Authorized by the Ministry of Science and Technology, National Engineering Research Center of Near-Net-Shape Forming for Metallic Materials was found in February, 2009. The research center consists of 2 Level-1 Discipline of National Key Discipline; 2 Level-1 Discipline Doctoral Degree Program (Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering); 2 Post-doctoral Research Station (Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering). The Center involves in various disciplines, including casting, powder metallurgy and machine manufacturing. It is an important base for the research and development of metallic material near-net-shape forming technology, its products and manufacturing equipments; for the innovation and industrialization of near-net-shape forming technology; it is a place for talent assembling and fostering; and also it is a place for international/domestic academic and technology interchange. The Center was established on the basis of The Engineering Research Center of Metallic Materials Processing and Equipment, Ministry of Education (category B), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Advanced Metallic Materials Fabrication and Forming, and Guangzhou Non-ferrous metal Casting Engineering Technology Research Center.

The Center devoted to conduct frontier research in near-net-shape forming technology of metallic materials, and to resolve basic technical problems encountered in the advanced near-net-shape forming and its products for the demand in industry and national defense. Research and development are focusing in high efficient, clean, energy and material saving parts and components forming technology, key engineering parts design and its manufacturing equipments. Research directions of the group include: 1) high efficient near-net shape casting; 2) high efficient near-net shape forming of powder materials; 3) high efficient precision plastic forming; 4) equipments for near-net shape forming of metallic materials.

The Center makes up of 30 staffs, among these, 14 Professors, 9 Associate Professors and Senior Engineers. In addition, there are 5 Postdocs and more than 100 students purchasing Doctor and Master Degrees. Recently, more than 100 projects that assigned by the governments at different levels were undertaken by the research group of the Center with a total research funding exceeding 80 million RMB. A total of 12 prize were awarded by governments at different levels, including 2 Second Prize of The National Science and Technical Progress Award, 9 provincial and ministerial Awards (4 First Prize, 3 Second Prize, 2 Third Prize), 1 Chinese Patent Outstanding Awards. More than 700 research papers were published, among these 315 papers were cited by SCI, EI and ISTP. 119 Patents were applied, including 99 invention patents and 20 utility model patents, among these, 73 patents were granted (including 56 invention patents). In addition there are 3 computer software copyright registrations.

Taking advantages of the “211” Project and “985” Project of South China University of Technology, The Center made vigorous progress in the base construction and platform construction. In order to provide a better environment for the rapid technology transfer, the basic research sector occupied a floor space of 3000 m2, the pilot plant has a floor space of 2000 m2 and an industrialization base has a floor space of 30000 m2. The Center possesses a variety of equipment for material processing and characterization. A total asset valued over 55 millions RMB, including 58 sets of experimental equipments that valued higher than 100 thousands RMB, including equipments for: CAD/CAE design and simulation platform; materials fabrication, forming and processing platform; materials characterization and property measurement platform; and materials forming equipment design and manufacturing platform. The Center is upgrading its processing and characterization capability continuously to enhance its innovation ability and open to the society.

The Center maintains long collaboration relationship with international cooperation, institutes and renowned universities such as Osaka University, Tohoku University, Iwate University, Kumamoto University of Japan, University of Glamorgan, UK, University of Wisconsin and Ohio State University of U.S.A. Through exchanging scholars and students, research collaboration, holding and participating international conferences, the research and development capacity of the group was enhanced and keeping in pace with the frontier research. By establishing an “International Cooperation Laboratory” and take advantage of the research and development platforms, the high-quality personnel of the Center take responsibility on key projects concerning near-net-shape forming technology of metallic materials. Actively assimilate and master the advanced technical knowledge and managerial experience from abroad enables the Center become an influential research and development organization. The Center also introduces international information involving new progress, new trends and demands in the field of Metallic materials near-net-shape forming to the domestic enterprises. These enable the Center to provide high quality service to the related bushiness for their market expansion and technology renovation.