Industrial cooperation

Forms of cooperation with companies

Much of our research is highly application oriented, and is, consequently, performed in close cooperation with companies, such as engineering and manufacturing companies, steel makers, tool makers, coating companies, etc. The cooperation may take many forms, and involve very different time spans, from hours to years. We regularly conduct the following company related activities.

1. Telephone or e-mail consulting.
2. Consulting meetings in person, either at the company or at the Ångström Laboratory. These meetings may aim at exploring opportunities for future collaborations from the other chategories.
3. Commissioned materials analysis using, for instance, SEM, EDS, ESCA, 3D topography, etc.
4. Tribological testing to evaluate, for instance, friction and wear resistance of materials in sliding or rolling contact.
5. Contract work including testing and evaluation and suggestion of improvements.
6. Diploma work by undergraduate students treating industrially defined tasks, with supervision from the tribomaterials group and in some cases using our equipment.
7. Larger scale contract work including PhD students. The student can be employed by the company or by UU. Generally, the results are published, sometimes with limiting conditions set by the company.
8. Research projects sponsored by governmental boards and supported by industry.
9. Research within the European research framework, involving a large number of European research institutes and companies.

Categories 1 – 5 can be characterised as industrial consulting, whereas 7 –9 are actual research activities that generate scientific publications.