Innovate Through Technology Upgrade

1. Introduction of A*STAR

2. Core Competencies & Focus

Dr. Lim Ee Meng (lim_ee_meng@a-star.edu.sg) 林一民林一民林一民林一民

Deputy Director, GET-Up

Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC)

Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)

2. Core Competencies & Focus

3. Technical Assistance Schemes

4. Accomplishment

5. Success Stories

A*STARAgency for Science, Technology and Research

1 2 3 4 5

Ministry ofTrade and Industry

• Key responsibilities:

(a) To nurture public sector R&D

(b) To capture economic value thru the exploitation of intellectual

and human capitals

National

R&D Agency

Blue Sky ResearchApplied / Directed

Research & Development

Commercialization

A*STARAgency for Science, Technology and Research

Industry Partners

Research Partners

• Local & overseas universities / research organizations

• Local hospitals• Etc.

• MNCs• Local SMEs

/ Start-ups• Etc.

A*STAROrganization

Joint Council OfficeScience and Biomedical

A*STAR Chairman : Mr Lim Chuan Poh

Managing Director : Prof. Low Teck Seng

AGASERC BMRCJCO ETPL

Exploit Technologies

Pte Ltd

Joint Council Office

A*Star Graduate Academy

Research Institutes

Science andEngineering

Research Council

BiomedicalResearch Council

DSI, I2R, ICES,IHPC, IME,

NMC，，，，IMRE, SIMTECH

BII, BTI, GIS, IBN, IMB, IMCB,

SICS

14 ResearchInstitutes

~2600 researchersfrom >50 countries

Marketing &

Commercialization

Arm

Scholarship

A*STARSERC Research Institutes & Centres

Institute for

Infocomm Research

(I2R)

Institute of High

Performance Computing

(IHPC)

National

Metrology Centre

(NMC)

Institute of

Microelectronics (IME)

Data Storage

Institute (DSI)

Institute for Chemical &

Engineering Sciences

(ICES)

Institute of

Materials Research

& Engineering

(IMRE)

Singapore

Institute of

Manufacturing

Technology

(SIMTech)

CORE COMPETENCIESSERC Research Institutes

Institute for Chemical and

Engineering Sciences (ICES)� New Synthetic Techniques & Applications

� Applied Catalysis

� Chemical Synthesis Laboratory @ Biopolis

� Crystallization & Particle Science

� Industrial Biotechnology

Institute of Materials Research and

Engineering (IMRE)� Materials Analysis and Characterization

� Patterning and Fabrication

� Synthesis and Integration

� Materials Growth

� SERC Nanofabrication and

Characterization

Data Storage Institute (DSI)� Spintronics, Media and Interface

� Optical Materials and Systems

� Mechantronics and Recording Channel

� Integrative Science and Engineering

� Network Storage Technology

Characterization

Institute of Microelectronics (IME)� Integrated Circuits & Systems

� Microsystems Modules & Components

� Semiconductor Processing

Technologies

� Bioelectronics

� Nano-Electronics and Photonics

� Sensor and Actuator Microsystems

CORE COMPETENCIESSERC Research Institutes

Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC)� Large and Complex-coupled Systems

� Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics

� Computational Electronics and Electromagnetics

� Advanced Photonics and Plasmonics

� Adaptive and Collaborative Computing

� Data Mining and Analysis

� Computational Material and Chemistry

Institute for Infocomm Research

(I2R)� Computer Graphics & Interface

� Computer Vision & Image Understanding

� Cryptography & Security

� Data Mining

� Human Language Technology

� Communication Systems

� Modulation & Coding� Computational Material and Chemistry

Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech)� Manufacturing Processes in Forming, Joining, Machining and Surface Technology

� Manufacturing Automation including Mechatronics, Robotics and Precision Measurements

Technologies

� Manufacturing Systems for Manufacturing Execution and Control on the Shop Floor and

Enterprise Level as well as Planning and Operations Management

� Multi-disciplinary Research Programmes such as Microfluidics Manufacturing and Large Area

Processing

� Modulation & Coding

� Networking Protocols

� RF & Optical

� Signal Processing

INDUSTRIAL FOCUSSERC Research Institutes

ELECTRONICS INFOCOMM

Microelectronics

Data

Storage

Infocomm Sciences

Semiconductors

Storage & Peripherals

Advanced Display

Electronic Components

Electronic Modules

IME

DSI

Devices

Digital Content & Media

Software & Computing

CommunicationsI2R

ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS INFOCOMMINFOCOMM

CHEMICALS

Chemical Sciences

Materials Sciences

Manufacturing

Technology

Industry

SectorsIndustry

Sectors

Petroleum/Petrochemicals

Performance Materials

Bio & Consumer Chemistry

Specialty Chemicals

Process Engineering

IMRE

ICES

CHEMICALSCHEMICALS ENGINEERINGENGINEERING

SIMTech

IHPC

Computational Sciences

ENGINEERING

Metrology Machinery & Systems

Precision Modules

Aerospace

Precision Components

Marine & Offshore

Automotive

MoneyGrowing

Enterprises

Sharing of Resources with Industry Partners

R&D Talent

Management

Market

Technology

A*STAR

Need Support of Multiple Agencies

R&D Facility

Modes of Industry Collaboration

1. Technology Licensing - ETPL

2. Research Collaboration Agreements (RCAs) : 1-to-1

3. Consortia : many-to-many

4. Service Projects

5. Training, Courses5. Training, Courses

6. Shared Infrastructure

7. Center of Innovation (Precision Engineering) - SIMTech

8. GET-Up

9. Etc.

SMEs form the backbone of Singapore economy:

• Contributes to ~50% of GDP

• Employs more than half the workforce

• Need to continuously upgrade to become more competitive

GET-Up programme

• was launched in Jan 2003

GET-UpGrowing Enterprises with Technology Upgrade

Participating agencies include:• A*STAR• SPRING Singapore• EDB• IE Singapore• IPOS• Polytechnics

• was launched in Jan 2003

• a multi-agency programme to boost the competitiveness of local technology

enterprises through technology upgrading.

GET-UpTechnical Assistance Schemes

(Launched in Jan 2003)

GET-UpOperational & Technology Roadmapping (OTR)

• To assist companies in developing technology roadmap aligned to business

• Methodology adapted from Cambridge University. Customized for local companies

• 5 brain-storming sessions with senior management (each half a day)(each half a day)

• Study

a) Markets

b) Products / services

c) Technologies needed

d) Available resources

e) Implementation plan

• Service provided by SIMTech and focus on manufacturing industries

GET-UpTechnology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up)

• Secondment of Research Scientists & Engineers (RSEs) to company to build in-house R&D / technical capabilities

• develop new product / process

• set-up new technical department

VP Product Strategy of muvee Technologies(Former T-Up RSE from I2R)

• transfer technology from overseas

• Enable local enterprises to access R&D talent from Research Institutes

• All foreground IPs belong to company

• Eligible local SMEs pay 30% of manpower cost

SMEs

Eligibility

• At least 30% local equity

• Annual sales not more than $100M

GET-UpTechnology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up)

• Annual sales not more than $100M

or

Employment size not more than 200

Financial Assistance (SPRING) :

• Grant : 70% secondment cost

• Duration : 3 months to 2 years

GET-UpTechnical Advisor (TA)

(a) Provide in-depth technical advice

(b) Facilitate collaborations between company & research institutes

(c) Free-of-charge if TA does not spend more than half-

• Appoint senior scientists / researchers as technical advisors to companies

(c) Free-of-charge if TA does not spend more than half-a-day per month advising company

GET-UpKey Accomplishments

Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up)

(as at 5 August 2011)

Engineering593 Coys

(45%)

Electronics189 Coys

(15%)

Chemicals142 Coys

(11%)

Operation & Technology Roadmapping (OTR)

165 OTR for 139 Coys

Visited 1303 New Coys

Technical Advisor (TA)

Infocomm379 Coys

(29%)

314 RSEs seconded to 194 Coys

31 RSEs recruited by 27 Coys

134 TAs appointed to 87 Coys

Visited 1303 New Coys

Since Jan 2003

(Incl Revisits : 1832 Coys)

345 Coys had benefited from the GET-Up initiative

68-266-269

lim_ee_meng@a-star.edu.sg

Lim Ee Meng

CONTACT

68-266-270

samuel_lew@a-star.edu.sg

Samuel Lew

Address:

1 Fusionpolis Way #18-10 Connexis North Singapore 138632

SUCCESS

STORIES

Benefits / Achievements

� Developed an innovative activation mechanism to reduce penetration depth thus avoiding puncturing any

babyLance™ Newborn

Marine

Infant Heel Incision Device

MediPurpose Pte Ltd / SIMTechT-Up

depth thus avoiding puncturing any soft bone tissue of the infant.

� Device launched on 28 Jul 10 and listed with US FDA and received CE marking for Europe.

� Market size for baby heel incision devices in USA is about 30 million pieces a year (Source: GHX 2010). babyLance™ Preemie

Marine

SPN International Pte Ltd / DSI & ICEST-Up

Benefits / Achievements

� DSI RSE helped to further develop company’s SPN coating technology

ICES’s Dr. Chow Keat Theng(ST Photo 15 Jul 10)

Chemical coatings to protect computer hard disks from external damage

from small volume verification to a stage closer to mass production.

� ICES RSE helped to scale-up coating production.

� The environmentally-friendly product has resulted in drastic reduction in particulate contamination in HDDs to enhance drive reliability and data integrity.

� The process will reduce the amount of heavy metal and waste generated by the HDD industry yearly, and can potentially save the industry more than US$100 million per year in coating costs.

� Company reduced coating costs by up to 20%. Projected production increase by almost 200% from 2011 to 2013.

Benefits / Achievements

� Developed and patented 1st in the world US FDA approved biocompatible polymer bone scaffolds

Process and Material Development of Bio-Polymeric Scaffold System for Bone Reconstruction

Bio-Scaffold International Pte Ltd / SIMTechT-Up

biocompatible polymer bone scaffolds using rapid prototyping-3D printing technique.

� Developed manufacturing process to mass produce scaffolds with non-uniform porosity so that strength is not compromised.

� Estimated market size in Asia Pacific region is ~ S$600M/year.

� RSE joined coy as CTO.

New bones with biocompatible polymers resulting in less pain and reduced surgical operation

Benefits / Achievements

� Developed a process to repair rather than replace worn impellers

� New process approved by Det

Welding repair of turbocharger impellers in progress

Marine

Turbocharger Impeller Repair & Service For Marine Applications

Tru-Marine Pte Ltd / SIMTechT-Up

� New process approved by Det Norske Veritas

� Enabled the company to offer new cost-effective and timely services to niche market.

� One of the contributing factors to Coy’s overall revenue growth grew from S$20M (2002) to S$50M (2006).

� Founder won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007.

Turbocharger impellers in marine engines

Benefits / Achievements

� Enabled Setsco to build up diagnostic and failure analysis

Building Up Of Microelectronics Failure Analysis Capabilities

Setsco Services Pte Ltd / IMET-Up

diagnostic and failure analysis capabilities for microelectronics.

� RSE has trained around 30 technical staff, leveraging on IME’s facilities.

� Setsco is now providing such services independently using its newly purchased equipment.

T-UpAdvanpack Solutions Pte Ltd / IME

Micro Molded Interconnect Substrate (uMIS) for Semiconductor Packaging

Benefits / Achievements

� Company received assistance from a RSE from IME, who � Company received assistance from a RSE from IME, who subsequently joined the company after the secondment period.

� Developed a new packaging solution for the semiconductor industry, which has been awarded 1 patent, with another 6 pending.

� Solution has generated tremendous interest and demand. It has already been licensed to two major companies in industry.

� This has supported the company’s expansion overseas. APS is currently setting up a manufacturing line in China.

� Coy forecasted revenue from sales and licensing of uMIS technology to hit $5M in 2011 and $50M in 2015.

T-UpResin and Pigment Pte Ltd / SIMTech

High Value Plastic Engineering Compounds

Benefits / Achievements

� Company received assistance from 2 RSEs from SIMTech.� Company received assistance from 2 RSEs from SIMTech.

� Helped set up research and testing facilities, as well as processes to manufacture new polymer materials for industry, leading to the successful registration of a product patent.

� Key contributing factor to the successful start up of Resin & Pigment’s new toll compounding business which gave additional average revenue of S$140,000 per month in 2009.

� Enabled Resin & Pigment to clinch a business contract with ExxonMobil to be its first contracted compounder in Asia, products of which will be applied in automotives.

Benefits / Achievements

� Performed thermal interface analysis and material selection to minimise thermal resistance in LED assemblies.

Product Development of Infrastructure Solid State Lighting

Screentech Display Pte Ltd / SIMTechT-Up

thermal resistance in LED assemblies.

� Setup a testing and measurement unit to support products and operations.

� Enabled coy to achieve a 34% thermal improvement and up to 50% reduction in production cost of LED displays.

� Enabled coy to file 2 patents.

� Assisted coy to double its turnover in a year.

Benefits / Achievementsed

� Developed a master lead free alloy, which was tested successfully in coy’s Shenzhen production facility.

� Assisted coy to setup R&D capabilities in

Development of R&D and Manufacturing Capabilities in Lead Free Solder and Fluxes

Electroloy Metal Pte Ltd / SIMTechT-Up

� Assisted coy to setup R&D capabilities in metallurgy, materials characterisation and failure analysis, manufacturing of solder flux and solder alloys, analysing activator for flux cored wire manufacturing, and identifying trends and developments of new products.

� Completed a number of projects in failure analysis on solder alloy applications for key MNC clients.

� Products had been successfully manufactured and commercially marketed.

Benefits / Achievementsed

� Lead coy’s R&D team to develop its own high-end disk media testers, provided market analysis and advice on industry trends and transferred optical

Development of High-end Hard Disk Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) Media Testers

Seidensha Singapore Pte Ltd / DSIT-Up

industry trends and transferred optical and laser technology to coy.

� Enabled coy to break into the non-contact, non-destructive high-end media tester market.

� System had been adopted exclusively by a leading hard disk media manufacturer in Singapore.

� Enabled coy to earn more than $10M in sales over a 4-year period.

Model: KMS406

Model: KMS306

Prefabricated Internal Floating Roof (IFR) to Reduce Evaporation Loss in Petrochemical Storage Tanks

IFR

Storage

Dynaglass Reinforced Plastic Pte LtdOTR

Benefits / Achievements

� Identification and patent of core technologies and new flagship product (IFR)� Registered 3 trademarks in 8

Petrol

Storage

Tank� Registered 3 trademarks in 8

countries� Registered 1 patent in 6

countries

� Secured 30 IFR orders and installed 19 as of 22 Nov 08� Worldwide customers – eg.

Shell, Thai Oil & NSL

� Overall product contributions to profits in 2007, 2008 and 2009 are 26%, 31% & 25% resp.

Facilities Reservation System – NEMO

ESCO Audio Visual Pte LtdOTR

Benefits / Achievements

� Developed a 3-year product strategy that included :� Technology development for Nemo� Technology development for

production and manufacturing� Marketing� Product line development� Branding

� Secured agreement with new Swedish business partner to manufacture and market NEMO in Europe and USA.

Nemo

Thanks You!