CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCT DESIGN

1. PEC University of Technology Chandigarh, India CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCT DESIGN

2. Coordinator : Prof. ParveenKalra Production & Industrial Engineering Department Co-coordinators : Prof. Neelam R Prakash Electronics & Communication Engineering Deptt. Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Mechanical Engineering Deptt.

3. Vision • The Centre of Excellence in Industrial and Product Design will establish itself as a global resource centre in the areas of Industrial and Product Design. Mission • The Centre has the mission to encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborative research, that addresses current challenges, in an environment that enables a ‘love for science, technology and discovery’ so that it can provide innovative solutions for addressing the needs of industry and healthcare providers. • The Centre is developing as a resource centre so as to become a preferred destination for industry, healthcare providers to carry out sponsored research, train & develop professional talent, proficient in the areas of ergonomics and design.

4. CoE Objective – Delivering High Quality Relevant Research Results: • CoE’s Approach : • Collaborative Research • Partners for Research • Rationale : • Problem definition is better if domain experts are involved at an early stage in defining the research project. • Improves employability of research scholars. • Key implementation challenges : • Finding partners for collaboration. • Aligning with the partners’ work styles and cultures. • Partners have different processes for doing collaborative research.

5. CoE Objective – Developing Research Competence • Rationale : • Research orientation is a necessary ingredient in the researcher that enhances his/her ability to do research • CoE’s Approach : • Interaction with experts / research scholars of other institutes working in same/related areas • Collaborating with institutes having supplementary facilities • Broad basing the selection of research candidates - Young Research Fellows (YRF) program for undergraduates Results: • Key implementation challenges : • Research scholars orientation may be to complete the requirements for a degree • Ensuring availability of research manpower and quality feeder cadre for research teams.

6. CoE Objective – Sustained Research Funding • Rationale : • Research plans have less reliability in terms of timelines, to continue research funds requirement is critical. • CoE’s Approach : • Apply for projects in focused areas that can be sustained for funding. • Target CSR funds / Internal funds of organizations • Results: • DST Sponsored Project Completed - An Ergonomic Study of Ingress and Egress Motion of Users of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) Buses. • TIDE, DST Sponsored Project - Collection of Design Relevant Characteristics of Ageing Users and its Use in Design of a Multipurpose Walking Cane. Submitted jointly with NITIE, Mumbai. • Expression of Interest by NITIE Mumbai & Tynor Orthotics Pvt. Ltd. Mohali to submit project on Development of Ankle Foot Orthosisfor Elderly jointly with CoE • Pilot collaborative study on Ergonomic Evaluation of Dental Workplaces being carried out with IIT Guwahati and NITIE, Mumbai. University of Wisconsin may also be involved in this project. • Key implementation challenges : • Funds are provided for a time period, beyond which funding is not available • External organizations willing to fund have different requirements for research projects which may or may not match the CoEs domain

7. CoE Objective – Developing Employable Human Capital • Rationale : • Candidate who are able to demonstrate competence during dissertation / thesis work are employed by organizations. • CoE’s Approach : • Encourage PhD and PG in Industry for dissertation / thesis work. • Results: • PG Students employed in Minda Corporation Ltd., Noida • PhD in Industry programme at ABB Global Industries and Services Limited, Bangalore • PhD in Industry programme (expression of interest) at Tynor Orthotics Pvt. Ltd., Mohali • Key implementation challenges : • Availability of problem definition data base – industry, society • Alignment of expected time lines for externally generated projects

8. CoE Objective – Outcome Driven Research • Rationale : • Research projects that are driven by high venture possibility require a different way of thinking -potential user requirements are kept in mind and this helps to optimize research outcomes and deliver practical PoCs with high functionality focus • CoE’s Approach : • Research projects that have a potential to become a venture. • Training for Venture competency • Setting up of Venture Support Cell • Results : • Incubation Cell set up in institute • Support Cell for Legal / CA / IP services approved • Projects that have potential to become a venture – • Development of guides for mandible reconstruction from fibula free flap. • Development of dental drill guides for improved cooling at drilling site. • Key implementation challenges : • Availability of problem definition data base – industry, society • Alignment of expected time lines for externally generated projects