The Lancaster Virtual Prototyping Project was established to assist
Lancaster University in developing links with SMEs in the Objective 2 areas
of the North West region, to transfer its world-class experience in all
aspects of engineering design, manufacture and virtual prototyping,
through the use of appropriate design based technologies. The project was
delivered by the Lancaster Product Development Unit which was
established within the Engineering Department utilising this ERDF funding
effectively as a ‘one-stop product development shop’ and exploited the
expertise of the Engineering Department in the use of advanced design
technologies to the benefit of key regional business sectors, most
especially to the automotive, aerospace, general engineering and
manufacturing sectors which rely heavily on sub-contracting and supply
chains.