Uniting titanium industry insiders: Professor Deliang Zhang hopes to bring together titanium researchers and industry partners to discuss the opportunities and challenges the industry faces.
This February the Waikato Centre for Advanced Materials (WaiCAM) is holding a Titanium Alloy Powder Metallurgy Research, Development and Commercialisation symposium to showcase developments in titanium research and technology.
Waikato University has a world-class titanium research team, and many members will use the symposium to present their research findings. They will be joined by titanium researchers and industry representatives from around the country.
Unite titanium industry insiders
Organiser Professor Deliang Zhang says the conference aims to unite titanium industry insiders to discuss key issues facing the industry.
“The conference will consist of oral and poster presentations by members of the New Zealand titanium research team, and a general discussion on a few key issues in relation to commercialisation.
“The purpose of the symposium it to showcase research results undertaken by titanium researchers in collaboration with industry partners, and discuss the opportunities and challenges the industry faces.”
Interest in titanium
Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal, and is used for components and structural elements in the aerospace, medical and automotive industries and in the latest laptops and cellphones.
In 2010 the government invested nearly $8 million in the titanium industry, and opened a flagship facility for the Titanium Industry Development Association (TiDA) in Tauranga, aimed at testing new alloy materials and developing a national research and development strategy for titanium.
The one-day symposium will be held at the University of Waikato on 7 February. The deadline for registration is 21 January.