighted strategy and a useful means to sustain UK research strength on the world stage and to become well equipped for future challenges. By forming a group of established and active UK researchers, the aim of the proposed project is to meet leading researchers and to visit top Chinese research centres and institutes in advanced metal forming and related processes. The universities to be visited are Shanghai Jiao Tong University; HuaZhong University of Science and Technology; Harbin Institute of Technology and Tsinghua University. The key areas of research focus would be (i) new and novel forming processes; (ii) micro forming and material processing; (iii) new tooling design and manufacturing technologies; (iv) responsive process simulation and optimisation. During the visit, a series of carefully planned activities including tours of research laboratories, presentations / seminars and discussion meetings with researchers in host organisations will be arranged so as to share new ideas, to identify common grounds of interest and understanding, and to develop a solid basis for long-term collaborations. Upon completion of the visit, a seminar will be organised to disseminate the results and key findings to an audience of UK university research community and industrial associations so as to foster new and sustainable connections and links with China in wider dimensions.