KC.IRI – an Industrial Research and Innovation Center launched at KCT today (27.7.17) at Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Seminar Hall, Dr. Mahalingam Vigyan Bhavan, KCT, Coimbatore.
M.S.R.Prasad, Distinguished Scientist and Director, Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), DRDO, Hyderabad launched the center in the presence of Shankar Vanavarayar, Joint Correspondent, KCT.
S.Saravanan, Chief Delivery Officer, Mechanical & Systems Engineering, Altran India, Bangalore delivered the keynote address. R. Sundar, Ex-General Manager of L&T Coimbatore and Dr. R. Ganesh Rajagopalan, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University, USA offered their felicitations to the new centre.
KC.IRI – Kumaraguru Industrial Research and Innovation Centre is set up in KCT as a focused Research & Innovation Eco System at KCT in symbiotic collaboration with Industries for the promotion of industry-specific applied research, innovative product development, advanced learning, and skill development programs with following objectives.
- Providing Research support to R&D organizations / Industry and consulting to SME/MSME Industries in this region.
- Conduct Industry supported, advanced Learning and skill development PG/UG/Diploma programs for students and engineers through Competency Development Centres run with the active support of leading Industries in the areas of Product Design, Advanced CAE, PLM, Digital Manufacturing, Embedded Systems, Tool & Die Design, Benchmarking and Prototyping.
- Establish Industry sponsored, advanced Research and Product Development centres to provide Research, Prototyping, Testing, and Training support to Industry and Academia in this region.
- Create a pool of skilled resources in Design and Manufacturing through sector specific certification programs in skill development under Skill-India / Make-in-India schemes by establishing a Manufacturing & Training Hub with the dedicated support of local industries.
KC.IRI is headed by Prof. C. Vasantharaj as its Founder Director, having more than 34 years of Research, Industry and Academic experience in DRDO, CADES and KCT. He is ably supported by K.R.Ananth as Head of Industrial Research and Innovation with a rich experience of about 33 years in DRDO, L&T & ILensys in the areas of Product Design and Development. An expert team of research faculty and engineers with wide specialization in Aerospace, Automobile, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Bio Technology, and Textile Technology domains will support the centre actively.
Expert core teams drawn from research faculty in KCT and senior engineers from Industry will support this centre with active engagement, involving in mentoring and guiding the executive team. A panel of technical experts and senior managers from Industry and Global academia will be in the Advisory Boards and Technical Councils for KC.IRI to direct, guide, collaborate and support.
KC.IRI will be a platform to connect Industry with KCT research faculty enabling them for executing the research & development projects from Industry in various domains. Dedicated KC.IRI executive team of experienced project managers, project engineers and business development managers will be supporting the department faculty for proposals, follow up, allocate resources and continuous monitoring for execution of projects within scheduled time, cost and quality as expected by Industry.
KC.IRI will be the nodal centre in KCT for conducting advanced PG programs and certification programs for UG students supported by Industries for creating a pool of “Industry Ready”, “Employable” engineers.
Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT), Coimbatore is an autonomous Engineering College, established in 1984 under the auspices of Ramanandha Adigalar Foundation, part of Sakthi Group founded by Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam, a Gandhian, industrialist, and a philanthropist. Located amidst the IT corridor in a sprawling campus of 150 acres, KCT offers 13 Under Graduate and 14 Post Graduate programmes with many approved Research Centers. More than 6000 students are imparted quality technical education by a dedicated team of 395 qualified and experienced faculty members and ably assisted by 360 supporting staff. Well-equipped laboratories, research facilities such as iQube, CEAD, Garage, Vehicle Testing Dirt Track are some of the facilities which are part of KCT. FORGE, a techno business incubator of KCT provides technological consulting for start-up pursuits of alumni of KCT and budding entrepreneurs.