CHENNAI : Anna University has allocated a seed money of Rs 25 lakh to set up a material research centre to enable collaborations with industries and increase focus on research activities related to civil and mechanical engineering. The syndicate body of the university, in its recent meeting, approved the new centre, which is likely to be operational in six months.
“Tamil Nadu has managed to attract so many industries recently thus enhancing the need for a material testing research centre,” said R Velraj, university vice-chancellor.
The centre will help industries to test and determine the physical and mechanical properties of raw materials and components used in their units. Material testing, done on various parameters like strength, elasticity, and quantification, will help industries to understand whether it is suitable for certain applications.
Along with helping the industries in quality control of their raw materials, the centre will provide the necessary exposure to students.
To increase focus on research, AU has created 16 research centres in the last two years, including centre for wireless system design, centre for fundamental research, a centre for AI, data science research and applications, centre for cyber security, a Centre for Energy Storage technologies, centre for e-vehicle technologies, centre for excellence in automobile technology, centre for Internet of Things (IoT), centre for liberal arts for science engineering and technology, centre for multi-disciplinary systems research, and centre for robotics and automation. Varsity officials said all the centres have been conceptualised to bridge the gap between academia and industry.