UK university offers course on groundbreaking metal manufacturing technology

Birmingham, West Midlands, England - Birmingham City University's School of Jewelry will acquire a Cooksongold M 080 direct-metal 3D printing system to utilize in its new master's degree program in metal manufacturing.

The course on Innovative Metal Manufacturing Technologies for Industry has been developed in response to increasing industry demands. It will be the first of its kind offered by an education institution, as part of a unique partnership with Cooksongold.

Cooksongold is the UK's biggest jewelry making supplier and supplies precious metal for investment and jewelry projects. Birmingham City University's School of Jewelry has been located in the Jewellery Quarter since 1890, and is the largest educational institute in Europe to offer training in jewelry and related subjects.

Students will be taught the design parameters and operation requirements of pioneering direct-metal 3D printing technology to make costly and complex precious metal designs a reality. The M 080 system has the ability to revolutionize how the high value-added industry operates. It utilizes the power of 3D CAD design and a direct-metal laser sintering (DMLS) process to build precious metal designs layer by layer, melting fine metal powder with a laser.

"The partnership with Birmingham City University is one of the most important aspects for the adoption of this groundbreaking technology," says David Fletcher, European product manager for Cooksongold. "Students will learn the design parameters and operation for direct precious-metal 3D printing, and in doing so will have a new tool to use alongside existing manufacturing processes and gold and silversmithing techniques. This is a new tool that really does start to make the impossible possible."

The Innovative Metal Manufacturing course has been created for graduates of a design-related degree, and professionals in careers such as engineering, material science, product design/development, and 3D CAD design.

"We have been researching and exploring the potential that DMLS offers the metal manufacturing industries for several years, and are excited by the prospect of involving our students in the understanding and exploration of this technology," says Gay Penfold, Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre manager and MA course director. "We believe this will assist them in going into industry with a skill set not available elsewhere."

For more information, please contact [email protected].