As part of Advanced Factories 2022, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Eurecat have announced the inauguration of a Joint Research Unit (JRU) in Digital Metal Fabrication to foster industrial innovation in companies in the aerospace, automotive and healthcare sectors in Europe and Australia.
This joint research unit will provide access to the cutting-edge infrastructure, technical and technological expertise of both organizations in order to increase the global competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in Europe and Australia, as well as to help develop new materials, products and processes, and to train new talent.
The main objective of this new joint research unit is to cover the value chain: from the design and advanced manufacturing of metal components to the development of alloys and new materials that enable innovative customized design solutions for different industrial sectors and applications.
The new unit brings together the knowledge, facilities, and expertise of RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing and Additive Manufacturing centres, together with Eurecat’s Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence. Mark Easton, from RMIT, together with Xavier Plantà, from Eurecat, are the technological directors of the JRU.
During the presentation of the new unit at Advanced Factories 2022, Professor Mark Easton, director of RMIT’s Advanced Manufacturing Centre, said that the coming together of these two leading advanced manufacturing technology organizations provides a unique solution for industry in Europe and Australia to access the global capabilities and networks needed to innovate in this area. “By combining the expertise and joint facilities of RMIT and Eurecat with this new joint research unit, we believe we can respond to unlimited future opportunities for industry,” he said.
Xavier Plantà, director of Industrial Technology at Eurecat, remarked that the new joint research unit will provide innovative knowledge in digital metal fabrication technologies with a special focus on sustainability. “We will exploit our expertise in manufacturing technologies and production processes for advanced and clean manufacturing to enable industry to improve its productivity and waste management,” he said.
The launch of the new joint research unit is an extension of RMIT and Eurecat’s existing partnership to support technology transfer and innovation for industries in Europe.
