Seminar on Relevance of Advanced Manufacturing in Singapore

Manufacturing contributes to 20% of Singapore’s GDP. There is ambition to significantly increase the proportion of manufacturing GDP by 2030. With Singapore’s constraint of land mass and cost structure, advanced manufacturing, digitalisation and product innovation are key to increasing Singapore’s manufacturing output by increasing automation and productivity and moving up the value chain.

The Singapore RIE2025 plan has set out to reinforce Singapore’s position as a global business and innovation hub for Advanced Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity. A*STAR’s research institutes ARTC and SIMTech are 2 of A*STAR entities that help companies and industries to be more competitive through adoption of advanced manufacturing technology.

Dr. David Low will share how some companies have made large investments in Singapore in the development of manufacturing technologies and capabilities with MNCs, LLEs and SMEs.

David established the ARTC from the concept of a public-private partnership programme in 2012 to a full-fledged A*STAR Research Institute in 2017, focusing on innovative translational advanced manufacturing and remanufacturing R&D across Transport & Engineering, Consumer & Modern services and Energy & Infrastructure clusters. Currently, there are 79 industry members and 5 public sector agencies working with ARTC in a multi public-private partnership programme.

Concurrently, David also oversees SIMTech as the Executive Director since mid-2019. SIMTech is a research institute that develops high value manufacturing technology and human capital to enhance the competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing industry. SIMTech works with over 400 small & medium enterprises (SMEs) annually and covers a full range of manufacturing technologies from applied research to translation.

David started his research career in the UK and subsequently at SIMTech where he developed from a laser materials processing researcher to the Group Manager for Machining Technology. David and his teams were awarded the MTI Borderless Gold Award for establishing the A*STAR Aerospace Programme, and establishing ARTC in 2007 and 2016 respectively.

David joined Rolls-Royce Singapore through its inaugural Asia Future Leaders Programme where he spent substantial time in Rolls-Royce global manufacturing facilities and worked for the company for 10 years. In his last role, he was the Chief of Manufacturing Technology – Singapore responsible for the manufacturing R&D in Singapore and in region. For his team’s outstanding contributions, he received the prestigious Sir Henry Royce Team Award for Engineering Excellence in 2012.

David has published over 50 journals, conferences, patents and book publications. His publications have attracted over 1400 citations with a H-index of 21.

David is also on the board of governors at Singapore Polytechnic and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). He is a Fellow and Chartered Engineer of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and a Senior Member of the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES).