Now in its second year of operation, 'Aerolaser' is a successful NATEC business that has won a significant order from Breton International to develop a method of securing diamonds to the shanks of cutting tools using laser cladding technology. Based at the Lairdside Laser Engineering Centre (LLEC), part of the University of Liverpool, Aerolaser offers laser based solutions and expertise to industry.

Another NATEC success is the High Quality Wire (HQW) business unit, presently based in Salford University's 'STaR Centre'.

It has recently been awarded a total of £300,000, in grant and matched funding, and is soon to relocate to an industrial unit close to the campus. The unit designs and supplies volumes of wire with high performance characteristics for a range of applications including: Metal sprayed coatings; Welding filler wire; Fuel cell components; Rechargeable battery connectors; Electronics in vacuum environments; Controlled expansion alloys; Ultra-fine wires; Shape memory; Analytical reagents; Medical and dentistry.

NATEC's units currently offer expertise in the following areas:

. New products. Avionics, Composites, Fuel Cell, High Quality Wire, Safety Critical Software, Technical Textiles, Wireless Communications . Industrial Services. Aviation Fuels, Combustion, Materials Testing, Structural Analysis and Testing, Virtual Environments, Wind Tunnels, X-Ray Diffraction . Manufacturing Technology. Laser Processing, Coating and Sintered Products, Electrical Machines & Drives, Ink Jet Printing, Intelligent Monitoring Systems, Laser Shock Peening, Shaped Metal Deposition, Squeeze Engineering, Virtual Design, Joining of High Temperature Alloys . Training & Skills. NATEC's directory of professional development courses is a one-stop guide to short course modules for aerospace professionals. Industry employees can also learn the theory behind manufacturing processes at The Manchester Materials Science Centre as part of NATEC's work exchange programme.

www.natec.org.uk