The opening of a new facility at Cardiff University will "further enhance Wales' reputation as a world centre of expertise", Welsh Assembly Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks, Andrew Davies has said.

The £7.5 million MicroBridge facility at the University’s Manufacturing Engineering Centre (MEC) will enable engineers to produce microscopic components for industry and will enable precision engineers in manufacturing to work to the same micro-scales as those in electronics.

The Centre won funding for MicroBridge from the Department of Trade and Industry, Welsh Assembly Government and industry. This investment builds on the Centre’s track record in micro-tooling. It will enable engineers to work with any materials, which could lead to even greater reductions in the size of products and associated benefits. For example reducing materials usage and parts will save both labour and transport requirements and dramatically lower overall costs.

Networks lead development of tomorrow's technology

Experts at Cardiff University's Manufacturing Engineering Centre are to lead two major European projects, one that will develop the manufacture of Micro components in the future (4M) and another that will transform the way in which all production is carried out (I*PROMS).