HYDERABAD: The Deakin University of Australia and Hyderabad-based engineering firm Cyient have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in academics and research in the disciplines of additive manufacturing and design for additive manufacturing.
Under the MoU, which will be in force for five years, both the parties will exchange academic inputs and collaborate on some joint projects. The nature of projects and the number of beneficiary students is yet to be decided.
Deakin University will provide technical support to Cyient and its students will be offered internship in the industry.
Guy Littlefair, dean of engineering in the university’s faculty of science, said medical additive manufacturing was a combination of bio-chemistry and manufacturing. He said the most advanced methods in manufacturing, like digital fabrication, would help in building implants of human organs with accurate measurements and better quality. “Though it is still in the initial stage in many countries, soon it will create a new chapter in medicine,” he added.
Cyient already has signed MoUs with several institutes in India like Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad and Osmania University. This is the first time that the company is collaborating with an Australian university. Sanjay Krishna, senior vice-president of Cyient, said, “Under the MoU, we are going to offer internships to the students from Deakin University. We will also support their industrial field trips and research projects.” Currently, Deakin University doesn’t offer any special course in medical additive manufacturing. However, post-graduate and PhD students of medicine and mechanical engineering can peruse it as a specialisation. The new MoU will also allow the university to design short-term courses which will be supported by Cyient.
The new curriculum in the medical additive manufacturing would be designed as per industry requirements, Sanjay added.