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Rolls-Royce extends international research credentials with German cooperation agreement

April 04, 2003

Rolls-Royce today signed a co-operation agreement with the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) in Cottbus, Germany, to establish a joint Engine Technology Competence Centre.

This marks a further chapter in the company's history of forging strong links with the academic world on high-technology research in dedicated centres of excellence. Its pedigree in this area is truly international, with funded University Technology Centres (UTCs) established recently in Sweden and in North America as well as a broad network in the United Kingdom.

Under the latest agreement in Germany, BTU will bring to the partnership the combined research competencies of its Institute for Transport Technology, which has chairs in Combustion and Aero Engines, Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Structural Mechanics and Vehicle Vibration, Vehicle Technology and Drive Trains, and Machine Dynamics.

Research scientists at Cottbus are developing novel turbine and compressor technologies, combustion methods and engine concepts for Rolls-Royce, along with new measurement and analysis techniques for improved assessment of engine noise. The Materials Science and Modelling and Simulation departments will also potentially contribute research into lightweight design, construction and manufacture.

BTU President, Professor Dr Ernst Sigmund, said: "The collaboration will not only strengthen the scientific competence of both partners, but also ensure that the research results achieve rapid implementation in industry through Rolls-Royce in Dahlewitz and the regional suppliers. In addition, the collaboration will enable the university to expand the range of courses it offers to include subjects that have a real, current value on the labour market."

Axel Arendt, Chairman of Rolls-Royce Deutschland, stressed how essential it was for national universities, industrial partners and research establishments to collaborate on research projects. "Rolls-Royce regards an intra-German research network as extremely important. The co-operation agreement concluded today between BTU Cottbus and Rolls-Royce Deutschland will serve to strengthen this network."

Joint research projects for both national and international sponsors were a key element of the agreement, Mr Arendt explained. A chair in Engine Technology at BTU is also being established, and projects defined jointly with Rolls-Royce will result in the creation of up to 14 new academic posts in the new Engine Technology Competence Centre. A further outcome of the co-operation is the introduction of the new engine technology course in the mechanical engineering at BTU Cottbus next winter.

The first UTC in Europe outside the UK was established last year at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, researching hydrodynamics and reflecting the company's strong presence in the marine market sector. Earlier this year, the first UTC in the United States was inaugurated at Purdue University, Indiana, close to the company's major US manufacturing and engineering facility at Indianapolis. The Purdue-based centre is set to study high-Mach number propulsion systems for future aircraft requirements.

Last month, it was announced that the University of Surrey had extended the UK network of Rolls-Royce funded UTCs further by establishing a centre in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, on which it will collaborate with an existing UTC at Sussex University.

Integrated with the UTC network, there is further collaborative activity with academic groups and research institutes in North America, Asia and in Europe. Last October, for example, Rolls-Royce signed a agreement with the German aerospace research establishment, DLR, looking into environmental issues such as noise and emissions. This co-operation also involves existing university centres in the UK, in Cambridge and Loughborough, working in these disciplines.

Rolls-Royce plc