Issue link: https://htpgraphics.uberflip.com/i/433487
Phoenix Inspection Systems 54 CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP The University approached the company in the early 2000s to benchmark the research behind what is now the Acoustek technology against the Acoustic Ranger product. Several years later this research proved invaluable when, in 2011, the company got back in touch with the University to see if the research could enable it to deal with competition emerging from Israel for inspection of heat exchangers. This highly successful collaboration with Phoenix has adapted the Acoustek technology for use at short distances to detect manufacturing defects in heat exchanger tubes, enabling better quality control on these products. The company is familiar with working with a range of universities on different funded schemes, however the University was very proactive in responding to a brief to "at least match the competition in a relatively short time". The project was funded through a shorter Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and begun in November 2011. The University, through its agent for technology commercialisation, UMIP, was also very co-operative in addressing and settling the commercial issues in an exclusive royalty-based licence provision. This was done very quickly, with a strong IP position. The project would not have been successful without a great deal of interaction through the embedded associate from the KTP with the University. The associate was instrumental in suggesting ideas which overcame problems and at the same time strengthened the company's IP position. Subsequently the University has been approached by the Energy Innovation Centre concerning the inspection of domestic gas supply lines. The latest developments in the collaboration with Phoenix has proposed that the company should be part of that project and carry out the eventual manufacture. The University, through the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has also involved the company in carrying out an applied research project which has resulted in it gaining an excellent development manager from the University. www.phoenixisl.com