Posted: Mon 23rd Jan 2023

Cutting-edge innovations showcased during Secretary of State for Wales visit to University’s OpTIC Technology Centre

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Monday, Jan 23rd, 2023

The Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies MP has visited the St Asaph campus of Wrexham Glyndwr University to hear about the innovations and cutting-edge work undertaken at the OpTIC Technology Centre.

Mr Davies met with Professor Caroline Gray OBE, Site Director of the University’s OpTIC Technology Centre and Professor of Enterprise Engagement and Knowledge Transfer for a tour of the site, which included the New FabLab – a facility that offers 3D printing and laser marking, the large Aperture Optical Polishing facility, the 5 Axis Machining Centre, Opto-mechanical Design, the Thin Film Coating and the Metrology Laboratory research and commercial facilities.

The OpTIC-based commercial and Research groups provide specialist optical engineering and surface metrology solutions and services to a range of industrial and academic sectors including astronomy, semiconductor, aerospace and space. The team can provide services on both a research and industrial platform from design to system build.

The Thin Film Coating facility is the first of its kind in Wales. It provides a production scale dedicated research facility to allow the research and development of the next generation of thin film coatings. Working together with industrial partners to enable the development of new products and processes for a wide range of industrial applications.

Professor Gray said: “We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Wales to the OpTIC Technology Centre and showcase our pioneering facilities and highlight the work of our fantastic teams, who are renowned for their technological and scientific innovation.

“It was particularly good to be able to show Mr Davies our new £1.4m state-of-the-art Vacuum Coating Research Facility and the rapid prototype 3D printing and 5 Axis Machining fabrication facilities. All of these facilities allow The OpTIC Centre to continue to develop and support the Photonics industry and research platform in Wales.”

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “It was fascinating to visit the OpTIC Centre and meet the scientists and researchers who work there.

“Wrexham Glyndŵr University has created a unique space which hosts some truly ground-breaking research and development which will help us achieve our ambitions of levelling up North Wales and growing the Welsh economy.

“The UK Government has provided significant funding for this facility through the North Wales Growth Deal. We have remarkable scientific talent here in Wales and I was delighted to be shown some of the great work that’s being done.”



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