Malvern Instruments and the Institute of Particle Science and Engineering (IPSE) at Leeds University in the UK have formed a long-term partnership to launch 'IntelliSense'
The initiative brings together the expertise of the internationally renowned research teams at IPSE, and the extensive scientific, technical and commercial skills within Malvern Instruments.
Particulate processing is a key operation in the manufacture of pharmaceutical, agro-chemical, dye and pigment, food, detergent, personal and speciality chemical products.
It represents a huge business worldwide with a predicted growth factor of five to ten over the next decade.
Global competition is the driver for manufacturers to seek new ways to monitor, control and manage their processes, to deliver step changes in cost and quality.
Given the importance of this sector, particle processing is on the verge of a revolution in understanding, monitoring and control, says Malvern.
IntelliSense aims to further the basic science, stimulate, develop and nurture expertise and innovation through exchanging knowledge, and provide industrial relevance by targeting real commercial and industrial issues.
The programme will encourage industrial input through seminars on key particulate measurement and control problems, and will seek to develop innovative systems through collaborative projects.
Using a combination of sensor development, measurement, multi-scale modelling and information technology, and a wide variety of research links, IntelliSense will help to deliver the next generation of sensors and control solutions, it says.
This is especially relevant to the emerging opportunities associated with process analytical technology (Pat).
As part of IntelliSense, Xue Zhong Wang, an existing member of the Leeds IPSE faculty, has been appointed to the new post of Malvern Reader in Intelligent Measurement and Control.
Wang's recent research has focused on the investigation of techniques to help improve process performance through the integration of on-line measurement, control and information systems.
Together with technology partnership manager Richard Tweedie of Malvern Instruments, he will co-ordinate the activities of the IntelliSense project.
A team of PhD and post-doctoral researchers will be added in the coming months, and external advisors will provide international input.
Paul Walker, managing director of Malvern Instruments, commented: "Particulate processing represents a large and growing business worldwide.
"Competitive and regulatory pressures are driving manufacturing industry to achieve documented improvements in cost and quality.
"This joint venture will contribute to the creation of new technologies and solutions, a process that will be aided by the establishment of international networks with major research centres around the world, the wider dissemination of information and transfer of knowledge.
"For us it is an exciting development, allowing Malvern to strengthen its ties with both the research community and the industries we serve".
Richard Williams of Leeds University said: "The IntelliSense project opens up a new collaborative platform, enabling industry to develop and apply both at- and in-line instrumentation and control systems in the manufacturing process."
