Up Close: The Department of Metallurgy and Materials in Malta: Flourishing in Spite of Difficult Times
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Up Close: The Department of Metallurgy and Materials in Malta: Flourishing in Spite of Difficult Times Maurice Grech Introduction Malta is situated almost exactly in the center of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa. Its area is just 320 square km and it lies 95 km to the south of Italy and 290 km from the nearest point on the African coast. To most people, Malta is a country of sunshine, sand, and sea—but there is much more to Malta than just an attractive holiday resort. Malta is rich in history, it is peppered with archaeological sites—some thousands of years older than the pyramids in Egypt—and it has a university that goes back four centuries. Two cardinal points in the mission statement of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials reflect our concern for the welfare of our clients: We take pride in our work and take on our customers’ concerns as our own. The history of our Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Departments stretches back an odd 30 years, which is not much considering that the University of Malta traces its origins to the founding of the Collegium Melitense by the Jesuits in 1592. In spite of its short life span, our faculty has striven to keep abreast of the latest developments. Acknowledging the important role engineering plays in the country’s industrial development, the university has strengthened this faculty by increasing the number of departments. These are Mechanical, Manufacturing, Metallurgy and Materials, Electrical Power and Control, Microelectronics, and Communications and Computer Engineering. This expansion addresses the country’s technological needs while assisting the faculty to introduce new modules, set up new courses, facilitate participation in research programs, and work more closely with industry. These changes have to be seen in the light of a country with no natural resources, a population of about 300,000, an escalating student population, limited 408
government funding, and the industry’s need for technical support. These and other factors had to be taken into account before deciding what equipment to buy for the Metallurgy and Materials laboratories/workshops. The other factors were ■ academic and industrial needs, ■ capital requirements, ■ maintenance and running costs, and ■ ecological impact. Added to the requirements for undergraduate courses, we set up research facilities. Industrial requirements were more difficult to assess. In order to attract foreign investment and ensure that industry maintains a competitive edge, the country needed to invest heavily in infra-structural service facilities such as casting, forging, advanced machining, and heat-treatment shops. Most manufacturing firms preferred to invest in plant and equipment related to their major process and subcontract secondary operations such as heat treatment, coating, painting, and machining. Manufacturers of metal or plastic components, mold and tool making, electronics, paper and stationary as well as food products required modern and efficient heat treatment, coating, and surface mod
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