A*STAR SIMTech Rolls Out Collaborative Industry Projects to Help SMEs Pursue Productivity Growth and Advance Into High Value-Added Industries
Poster: SySAdmin
Posted on July 11, 2013 at 10:35:01 AM
A*STAR SIMTech Rolls Out Collaborative Industry Projects to Help SMEs Pursue Productivity Growth and Advance Into High Value-Added Industries
SINGAPORE, July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of
the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) initiated three collaborative
industry projects worth S$1.8m with the support of SPRING Singapore and Singapore
Workforce Development Agency to help local companies strengthen technological
capabilities, increase their productivity, and venture into growing markets. The roll-out
of the collaborative industry projects was announced by Mr S Iswaran, Minister in Prime
Minister's Office, Second Minister, Home Affairs and Trade & Industry at SIMTech's 20th
anniversary gala dinner. SIMTech is one of the key drivers of collaborative industry
projects to assist SMEs.
2. Collaborative industry projects are cost effective R&D platforms where groups of
companies facing similar issues work jointly with SIMTech to develop manpower and
technology. Working in conjunction with the National University of Singapore, the first
collaborative industry project is on X-ray sterilisation for the MedTech industry and food
industries. This collaborative industry project aims to develop a cost effective
alternative to the capital-intensive traditional methods. Current sterilisation methods
are costly and have limited our local SMEs' ability to meet the high demand for
sterilisation of medical devices and food related products. SIMTech's R&D team has
determined that X-ray provides a good alternative to present sterilisation methods as it
offers excellent dose uniformity performances compared with other current technologies. A
total of 15 companies ranging from MedTech device makers, food and herbs suppliers, X-ray
source manufacturers, systems integrators, sterilisation service providers to
certification agency are committed to this collaborative industry project which opens up
new business opportunities in the MedTech sector for our local enterprises and boost
productivity. Mr Marcus Chang, Managing Director of mb nano-Tensilogies, is participating
in the X-ray sterilisation collaborative industry project as it "potentially provides an
alternative technology of sterilisation techniques, enabling us to ascertain the effects
of new technique on mb-coated products while gaining good knowledge through the research
findings."
3. The collaborative industry project on corrosion prevention enables coating
companies to upgrade their capabilities to capture market potential in the oil & gas,
aerospace and MedTech industries. The global oil & gas corrosion prevention market alone
is worth US$ 18.72bn in 2011 (Visiongain). Productivity gains can be achieved by reducing
the steps in the coating application process; establishing more accurate tests for
corrosion investigation and use of the right coating for corrosion prevention. The
collaborative industry project equips the industry with know-how in corrosion prevention;
assessment of corrosion protection coatings and implementation of relevant coatings. This
collaborative industry project is relevant to companies from coating and paint providers,
marine, oil & gas, heavy equipment suppliers, building and industry product as well as
electronics industries.
4. The collaborative industry project on advanced precision metal machining aims to
improve competency and productivity through dynamic analysis and simulation technology.
Advanced precision metal machining is the foundation of the growing aerospace, oil & gas
and MedTech industries. Consisting of training and implementation, this collaborative
industry project is expected to achieve significant productivity improvement at various
stages of the machining process. When completed, a pool of technically competent precision
metal machinists is available to tackle the demands of ultra-precise and complex
machining.
5. Dr Lim Ser Yong, SIMTech's Executive Director, said: "By sharing R&D cost, the
collaborative industry project approach is proven to be a cost effective R&D platform for
MNCs and SMEs from an industry cluster value chain to develop technological capabilities
and innovative solutions collectively to tackle specific technical challenges. An example
is our Gun Drilling collaborative industry project, initiated in June 2011, which created
new high value business opportunities in the oilfield equipment products, drilling,
evaluation and completion tools business for local companies and SMEs."
6. SIMTech celebrates its 20-year milestone of R&D partnerships with Singapore's
manufacturing industry in growing intellectual capital, industry capital and human capital
to enhance its competitiveness. To date, SIMTech has completed more than 5300 projects for
more than 1300 companies, benefitting them in productive growth, creating new products and
growing into new markets.
Annex A
About the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public
sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic
growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven
economy.
In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development
in fields that are essential to growing Singapore's manufacturing sector and catalysing
new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual,
human and industrial capital to its partners in industry.
A*STAR oversees 20 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research
entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their vicinity. These two R&D
hubs house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists
and engineers from A*STAR's research entities as well as a growing number of corporate
laboratories.
For more info, please visit http://www.a-star.edu.sg
About the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology
The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) is a research institute
of the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) of the Agency for Science,
Technology and Research (A*STAR). SIMTech develops high value manufacturing technology and
human capital to contribute to the competitiveness of the Singapore industry. It
collaborates with multinational and local companies in the precision engineering,
electronics, semiconductor, medical technology, aerospace, automotive, marine, logistics
and other sectors.
For more information, please visit: http://www.SIMTech.a-star.edu.sg
For media enquiries, please contact:
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, A*STAR
Ms Lee Swee Heng
for Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology
Tel: +(65)6793-8368
leesh@scei.a-star.edu.sg
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
SINGAPORE, July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of
the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) initiated three collaborative
industry projects worth S$1.8m with the support of SPRING Singapore and Singapore
Workforce Development Agency to help local companies strengthen technological
capabilities, increase their productivity, and venture into growing markets. The roll-out
of the collaborative industry projects was announced by Mr S Iswaran, Minister in Prime
Minister's Office, Second Minister, Home Affairs and Trade & Industry at SIMTech's 20th
anniversary gala dinner. SIMTech is one of the key drivers of collaborative industry
projects to assist SMEs.
2. Collaborative industry projects are cost effective R&D platforms where groups of
companies facing similar issues work jointly with SIMTech to develop manpower and
technology. Working in conjunction with the National University of Singapore, the first
collaborative industry project is on X-ray sterilisation for the MedTech industry and food
industries. This collaborative industry project aims to develop a cost effective
alternative to the capital-intensive traditional methods. Current sterilisation methods
are costly and have limited our local SMEs' ability to meet the high demand for
sterilisation of medical devices and food related products. SIMTech's R&D team has
determined that X-ray provides a good alternative to present sterilisation methods as it
offers excellent dose uniformity performances compared with other current technologies. A
total of 15 companies ranging from MedTech device makers, food and herbs suppliers, X-ray
source manufacturers, systems integrators, sterilisation service providers to
certification agency are committed to this collaborative industry project which opens up
new business opportunities in the MedTech sector for our local enterprises and boost
productivity. Mr Marcus Chang, Managing Director of mb nano-Tensilogies, is participating
in the X-ray sterilisation collaborative industry project as it "potentially provides an
alternative technology of sterilisation techniques, enabling us to ascertain the effects
of new technique on mb-coated products while gaining good knowledge through the research
findings."
3. The collaborative industry project on corrosion prevention enables coating
companies to upgrade their capabilities to capture market potential in the oil & gas,
aerospace and MedTech industries. The global oil & gas corrosion prevention market alone
is worth US$ 18.72bn in 2011 (Visiongain). Productivity gains can be achieved by reducing
the steps in the coating application process; establishing more accurate tests for
corrosion investigation and use of the right coating for corrosion prevention. The
collaborative industry project equips the industry with know-how in corrosion prevention;
assessment of corrosion protection coatings and implementation of relevant coatings. This
collaborative industry project is relevant to companies from coating and paint providers,
marine, oil & gas, heavy equipment suppliers, building and industry product as well as
electronics industries.
4. The collaborative industry project on advanced precision metal machining aims to
improve competency and productivity through dynamic analysis and simulation technology.
Advanced precision metal machining is the foundation of the growing aerospace, oil & gas
and MedTech industries. Consisting of training and implementation, this collaborative
industry project is expected to achieve significant productivity improvement at various
stages of the machining process. When completed, a pool of technically competent precision
metal machinists is available to tackle the demands of ultra-precise and complex
machining.
5. Dr Lim Ser Yong, SIMTech's Executive Director, said: "By sharing R&D cost, the
collaborative industry project approach is proven to be a cost effective R&D platform for
MNCs and SMEs from an industry cluster value chain to develop technological capabilities
and innovative solutions collectively to tackle specific technical challenges. An example
is our Gun Drilling collaborative industry project, initiated in June 2011, which created
new high value business opportunities in the oilfield equipment products, drilling,
evaluation and completion tools business for local companies and SMEs."
6. SIMTech celebrates its 20-year milestone of R&D partnerships with Singapore's
manufacturing industry in growing intellectual capital, industry capital and human capital
to enhance its competitiveness. To date, SIMTech has completed more than 5300 projects for
more than 1300 companies, benefitting them in productive growth, creating new products and
growing into new markets.
Annex A
About the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public
sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic
growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven
economy.
In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development
in fields that are essential to growing Singapore's manufacturing sector and catalysing
new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual,
human and industrial capital to its partners in industry.
A*STAR oversees 20 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research
entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their vicinity. These two R&D
hubs house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists
and engineers from A*STAR's research entities as well as a growing number of corporate
laboratories.
For more info, please visit http://www.a-star.edu.sg
About the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology
The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) is a research institute
of the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) of the Agency for Science,
Technology and Research (A*STAR). SIMTech develops high value manufacturing technology and
human capital to contribute to the competitiveness of the Singapore industry. It
collaborates with multinational and local companies in the precision engineering,
electronics, semiconductor, medical technology, aerospace, automotive, marine, logistics
and other sectors.
For more information, please visit: http://www.SIMTech.a-star.edu.sg
For media enquiries, please contact:
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, A*STAR
Ms Lee Swee Heng
for Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology
Tel: +(65)6793-8368
leesh@scei.a-star.edu.sg
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)