CONSTRUCTION Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) is calling for construction businesses across the country to put forward proposals on how to increase efficiency or quality through automation – with five firms in with a chance of receiving up to £10,000 of funding.
In partnership with the Structural Timber Association, the CSIC is seeking Scottish companies with innovative ideas on how the offsite manufacturing cell in its Hamilton-based Innovation Factory could be used.
Up to five firms will be chosen to receive a mix of funding and support up to a value of £10,000 with access to CSIC’s network of academic partners, in-house technical specialists and the 35,000 sq. ft. Innovation Factory. The site contains 16 pieces of state-of-the-art prototyping and design equipment, including an industrial robot, a collaboration robot, a multi-material 3D printer, a CLT vacuum press and 4 Edge Planer.
Fiona MacDonald, business relationship manager at CSIC, said, “This is a chance for construction companies to unleash the next big innovation and directly improve their own bottom line by testing out their ideas for new automated processes, which will help them operate more efficiently.
“The normal costs of exploring new ideas with state-of-the-art equipment can be seen as inaccessible, but this innovation call, accompanied by the support from CSIC, provides companies with a fantastic opportunity to develop new ideas, improve efficiencies and gain a competitive advantage.”
Interested parties should submit a short outline of their ideas by no later than 22 June, the CSIC said. Successful applicants will then be invited to further develop their ideas through a full proposal.
Further details about the innovation call will be available at a free industry event to discuss the future of automation in construction, which will be hosted at CSIC’s Innovation Factory on May 29.
