NCLA News

New facilities established in NUI Galway to accelerate the development of next generation biomaterials and advanced manufacturing technologies Pilot Line for Bio-microsystems Development This integrated advanced manufacturing testbed is the first of its kind globally and will accelerate the translation of laboratory-based research concepts towards pilot production. The printed electronics and printed biomaterials advanced manufacturing facility complements the University’s existing expertise and investments in biomaterials and stem cell manufacturing. The testbed will be used to evaluate advanced manufacturing of two types of biomedical product concepts – smart medical devices and tissue-engineered organs on a chip device. Smart medical devices are of particular relevance to the medical device industry in Galway; these devices are empowered with diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities. An example is a smart woundcare device that enables future smart wound dressings to sense the status of the wound and administer a drug accordingly. The manufacturing testbed enables Galway researchers to demonstrate how scalable printed technologies can be used to realise such devices, customised for each patient’s individual needs, on an economic scale. The manufacturing testbed can also generate arrays of artificial tissue know as tissue scaffolds. These structures are being developed to fully mimic different organs in the body. The ability to produce tissue scaffolds on a scalable platform are of increasing importance in the development of new advanced therapeutic medicinal products. For example, new cell based therapies to cure chronic illnesses can be efficiently evaluated using arrays of tissue scaffolds which mimic disease states in the human body. For example, mesenchymal stromal cells can be used to regenerate damaged tissues. Click here for full press release

  Science Foundation Ireland Centres for Research in Medical Devices (CÚRAM) and Advanced Manufacturing (I-Form) are launching two research facilities at NUI Galway on June 12th, 2019 in NUI Galway. Event Registration Details : https://advanced-manufacturing-facilities-at-nui-galway.eventbrite.ie/ Pilot Line for Bio-microsystems DevelopmentIn collaboration with the NCLA Laser Laboratory, a new manufacturing testbed for creating next generation biomaterials and tissue engineered lab on a chip devices will be launched.The testbed is the first of its kind and will demonstrate the manufacturability of new technologies at the interface of printed electronics and bioprinting. D‌ownload brochure for system: Pilot Line Flyer   Advanced Manufacturing LaboratoryThe Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AML) in the Alice Perry Engineering Building houses a suite of Additive Manufacturing (3D-Printing) and additional Advanced Manufacturing technologies. The AML houses NUI Galway’s first metal powder bed fusion printer (3D Systems DMP ProX 100).

  Dr Patricia Scully will present an invited talk on "Laser direct writing of conductive structure in polymers" at the International Symposium on SSS Laser Processing (3S-LP) from Feb 27th to Mar 1st, 2019 in Kanagawa, Japan.

  The enlargement and refurbishment of lab space for the for Laser-enabled Printed Electronics & Printed Biomaterials is now complete.  Pilot Line equipment is scheduled to be installed in Q1 2019.  

Atlantic KET Med have begun the roll out of Innovation Audits with med tech SMEs throughout the Atlantic Area. Innovation Audits are a powerful tool for examining internal practices within a company for managing: Idea Creation, New Product Development, Competency Management, and a number of other key factors for enabling and achieving Innovation within a target market. The Atlantic KET Med Innovation Audit takes approximately 1hr to complete and involves a one-on-one session with an expert who will help to extract the maximum value from the session. Atlantic KET Med are also preparing to deliver their unique Value Chain Analyses’ to 25 companies in the Atlantic Area. These sessions will deliver an in-depth investigation into the market for a new product, providing numerical analysis of target sectors. These services are available free of charge to qualifying companies in the region. If you are an SME in the medical device industry or similar who is using or hoping to use one of the seven Key Enabling Technologies (https://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/policy/key-enabling-technologies/description_en) then please contact Dr. Ian Mc Cabe for more information.

An additive and subtractive manufacturing testbed for creating next generation electrically, optically and thermally activated biomaterials is awarded to NCLA, NUI Galway.The manufacturing test-bed will demonstrate the manufacturability of new technologies at the interface of printed electronics and bioprinting. The system consists of three connected sealed modules. A laser based micro-structuring module will create structured surfaces for microfluidics and embedded electronics. A dry materials additive module will use inkjet and spray tools to create structured conductive/ non-conductive surfaces. A wet bioprinting module will apply living cells and other life-supporting biomaterials. The ability to integrate electronic, optical, and thermal stimuli in flexible medical devices will be transformative –changing the way we connect with, and use, future healthcare products. The system is funded by Science Foundation Ireland under the infrastructures programme 2016 16/RI/3761. The system will be on line in June 2018.  For more information: Dr. Gerard O’Connor

The I-Form Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre has been established by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to deliver high-impact, innovative science and engineering research. I-Form has particular focus on additive manufacturing (’3D printing’) combined with advanced digital technologies applied in a precision manufacturing environment. The Centre is supported by University College Dublin, NUI Galway, Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, Institute of Technology Sligo and Waterford Institute of Technology.  Click here for I-Form website.

NCLA at NUI Galway are delighted to announce a new project, AtlanticKETMED, beginning January 2018, that will assist SMEs throughout the Atlantic area gain access to the Medical Device sector who are using Key Enabling Technologies.The project will establish a transnational advanced pilot manufacturing ecosystem for future biomedical products with support from the European Regional Development fund under the cross border interregional programme for the Atlantic Area under contract EAPA_384/2016 AtlanticKETMED is a transnational consortium of industry and technology experts who will work closely with regional and international partners to provide key technological and enterprise supports aimed at fostering the next generation of technology-enabled medical devices.Working with partners Bionow(Manchester), Atlanpole Biotherapies (Nantes), Alphanov (Bordeaux), Foundation Ramon Dominguez (Santiago de Compostela), and INL (Braga), the project will engage closely with SMEs from the partner regions to support tech and business development. The partnership will also implement a transnational ’Eco System’ of technology providers and process experts capable of taking ideas from the conception stage to a marketable product. Partners and recruited SMEs & micro-enterprises will learn best practice in innovation and competition through the implementation of audits and analyses of technical value chains, respectively. Audits will inform transnational partnerships and which inter-regional innovation capacity is to be developed. Differentiated value chains will determine sustainable competitiveness for enterprises. Gaps in value chains will determine priority for development of innovation capacities. New training and expertise in KETs, Industrie4.0, and Scalable Innovation, facilitated by three workshops, will underpin use of transnational pilot system components. Access procedures for 25 separate processes in the pilot ecosystem will be developed. 5 case studies will demonstrate opportunities for pilot manufacturing ecosystem. Results will be disseminated to 1000+ persons.Individual SME supports will include: Innovation Audits, Value Chain Analysis, Trainings, and Case Studies aiming to assist bringing a product to market.For more information or to enquire on how to participate please contact Dr. Ian McCabe  

Lasers Today article on Contactless Payments Article presenting recent research work on the development of laser ablation methods for RF Contactless Payments was published in the LIA Lasers Today newsletter.Click here for article.  

Laser processed side-emitting fibres An article detailing recent research work on the fabrication of side-emitting fibres for anti-microbial applications was published in the LIA Lasers Today newsletter.Click here for article.

PhD opportunity: Optimising metallic microstructure in laser-based additive manufacturing Principal Investigator (NUIG): Dr Gerard O'Connor; gerard.oconnor@nuigalway.ie 25 July 2018 Research Environment The National University of Ireland Galway is the host for this 4 year funded PhD studentship.  According to QS World University Rankings, NUI Galway is ranked in the top 1% of Universities worldwide. The structured PhD will be undertaken at the NCLA Laboratory as part of I-FORM, the Irish Research Centre in Advanced Manufacturing funded by Science Foundation Ireland. The PhD will be undertaken in close collaboration with two other major Irish Research Centres in Photonics, IPIC, and Medical Devices, CURAM, to which the Primary Supervisor actively contributes.  The PhD candidate will also have access to the diverse EU funded (H2020, Interreg, ERASMUS) research and training activities underway at NUI Galway.  The PhD will be undertaken in an environment recognised for actively supporting gender balance in Science & Engineering. Research Project: Optimising metallic microstructure in laser-based additive manufacturing Metals additive manufacturing is well recognised to be a disruptive technology –expected to have a significant impact on the future value chains for productive economies. The application of metals additive manufacturing is currently limited by microstructure for safety critical components. The question posed by the PhD is how can ultra-short pulsed laser technology optimise the microstructure in metal components produced by laser-based additive manufacturing? To enable the PhD candidate answer this question, the project will provide advanced training in laser matter interactions. The PhD candidate will develop an insight in laser – electron interactions in metals, electron – lattice coupling, precision fusion of powder and particle metallic materials. The approach will combine both experimental and computational research techniques. The PhD candidate will have access to state of the art instrumentation, a multidisciplinary supervisory team, in a dynamic research led teaching environment. The candidate will be expected to undertake a six modules, over 4 years, in transferrable and discipline-specific skills. Research Project: Optimising metallic microstructure in laser-based additive manufacturing Metals additive manufacturing is well recognised to be a disruptive technology –expected to have a significant impact on the future value chains for productive economies. The application of metals additive manufacturing is currently limited by microstructure for safety critical components. The question posed by the PhD is how can ultra-short pulsed laser technology optimise the microstructure in metal components produced by laser-based additive manufacturing? To enable the PhD candidate answer this question, the project will provide advanced training in laser matter interactions. The PhD candidate will develop an insight in laser – electron interactions in metals, electron – lattice coupling, precision fusion of powder and particle metallic materials. The approach will combine both experimental and computational research techniques. The PhD candidate will have access to state of the art instrumentation, a multidisciplinary supervisory team, in a dynamic research led teaching environment. The candidate will be expected to undertake a six modules, over 4 years, in transferrable and discipline-specific skills. Duration: 4 Years Scholarship: €18,500 tax free stipend plus PhD fees, material and travel expenses. Start Date: Autumn 2018 Lead Supervisor: Dr Gerard O’Connor (Head, School of Physics & Director NCLA laboratory) Enquiries and application before August 14 to: gerard.oconnor@nuigalway.ie  +353 91 49 2513