Digital Engineering Technology and Innovation

Key points

To achieve net zero by 2050, we need to invest in new ways to reduce and remove carbon emissions from what we produce and how we consume it. Providing an exciting opportunity to engineer better, sustainable products much faster using digital technologies that will accelerate innovation to drive decarbonisation. In parallel, the UK has a skills problem – the demand for digital transformation of its engineering industries is outstripping the number of engineers with digital skills.

Led by the NCC, Digital Engineering Technology and Innovation (DETI), a two-year research, innovation and skills programme, helped companies to identify and develop the tools, technologies and processes needed to rapidly boost digital engineering capabilities. It also included a skills programme that provided courses to upskill the current workforce, and a STEM programme to inspire and build a diverse and inclusive future generation of engineers.

Through DETI, the NCC produced a series of demonstrators showing businesses how they can address common challenges to digital transformation. These ranged from speeding up the product design process using immersive technologies and concurrent engineering techniques, to utilising the power of 5G and quantum computing to allow manufacturing operatives to securely control robots remotely and in real time with no delay.

Richard Oldfield, Chief Executive, National Composites Centre said:

DETI is a crucial part of enabling a future where the South West is the place to design net zero products. Holding the product design and development capability will lead to high value, long-term jobs both in the organisations that design the products, and the wider supply chain.