 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
Public Lecture on Quality Control in Plastics Manufacturing Industry
Date: 23rd March 2011
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Ing. Achim Frick, Faculty of Mechanical Engieering, Aalen Universtiy, Germany
The Public Lecture was presented by Profs Dr. Ing. Achim Frick, a professor at theFaculty of Mechanical Engineering, Aalen University, Germany. This lecture providedan introduction to the world of polymer testing and troubleshooting, both of which areof utmost importance for quality control in plastic manufacturing industry. For therealization of excellent polymeric high-tech products, polymer engineering skills arerequired.
It is therefore a must for the product developer to take into considerationpolymer design rules as well as adequate manufacturing techniques, includingsuitable processing conditions otherwise a manufactured product of inferior qualitywill results, leading to serious problems in its application. Important design andtesting techniques adopted in plastic production were presented together withstrategies for the prevention of possible plastic part failure.
The Public Lecture was well attended with a student audience, engineers fromindustry, University lecturers and staff, and IED Members. Following the public lecturesome refreshments were served, and the audience continued their discussions withProfs Frick.
Malta Enterprise Design Innovation Awards
Date: 4th April 2011
As from 2001, the Malta Enterprise (ME) has been sponsoring the Design Innovation AwardScheme. The main aim of the scheme and hence award is to help foster an innovative ratherthan routine design attitude in mechanical engineering students whilst learning engineeringdesign. Engineering design innovation provides opportunities for improving industrialcompetitiveness, for generating patents and for entrepreneurship. To this end, an event will beheld in which the most innovative engineering design projects of 2009 and 2010 will bepresented.
Micro and Nano Manufacturing:
Challenges & Opportunities
Date: 4th May 2011
Speaker : Prof. Stefan Dimov, MEC, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, UK
Microsystems Technology (MST) for the first decade of its development dwelt mainly in the neighbourhood of semiconductor technology, since many process steps relied on the relatively mature technologies widely applied in IC fabrication.
For the seventh consecutive year, IED Malta will organize the IED Malta Student Award. FinalYear projects presented by fourth year mechanical engineering students in the Faculty ofEngineering Exhibition in July 2010, were assessed on a number of criteria.
Date: 7th July 2011
IED Malta Student Award
Within the last few years MST has started to explore the potential of a wide range of precision engineering technologies to overcome some of the limitations associated with IC based processes. As a result of this so called technology convergence, the structures that can be produced by either approaches are now of a similar order and require new hybrid methods of manufacture - new processing technologies capable of manufacturing miniaturised products with an intelligent multi-material mix, for achieving function and length scale integration.However, in contrast to the semiconductor industries, with their well established and optimised process chains, many of the new high through put process chains for MST-based products are still under development and require the focused interdisciplinary efforts of research communities and industry in order to achieve the predicted double figure growth in the next five to ten years. This talk will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the manufacture of such multi-function multi-material products, and the need for technology convergence in order to benefit from a range of available or emerging technologies for low cost volume manufacture. Also, the talk will review the main findings and results of the MEC micro and nano manufacturing programme that are validated in feasibility studies and pilot applications in the last five years. In particular, special attention will be given to investigations into tool/master-making technologies, micro electro-discharge machining, laser machining, micro milling and focused ion beam, together with replication processes for serial manufacture, micro injection moulding and nano imprint lithography.
Visit at Abertax Technologies Ltd.
As part of its efforts to promote the design profession in Malta, IED Malta organized an industrialvisit at Abertax Technologies Ltd., on 18th November 2011. The student members whoparticipated in the visit had the opportunity to meet a professional article and mould designerwho described his daily design activities. Students were also taken to the CNC machiningworkshop at Abertax Technologies Ltd. where they could see advanced non-conventionalmachining technologies such as wire and die Electro Discharge Machining.
Date: 18th November 2011
Social Event
