ABB sponsors UQ to advance development of engineers

ABB Australia Pty Ltd

Thursday, 20 December, 2012

ABB has announced a five-year sponsorship agreement with the University of Queensland (UQ) valued at an estimated $500,000. Students of the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology now have access to the ABB Mechatronics Teaching Laboratory, which is complete with ABB’s System 800xA control system, IRB 120 industrial robot and drives packages.

The university will run courses each year with ABB guest lecturers, giving a minimum of 120 students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with ABB’s productivity-enhancing and field-proven System 800xA and automation equipment in areas such as control engineering, mine ventilation and mine management.

One of the two ABB drives packages consists of an ACS800 variable speed drive (VSD) and AC motors. Another combines ABB’s DCS800 VSD with a Baldor DC motor and gives students exposure to the energy-efficiency capabilities of these devices and knowledge of how they can be applied to reduce energy consumption across a variety of mining applications.

In addition to the on-site equipment, ABB is proud to be providing undergraduate scholarships for low socioeconomic or Indigenous students. ABB has committed to awarding a minimum of one three-year scholarship annually, which will give these students the opportunity to complete their higher learning at the University of Queensland.

“ABB is excited about the future of engineering in Australia. We see the opportunity to work closely with the UQ as rewarding for both the students and ABB,” said ABB Country Manager Axel Kuhr.

Kuhr also announced that ABB will sponsor a number of full-time Research Higher Degree students with scholarships as well as offering paid internships over the lifetime of the sponsorship.

“The interns can expect wide exposure to different process and automation applications during their time with ABB,” said Kuhr. “Our vision for this collaboration is to help the university develop industry-ready, highly skilled and globally focused graduates.”