Partners to Champion Smart Manufacturing

A*STAR is taking its partnership with British aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce to a deeper level.

On 9 January- A*STAR and Rolls-Royce signed an MOU to explore the establishment of technology centres in Singapore to exploit the rapidly growing capability of the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced manufacturing technology in a range of sectors. This collaboration will also facilitate the growth of supporting digital ecosystem in Singapore which all industries can benefit from.

Plans are underway for the centres to include collaborative sensor technology design and computational science development labs- developing strategic capabilities in local enterprises to prepare for the future of smart manufacturing. The new technology centres are expected to benefit across sectors- from industrial to healthcare to fintech- including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They will also help ensure Singapore continues to create high-level jobs in line with today’s digital age.

Speaking at the signing ceremony- A*STAR Chairman Lim Chuan Poh hailed the deal as an “important milestone” for both parties- adding that the technology centres could help catalyse the growth and development of the local eco-system.

“It is also significant for Singapore as we continue to move our manufacturing industry up the value chain and technological curve for it to remain relevant and competitive globally-” he said.

Mr Lim stressed that the future of manufacturing will be driven by Industry 4.0 technologies including the IoT- additive manufacturing- digital manufacturing- robotics and advanced materials.

“In this increasingly mobile and networked world- businesses that do not invest in digital capabilities will be disrupted-” he said. Rolls-Royce Chairman Ian Davis said that the sharing of expertise in digital technology would enable both parties to build a digital eco-system that all industries can benefit from.

He also described Singapore as a country that is continually transforming- able and inventive thanks to its ongoing Smart Nation initiative.

“With A*STAR- we intend to start and ask you to join this effort and help build a collaborative digital ecosystem which can encourage and provide an open platform for a range of small and medium companies to collectively develop digital and data analytics capabilities for a range of industries from aerospace- to healthcare to fintech-” he said during the MOU signing ceremony.

Mr Lim also praised Rolls-Royce as one of A*STAR’s most valuable partners in collaborative research- whose efforts have kick-started innovation for industries not only limited to the aerospace sector- but also made significant contribution to the overall manufacturing landscape in Singapore.