Joint venture launched to strengthen rig training

An education provider has joined forces with a learning organisation to boost skills delivery.

The University of Hull and Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA) have signed a knowledge transfer partnership.

Bosses say the move will create digital twins of existing training rigs.

They add it will “give businesses high-tech access to full-scale production rigs without disrupting their own premises, plant and manufacturing processes”.

The venture has been backed by UK Research and Innovation funding through Innovate UK. 

Dhaval Thakker, professor of AI and internet of things at the University of Hull, said the project will help Hull-headquartered HETA upgrade its plant and teach to the advanced industry 4.0 module.

He said: “We’re delighted to work with HETA to develop training facilities and programmes that offer businesses and learners opportunities to be at the forefront of change in a rapidly evolving industry. 

“These new facilities will encourage businesses to take advantage of digital technologies, offering flexibility to develop and refine processes and deliver greater efficiency.”

Iain Elliott, HETA chief executive, said: “If a manufacturer needs to make changes to their factory, they can do it by trying them on the digital rigs. 

“They will also help look into predictive maintenance – you can put sensors on the equipment and it will feed back information on how it is performing.”

Jan Antons, Innovate UK’s knowledge transfer adviser for Hull, Humberside and North Lincolnshire, added: “This is a fantastic example of how collaboration between academia and industry drives real impact.

“By combining research with practical application, we are driving innovation that delivers real benefits.” 

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