The future vision of low carbon steelmaking in the UK has been brought to life as part of an augmented reality project developed by the Materials Processing Institute and Animmersion UK.
The Middlesbrough-based immersive digital experience specialist created ‘Steelmaking of the Future’ for the Materials Processing Institute to enable it to showcase the advances it is making in research and innovation in the steel industry on the road to Net Zero.
It was unveiled for the first time at the UK Metals Expo, which was held at Birmingham’s NEC earlier this month (September).
The hi-tech model took pride of place on the Institute’s stand during the Expo, which was attended by the entire metals supply chain. Endorsed by the UK Metals Council, the Expo explored related themes including innovation, skills, circular economy and resources.
The idea for the model came from Dr Lucy Smith, the Institute’s Group Manager, Circular Economy, who gained inspiration from the events surrounding the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow in November last year.
She said: “The Institute is at the cutting edge of research and innovation in transforming the UK’s steel industry into a modern, low carbon industry with a focus on creating more efficient processes, using greener fuels, and implementing a circular economy.
“We wanted to showcase the work the Institute is leading on, including replacing fossil fuels which currently power traditional furnaces with hydrogen and electricity, and promoting the expansion of green steel production in the race to decarbonise.”
Animmersion UK built a scale model of a steel plant and created an app which users use on their mobile phone to scan QR codes which then delivers information to explain the advances.
Chris McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute said: “This hi-tech model allows us to explain in an engaging and informative way just what steelmaking will look like in 2050, the year the government has pledged to meet its net zero targe
“The Institute is based in the Tees Valley, and we are pleased to support local companies, such as Animmersion UK, which are experts in their field.”
Sam Harrison, managing director of Animmersion UK Ltd, said: “We are delighted to work with the Materials Processing Institute on a hugely engaging project actively promoting and supporting world leading and transformational technologies that will transform the steel industry.”