(L-R) Virender Aggarwal, CEO, Ramco Systems; Ton Dortmans, EVP, AFI KLM E&M; P.R Venketrama Raja, vice chairman & managing director, Ramco Systems; Lim Kok Kiang, assistant MD, Singapore EDB: Fabrice Defrance, senior vice president - Commercial, AFI KLM E&M, at the launch of the MRO lab, on Feb. 18, 2016, in Singapore.
Singapore – The first engineering lab of its kind in Asia – to develop advanced aviation IT solutions such as wearables for ground engineers and unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect aircraft on the apron – was opened in Singapore by Ramco Systems with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) as the first anchor partner.
Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the MRO lab combines engineering and research talent from Ramco, a global aviation software specialist, with AFI KLM E&M, to work on next-generation applications and develop intellectual property to solve major problems facing the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry.
The formation of the lab comes amid rising concerns that the global MRO industry is trailing in innovation and could face major bottlenecks from continued growth in international air traffic and airport expansions.
The lab is located at Ramco’s regional headquarters in Singapore, a major regional aviation hub and an innovation center for the airline sector, including advanced materials and engine efficiency. The lab is Ramco's most significant aviation investment in Asia to date.
The lab will gradually scale up to employ more than 50 global innovators in Singapore, who will work on solutions such as:
- Internet of Things embedded sensors for aviation components
- Machine learning equipment to cut down on manual maintenance and checking
- Analytics for engineering planning and optimization to reduce aircraft on ground (AOG)
- Robotics for the shop floor and drones to inspect aircraft on the apron
- Wearable devices including Google Glass for on-ground engineers
The facility will serve as a collaborative platform for airlines and disruptive tech companies, which Ramco and AFI KLM E&M intend to facilitate with other aviation-related researchers.
P R Venketrama Raja, vice chairman & managing director at Ramco Systems, said: “With its strategic location and business-friendly environment, Singapore is growing in prominence as a preferred investment hub. We are happy to have partnered with Singapore EDB in setting up this co-innovation lab, which will be the platform for developing solutions that can transform operations for the complete eco-system of the aerospace industry.”
“We are pleased that Ramco has chosen Singapore to establish their largest Innovation Lab outside of India,” said Lim Kok Kiang, assistant managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board. “Through this Lab, Ramco will work with leading aerospace companies and airlines in Singapore to co-develop and catalyze lead adoption of transformative digital solutions. The collaborations will enable delivery of greater value and new services offerings for the industry from Singapore.”
Franck Terner, EVP of AFI KLM E&M, welcomed the opening of the center, saying: “We are proud to extend our R&D capability and anchor it in the heart of Singapore, one of the world’s greatest innovation platforms. In being able to benefit from the combined expertise of two acknowledged MRO sector players, the MRO Lab Singapore will be able to offer in very short order innovative solutions that are likely to deliver real benefits to our clients.”
Virender Aggarwal, CEO of Ramco, said: “Innovation and disruptive technologies are key to the growth of the aviation MRO industry, where many manual procedures could be improved. This lab positions us at the forefront of research in this sector, which will benefit airlines across Asia, if not the world. We are glad to have an anchor customer in AFI KLM E&M who shares the same passion to develop solutions that can transform operations in the aerospace industry.”
Source: Ramco Systems