PRECISION ENGINEERING INDUSTRY TO GEAR UP FOR HIGH VALUE-ADDED MANUFACTURING WITH HELP FROM A*STAR-NUS JOINT LAB COLLABORATION

A*STAR SIMTech and NUS Faculty of Engineering have launched two joint labs in Natural Fibre Composites and Large Format Machining to boost R&D in manufacturing and support the local industry needs. New scholarships are being provided to develop talent for these labs.

SingaporeThe Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering jointly inked an agreement today to launch two Joint Labs, in the areas of Natural Fibre Composites and Large Format Machining, to move the local precision engineering industry into high value-added manufacturing.

This collaboration builds capabilities and develops technologies to help the complex equipment, aerospace, and marine & offshore clusters. The SIMTech-NUS Joint Labs also serve as platforms to nurture R&D manpower for industry, transforming them into centres of excellence in their respective technical areas to benefit more industry sectors. Twenty PhD scholarships will be provided to develop R&D talent for manufacturing research conducted in the Joint Labs.

Dr Lim Ser Yong, Executive Director of SIMTech said, The Joint Labs with NUS are long-term collaborations to conduct systematic fundamental research on specific research themes to develop advanced manufacturing technology in SIMTech. The Joint Labs in Natural Fibre Composites and Large Format Machining will help to build the foundation of a robust track record in the thematic areas of practical industrial significance, advancing research and honing the skills of R&D manpower for the local manufacturing industry.

Said Professor Chan Eng Soon,Dean, NUS Faculty of Engineering, We are pleased to have this opportunity to help in nurturing a pool of R&D talent contributing to Singapores value-added manufacturing.

Harnessing Materials Science to Boost Manufacturing

Combining expertise in materials science and engineering, and materials processing and manufacturing, is essential in the development of cost effective manufacturing of high performance natural fibre composites for high-tech applications. The use of fibres such as flax, hemp, jute or sisal in the composites industry are currently limited by the availability of a durable semi-finished product or structural component with consistent quality for high-precision and load-bearing applications.

With NUS expertise and SIMTechs experience, the Natural Fibre Composites Joint Lab can contribute to manufacturing R&D and meet the demands for natural fibre market as it is expected to grow with a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 per cent over the next five years, due to the need for light-weight, cost-effective products and push for sustainability[1].

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:: 21, May 2014 :: PRECISION ENGINEERING INDUSTRY TO GEAR UP FOR HIGH VALUE-ADDED MANUFACTURING WITH HELP FROM A*STAR ...