The PEM Research Centre, based in IT Sligo, provides industry-focused research and development of precision engineering, manufacturing and materials technologies and innovations. We work with companies at all stages of their research and innovation journey and across the full spectrum of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Our aim at the PEM Research Centre is to:
- To service the needs of industry – working with companies to provide solutions to engineering, manufacturing, and technical problems across their value chain;
- To contribute to the technical and academic body of knowledge within the precision engineering and manufacturing sector, and to transfer that knowledge to industry.
The PEM research, development and innovation capabilities provide industry with a unique RD&I support offering in precision engineering, manufacturing, and materials, which is underpinned by our experience and the expertise of our principal investigators, all who have individually achieved notable research achievements through engagement with industry.
In addition we have forged strategic collaborations with a number of Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded research centres to further strengthen our R&D support for industry.
Specific manufacturing industry research needs
The PEM Research Centre is focused on addressing specific manufacturing industry research needs in:
- Product development and design for manufacturing (DFM);
- Manufacturing process simulation and optimisation;
- Process control and statistical analysis;
- Sustainable manufacturing;
- Additive manufacturing;
- Enhancement, optimisation and control of polymer processes;
- Precision engineering and micro-machining;
- Laser-based prototyping and manufacturing technologies;
- Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies.
PEM Technology Gateway is funded by Enterprise Ireland, it has built on IT Sligo’s strength and history as the National Training Centre for Toolmakers in Ireland and has developed that expertise in precision engineering, design for manufacture (DFM), mechanical engineering, materials science, micro-machining, polymer processing, rapid prototyping, general manufacturing process control and statistical process analysis.
We work with companies, across a range of sectors on projects that help solve technical challenges they are experiencing or innovations they want to exploit.
We provide technology solutions that allow companies to develop new products, processes and services by leveraging the research expertise available to us though IT Sligo.
PEM provides engineering and technical solutions along with process improvements across the full product lifecycle, with specialisation in product design and development in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
We can also help businesses to navigate the myriad of funding mechanisms and help them choose the funding best suited to their project. With funding available from €5,000 up to €300,000 it can be a godsend to businesses.
The PEM Research Centre has partnerships with NWCAM (Sustainable Manufacturing) and I-Form – SFI Centre for Advanced Manufacturing. We are currently working on several industry projects through these partnerships.
The Northwest Centre for Advanced Manufacturing (NWCAM) is funded (€8.7 million) by SEUPB Interreg VA with IT Sligo's PEM Research Centre receiving approximately €1m in research funding. The overall programme funds 11 postdocs and 13 PhDs for nine industry projects.
IT Sligo has recruited two postdocs and two PhDs for industrial research projects involving Abbott and GSK in Sligo, however, IT Sligo also has co-supervisory PhD commitments across the other PhD projects as well.
Underpin academic collaboration
The primary objective of the programme is to underpin academic collaboration across the Interreg VA regions with a focus on supporting enterprise R&D requirements within the respective regions.
There are four thematic areas for the project, additive manufacturing, sustainable manufacturing, advanced polymer products, nano-manufacturing.
The PEM Research Centre are partners in the I-Form Advanced Manufacturing Centre funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in 2017. The I-Form centre is led by UCD and comprises of academic partners NUIG, UCC, Trinity College, DCU, WIT, Maynooth University and IT Sligo, in addition to including over 25 industry partners who are contributing match funding.
The centre has secured more than €18.5 million from both SFI and Industrial partner contributions to fund more than 100 PhD and postdoctoral researcher positions.
The PEM Research Centre is leading out on a Spokes project in collaboration with industrial partner Abbvie within I-Form.
The project has recruited a team of postdocs and PhDs researchers to investigate the area of design and development next generation of injection moulding tooling produced by additive manufacturing.