How University partnership transformed this Dundee business

For four decades, the University of Dundee has been working in partnership with local businesses – large or small – in what are known as a Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (or KTPs)*.

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Before considering applying for one of these invaluable opportunities, let’s hear all about the benefits of a KTP from Dundee casting business, Rautomead. More on KTPs.

Despite being established in the metal casting industry for more than 40 years, Rautomead is always open to new ways of working and discovering new opportunities. That opportunity came along in 2019 when it successfully applied for a second KTP with University of Dundee. This further strengthened the existing relationship between the business and the university. Apply for a KTP today.

Managing director Brian Frame was already aware of the business benefits of KTPs having been involved in a project with a previous company.

KTP saved time and money for Rautomead

The company identified an issue that it was looking to investigate deeper and, through the KTP, solve. This signalled the start of a 30-month project for the firm and a post-doctorate student, who was recruited.

Brian explained: “The purpose was to establish a framework to operate part of our business in a different way.

“Throughout Rautomead’s history, the company has used casting trials – to check if we were able to cast a particular metal at a specific size – which took a lot of time, are very costly and susceptible to failure if something goes wrong in the process.

“We wanted to find a better solution so the concept, from the KTP, was to create computer models so we could simulate this expensive casting trial by analysing the physical properties of all metals, tools and other materials involved.

“This could make development work faster, and at a much lower cost.”

Partnership with University increased knowledge

The MD said that the programme gave Rautomead “focus” and “rigour”. Now the KTP has reached completion, he believes the firm is more than “just a machine provider” and can offer a much more rounded and expansive product offering to customers.

Rautomead is the world’s leading and most experienced supplier of continuous casting technology for non-ferrous alloys. The firm prides itself on the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of the casting process – largely down to many years of carrying out casting trials – but the company identified a significant gap in the knowledge of the process.

Brian explained: “We did not necessarily understand the ‘why’ of how specific processing parameters work better than others for a specific alloy or metal.

“The overall objective of partnering with University of Dundee was to try to increase our understanding of the ‘why’ of the continuous casting process.”

The Dundee-based company has always aimed to modernise aspects of the non-ferrous metals industry so it welcomed the opportunity to draft in specialist knowledge to explore possible process improvements.

He added: “The KTP allowed us to bring in specialist and additional resources to focus on the issue, something which we would in all likelihood have avoided doing without the KTP programme opportunity.”

Of course there is one other main reason why a business would undertake a KTP and that is to boost business growth and productivity in addition to knowledge – and that was certainly true for Rautomead.

“The company has grown in stature and in overall knowledge,” explains the Rautomead director.

“I believe we are now much more academically rigorous in our internal R&D process, and are able to portray this effectively to customers, who in turn perceive us as much more of a ‘complete solution provider’ than just a machine provider.

“We now have without doubt a much more in-depth knowledge of the ‘why’ of the continuous casting process. This will definitely provide growth opportunities going forward.”

He added: “We are also now much better known through the student body within the University – this can only help in recruitment opportunities which we create.”

5 business benefits of a KTP

Here, Brian reveals five business benefits of being part of a KTP – and why you should consider signing up:

1. Ready access to university resources: academics, equipment and students (for project work).
2. The KTP programme is regarded as a low-cost way of having a graduate or post-doctorate person employed on an agreed project.
3. It’s a good “trial run” to try out a graduate associate: the project itself is a finite one, and the company has the option to “try out” the associate, with the intent to offer full-time employment at the end of the KTP.
4. The KTP allows the company to focus on a strategically important project which otherwise may run the risk of being side-lined within the normal operational running of the business.
5. The KTP process provided focus and rigour to what we were doing.

Given Rautomead’s positive experience with its 30-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Dundee, Brian now encourages others to “give it a go” and advised: “Absolutely give it a try!”

More about KTPs – and how to apply

*A Knowledge Transfer Partnership is a three-way relationship between a business, a university and a graduate. This part-funded partnership with the University of Dundee is a valuable opportunity for local businesses to tap into the award-winning academic expertise on offer. SMEs will receive 67% grant funding and for large companies it’s 50%.

Did you know Dundee is one of the top 100 universities in the world for research quality? Your business could tap into this quality research.

If you are interesting in your business being part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership and benefiting from all the opportunities it brings. Contact the university’s Innovation Manager by email today to start the process.

And don’t forget to follow University of Dundee’s Research and Innovation Services on LinkedIn.