Australian industry will gain a new competitive edge from a University of Queensland-based centre built to pioneer advanced materials and manufacturing processes.
Products ranging from rockets to heart stents could be improved by the Queensland Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM) at UQ’s St Lucia (Brisbane) campus.
UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said $15 million from the Queensland Government’s Smart State Innovation Building Fund, announced by Premier Anna Bligh, gave the green light to the $40 million centre.
“AMPAM will consolidate Australia’s best materials processing research by combining scientists and engineers from UQ, the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, the Defence Materials Technology Centre, and three co-operative research centres (CRCS) – CAST CRC, CRC for Advanced Composite Structures and the Polymers CRC,” he said.
“These researchers will help small and medium players in the manufacturing sector to supply larger firms bidding for high-value contracts in global industries such as aerospace, automotive, health and agriculture.
“Working together, scientists, engineers and business people will rapidly translate research breakthroughs into practical tools for industry, and give Queensland and other Australian businesses a vital edge over international competitors,” Professor Greenfield said.
AMPAM’s Acting Director, Professor David StJohn, said the centre would provide the critical mass of diverse expertise that is needed to efficiently invent new manufacturing technologies and products.
“AMPAM will foster an integrated multi-materials approach to research and development.”
“By combining metals such as titanium, magnesium and aluminium, with
polymers, ceramics and composites, we can create lightweight, heat-resistant products that are both cost-competitive and kinder to the environment.
“Innovations in products as different as rocket structures, car engines and cardiac stents could emerge from this centre within its first few years,” Professor StJohn said.
AMPAM will have an important role in education and training, creating a pipeline of Queensland-educated materials science professionals. The centre will come with a new professorial chair, financial support for PhD students, a postdoctoral fellowship and will provide up-skilling opportunities for TAFE graduates.
The centre is scheduled to open in 2011.
An artist's impression of AMPAM can be downloaded from this site: http://omc.uq.edu.au/images/AMPAM/cover.jpg
Media contacts: Professor David StJohn (07) 3365 3574; Fiona Kennedy (07) 3365 1384; 0413 380 012.
