Jul 1, 2004
NASA spaced out over Deakin Research
A Geelong based manufacturing industry research centre has attracted the interest of the US space program
Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacturing has become one of the first institutions to demonstrate a new process for making lightweight and ultra-strong composite materials.
VCAMM has carried out work on the materials, from West Australian company Quickstep TEchnolgies, demonstratin that carbon fibre and composites are stronger, cheaper and faster to produce than conventional products such as steel.
The results have sparked the interest at NASA and among other aerospace and automotive industries.
Innovation Minister John Brumby officially launced VCAMM, a joint initiative of Deakin and Monash universities and CSIRO Manufacturing and Industry Technology, this week.
"VCAMM is bridging the gap between industry and research that is vital to strengthening aerospace, defence and automotive sectors that drive Victoria's $80 billion manufacturing sector," Mr Brumby said.
Grown of US and European economies on the back of innovation showed the importance of investing in industry research centres like VCAMM, he said.
Deakin's Professor Peter Hodgson said recent studies highlihgted a need for improvements in manufacturing operations and attraction of new technology-intensive companies to ensure the Geelong region prospered in the future.