Materials Processing Institute

The future vision of low carbon steelmaking in the UK has been brought to life as part of an augmented reality project developed by the Materials Processing Institute and Animmersion UK.

The Middlesbrough-based immersive digital experience specialist created ‘Steelmaking of the Future’ for the Materials Processing Institute to enable it to showcase the advances it is making in research and innovation in the steel industry on the road to Net Zero.

It was unveiled for the first time at the UK Metals Expo, which was held at Birmingham’s NEC earlier this month (September).

The hi-tech model took pride of place on the Institute’s stand during the Expo, which was attended by the entire metals supply chain. Endorsed by the UK Metals Council, the Expo explored related themes including innovation, skills, circular economy and resources.

The idea for the model came from Dr Lucy Smith, the Institute’s Group Manager, Circular Economy, who gained inspiration from the events surrounding the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow in November last year.

She said: “The Institute is at the cutting edge of research and innovation in transforming the UK’s steel industry into a modern, low carbon industry with a focus on creating more efficient processes, using greener fuels, and implementing a circular economy.

“We wanted to showcase the work the Institute is leading on, including replacing fossil fuels which currently power traditional furnaces with hydrogen and electricity, and promoting the expansion of green steel production in the race to decarbonise.”

Animmersion UK built a scale model of a steel plant and created an app which users use on their mobile phone to scan QR codes which then delivers information to explain the advances.

Chris McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute said: “This hi-tech model allows us to explain in an engaging and informative way just what steelmaking will look like in 2050, the year the government has pledged to meet its net zero targe

“The Institute is based in the Tees Valley, and we are pleased to support local companies, such as Animmersion UK, which are experts in their field.”

Sam Harrison, managing director of Animmersion UK Ltd, said: “We are delighted to work with the Materials Processing Institute on a hugely engaging project actively promoting and supporting world leading and transformational technologies that will transform the steel industry.”

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ANIMMERSION UK AND THE MATERIALS PROCESSING INSTITUE

For further information contact Andrew Douglas 01325 363436

Photo caption: Lucy Smith, the Material Processing Institute’s Group Manager, Circular Economy, and Anders Jersby, Director Commercial, with the augmented reality project ‘Steelmaking of the Future’ developed by Animmersion UK.

Editors’ Notes:

About Animmersion UK

Animmersion is a North East England-based supplier of digital visualisation tools, specialising in five key areas:

• Animation
• VR & AR
• UI & UK Design
• Interactive Displays
• Holograms & MR

The company, which was founded in 2006, delivers digital services direct from our UK based studio with our team of experienced designers, artists, and software engineers, providing all clients with access to the technical and creative skills they need. We have a design led approach and seek to exploit pre-existing digital assets wherever possible to generate the best results possible within defined budgets.

For more information visit: https://www.animmersion.co.uk/

Materials Processing Institute

The Materials Processing Institute is a research and innovation centre serving global steel and materials organisations that work in advanced materials, industrial decarbonisation, the circular economy, and digital technologies.

The Institute has served as the UK’s national steel innovation centre since 1944 having been set up by Sir Winston Churchill’s wartime government just before D-Day to equip the British steel industry for post-war reconstruction. It celebrated its 75^th anniversary in 2019.

Through collaboration with its customers, the Institute provides a range of technology and R&D based services and consultancy. It also has pilot and demonstration facilities and an SME Technology Centre to support supply chain businesses with the development of new technologies and products.

Works with: steel, metals and alloys, chemical processes, aerospace and defence, energy, mining and quarrying, construction, rail, transport, and infrastructure, offshore, subsea, and nuclear.

The Materials Processing Institute includes developments funded through Tees Valley Combined Authority, through the Local Growth Fund (Growth Deal).

For more information: https://www.mpiuk.com/