16-05-2016

Emerson collaborates with NTU Singapore to expand new manufacturing capabilities

Emerson Process Management and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) today announced that they have entered into a Research Collaboration Agreement under which they will create a new center for research and development on the methods of using 3D printing for the manufacture of industrial control valves.

The objective of the agreement and development center is to develop high value technology and personnel talent to enhance safety, competiveness and innovation in the control valve industry. The research projects are aimed at developing methods to design and manufacture control valves for the process industries much more quickly, economically, and with better mechanical properties than were possible in the past.  Much of the technology to be developed will also be applicable to other areas of manufacturing in multiple industries.

For over 135 years, Emerson has provided customers worldwide with Fisher™ control valve solutions for the power generation, oil and gas, refining, chemical, and petrochemical industries. Its solutions address general service and critical flow control applications for the process industry in a wide range of industries. By harnessing the power of additive manufacturing technologies, Emerson will design and manufacture control valve solutions to solve their customers’ toughest flow control problems. The joint laboratory will be set up at Emerson’s Singapore facility at Number 1 Pandan Crescent. The centre will be equipped with a variety of cutting-edge additive manufacturing technologies.

“Having strong industry partners like Emerson creates product research opportunities and provides a synergistic research environment to translate the research programs  into final commercial products,” said Professor Chua Chee Kai, the executive director of Singapore Center for 3D Printing at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). “The new Emerson facility will offer real-world training and exposure to our students and better prepare them to meet the needs of the industry.”

“Collaborating with NTU will help Emerson utilize a larger pool of resources to help speed the development of commercialising 3D printed components in the industrial market,” said Vincent Tan, vice president of operations and manufacturing engineering for Fisher valves in Emerson Asia Pacific.

The joint lab program is set to start on October 1, 2016 and continue for five years. The research projects involving postgraduate students from NTU will commence in January 2017 and the students are expecting to complete their PhD research project by their fourth year.

The agreement was signed on May 17, 2016. The signing parties were: From Emerson Process Management, John Wilson, vice president and general manager overseeing Fisher valves and Bettis™ actuators in Asia Pacific; From NTU, chief of staff, Professor Lam Khin Yong, who is also the governing board chairman of Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.