ARM-D-COP is a project which brought together the Faculty of Engineering from the University of Malta and Silvercraft Products Ltd. Funded through the R & I FUSION Fund administered by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), the consorstium received around €200,000. The consortium developed a novel machine capable of manufacturing Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) Utility poles that are longer and have a better strength to weight ratio than conventional alternatives.

During his speech, the Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation praised the researchers as well as the industrial partner Silvercraft Ltd for the work related to this project. He also thanked the MCST for the continuous support it gives to research in Malta.

“Thanks to this kind of consortia, new innovations are created, which serve not only to enhance research, but also to bring forth brand Malta,” Minister Bonnici said.

It is common practice that utility poles are manufactured in Wood, Steel or Concrete. GFRP was never a contender, until now, mainly because the manufacturing processes available were limited and confined to less than 16m in length. Glass Fibre Reinforced Composite offer an attractive alternative as they can endure larger loads, act as insulators, capable of withstanding corrosion and wear resistance and are ultimately lighter, implying less rigid foundation requirements.

ARM-D-COP has successfully designed, developed and commissioned a novel revolutionary manufacturing machine for the fabrication of GFRP tapered poles. A prototype machine was designed, developed and commissioned with the aim of optimizing and testing the concepts of this new revolutionary manufacturing method. Our streets as well as international ones will benefit from this innovation.

In his closing speech, Executive Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology, Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, said that the high value-added manufacturing sector was not just another business sector but rather one which considerably impacts the broader economy and significantly influences the environment in which other business sectors operate – resulting in a multiplier effect. He said that “High value-added manufacturing is proving to be an increasingly popular business model for manufacturers, so much so that it is changing their role and scope within the value chain.” He added that: “Research and Innovation incentives, such as FUSION, enable such companies to access opportunities which change their traditional role as manufacturers and  assume the tasks of researchers, designers and service providers. The ARM-D-COP consortium successfully demonstrated that, through funding programmes such as FUSION, great ideas can be turned into practice and gaps between business and academia successfully bridged.”

Project leader Prof. Ing Duncan Camilleri said, “Thanks to research initiatives and the provision of the necessary funding by MCST an idea that has been put at the back of the shelf was brought to light, giving the local industry a competitive advantage over the international market. The revolutionary machine not only produces tapered composite poles but maximizes the structural efficiency while minimizes the cost of the end product. The versatility of the machine gives design engineers the possibility to explore and fabricate any composite pole dimensions, capable of withstanding any load configuration. The expertise, knowledge and practical understanding brought about through the collaboration of University of Malta, Faculty of Engineering and a leading SME local manufacturing company Silvercraft Products Ltd, made this project a successful endeavour. Through this project the consortium aims to tap in the international market by selling the end products to various clients and capitalize on the royalties of the new manufacturing process by further collaboration with renowned world leading composite manufacturing companies. The continuous investment in research and innovation adds up to the enhancement of the Maltese Islands GDP.”

Local and international stakeholders attended the event who followed technical presentations by the project researchers, engineers and manufacturer. A panel discussion moderated by an Esplora Science Communicator followed.

The event was streamed live on facebook and can be followed via:

https://www.facebook.com/MaltaCouncilforScienceandTechnology/videos/905182810125598