RESEARCH NEWS
Digital tool“ to transform product testing”
An InterAct-backed academic has developed a groundbreaking digital tool that could dramatically transform product development and testing. The VVT Prioritisation Tool, created by Dr. Khadija Tahera at The Open University, is a free, interactive online platform that helps engineers to align verification, validation and testing( VVT) strategies with customer requirements, regulatory standards and business objectives.
It offers a smarter way to plan and prioritise product testing, potentially saving time and reducing development costs. It was developed with the support of InterAct( the Made Smarter Innovation programme that brings together economic and social scientists), UK manufacturers, policymakers and digital technology providers to address the human issues resulting from the diffusion of new technologies in industry.
“ Traditional VVT methods often focus too narrowly on technical risks, primarily reflecting the perspective of engineers. However, Dr. Tahera’ s research highlights the importance of integrating the voices of the customer, regulator and business to ensure comprehensive, effective testing strategies,” said InterAct.
Her research led to the development of an innovative tool that brings previously siloed testing methodologies— Quality Function Deployment( QFD), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis( FMEA) and Design Verification and Validation Plans( DVP & R)— into a unified, userfriendly platform.
It guides engineers through a seven-step process that helps to prioritise tests, make data-driven decisions and plan necessary tests, offering a dynamic solution to testing in product development. Users can also simulate changes and visualise how shifting priorities impact outcomes.
Dr. Khadija Tahera.
Dr. Tahera said:“ Testing can account for up to 75 % of a product’ s development budget. This tool simplifies a complex process into a clear, repeatable approach. It encourages teams to challenge assumptions and work collaboratively to improve quality, reduce cost and ensure compliance. Although still in prototype, the tool is powerful, scalable and promotes smarter, faster decisionmaking. I believe manufacturers of all sizes can benefit from exploring its potential.”
The tool is available at https:// smarttesting. open. ac. uk n
https:// interact-hub. org /
https:// smart-testing. open. ac. uk
Advanced remanufacturing technology
Jennifer from NMIS and Ryan from Renewable Parts examine pinion shafts.
A research collaboration between Renewable Parts Limited( RPL), SSE Renewables and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland( NMIS) has demonstrated the potential to remanufacture critical onshore wind turbine components— restoring worn or damaged parts to their original specification or better— to drastically cut waste, reduce carbon emissions and extend part life.
Using advanced additive manufacturing, analysis and inspection techniques, the team successfully restored damaged pinion shafts from a wind turbine yaw gearbox, a key component that keeps turbines facing into the wind to maximise energy capture. Pinion shaft failures frequently lead to the replacement of components, resulting in up to 42kg of steel being scrapped and causing turbines to go offline.
Early trials showed that remanufactured parts could perform to original specifications following machining and non-destructive testing, saving up to 84kg of CO₂ equivalent per remanufactured component [ 1 ].
RPL is now looking to validate the units and compare with new shafts ahead of operational field trials. Building on the success with pinion shafts, there is also potential to explore remanufacturing other critical wind turbine components using similar advanced manufacturing technologies.
The longer-term ambition is to widely use remanufactured pinion shafts in windturbines across UK windfarms, potentially saving thousands of tonnes of steel waste and significantly lowering emissions. With approximately 15.7GW of onshore wind capacity currently operational across the UK, the potential impact of adopting remanufactured pinion shafts at scale is substantial.
Ryan McCuaig, Product Development Engineer, Renewable Parts, commented:“ Remanufacturing could be a game changer for improving sustainability in the wind sector and significantly increase the percentage of steel recirculated within our refurbished products portfolio. We’ ve had the concept for some time but lacked the specialist facilities and expertise to take it forward. Working with NMIS and SSE Renewables has allowed us to prove that these critical components don’ t need to end up in a skip; they can be given a second life.”
The project is part of ReMake Glasgow, a circular manufacturing initiative supporting companies in the region to adopt technologies for remanufacturing and refurbishment, with a focus on advancing circular innovation in energy, aerospace and transport. The aim is to cut CO₂ emissions by up to 99 % compared to producing new parts.
Andreas Reimer, Senior ReMake Theme Lead, Digital Factory at NMIS, said:“ Repair and remanufacture must become mainstream if we’ re to reduce the environmental impact of what we make and use, but also to present new economic and business model opportunities particularly in high-integrity sectors, such as renewable energy. If adopted industry-wide, remanufacturing could not only prevent vast amounts of steel waste but also substantially cut emissions linked to air miles by reducing the need to import replacement parts from overseas. Manufacturing parts locally would also create jobs and help retain specialist manufacturing skills within the UK.”
The project was funded in part by the Glasgow City Region Innovation Accelerator programme, led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation. n
¹ Estimate emissions calculated based on 2kg of CO₂e per kg of steel manufactured.
www. nmis. scot
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