Soldering and brazing technologies supplier Nihon Superior has joined forces with The University of Queensland (UQ) to provide a world-class research centre for the manufacture of electronic materials.
Nihon Superior Centre for the Manufacture of Electronic Materials (NS CMEM) opened its doors on July 1.
The Centre supports research into materials for electronic and electrical application and energy storage with joining and soldering a major focus.
The Centre’s Director Associate Professor Kazuhiro Nogita said the Centre would contribute to industry through the development of proprietary materials and advanced technologies.
“It will also contribute to the development of human resources through the involvement of students and researchers in the work of the Centre,” Associate Professor Nogita said.
Nihon Superior is the major partner in the NSCMEM and provides approximately $400,000 per year across several projects with additional support provided by the University.
The company will also provide in-kind support in the form of materials and services.
The NSCMEM is part of UQ’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering.
The Centre will be located in UQ’s prestigious $130 million Advanced Engineering Building, (AEB) which is scheduled to open in April 2013.
The state-of-the-art engineering education building will also house the Queensland Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM) setting up opportunities for exciting research collaborations between AMPAM and NS CMEM researchers.
Staff include the Director, Senior Research Fellow Dr Stuart McDonald, five research staff and two post-graduate students who are also involved in research on federally funded ARC Linkage and Discovery Grants.
In the nine years that research sponsored by Nihon Superior has been undertaken at UQ there have been some major breakthroughs in the understanding of the properties and behaviour of lead-free solders that have earned global recognition.
Even greater achievements are expected with the joint research and exchange of personnel that will now be possible.
Nihon Superior President Tetsuro Nishimura said the creation of the Centre was the result of a long partnership between his company and the University.
“With the leverage this partnership provides both Nihon Superior and The University of Queensland will certainly get much more from their efforts than they would if they pursued these goals separately,” Mr Nishimura said.
Media: Madelene Flanagan, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, +61 7 3365 8525, m.flanagan@uq.edu.au
