UofSC, Siemens expand partnership to include product demonstrations, new research projects, workforce development
Posted on: December 1, 2020; Updated on: December 1, 2020
By Jeff Stensland, stenslan@mailbox.sc.edu
Siemens Digital Industries Software and the University of South Carolina are expanding their partnership by adding new software, collaborating on research for innovative manufacturing solutions, and by adding Siemens’ product demonstrations in the 15,000-square-foot Digital Transformation Lab at the McNAIR Aerospace Center.
A major part of the partnership will be Siemens customer visits to the Digital Transformation Lab, where potential clients will see demonstrations performed by UofSC students and researchers. These interactions give students the ability to interact with Siemens personnel and their customers, which provides students with real-world exposure to potential future employers.
“Our partnership with UofSC is a future model for bridging the gap between industry and academia,” said Gerry Deren, head of Siemens Digital Industries Software, Americas Academic Enablement. “The global economy is increasingly dynamic, so it is imperative for a large multinational corporation like Siemens to have well-established connections on campuses to help enable graduates possess the requisite skills to be productive employees.”
Siemens previously donated hardware and product lifecycle management software to the College of Engineering and Computing for use by students and researchers alike.
Siemens is one of several major industrial companies heavily involved in research on the Future Factories platform at the McNAIR Center, with a Siemens employee assigned full-time to the project.
The Future Factories platform, led by Ramy Harik with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, seeks to create a fully autonomous robotic manufacturing cell, complete with real-time scoring and analysis of machine performance, AI-assisted decision making, and a live digital twin powered by the Siemens Process Simulate. This research will lead to improved outcomes and greater implementation of advanced manufacturing techniques in factories operated by South Carolina manufacturers.
“Siemens is one of our core partners due to the comprehensive nature of the relationship,” said Bill Kirkland, executive director of the UofSC Office of Innovation, Partnerships, and Economic Engagement. “From customer visits, research and development, and workforce development initiatives, Siemens’ leadership understands that they receive much more value by fully immersing themselves in an academic institution. Conversely, UofSC benefits greatly by having access to research and technology from a world market leader like Siemens, particularly our students who have the opportunity to establish their own relationships and further their career options upon graduation.”