IIITDM Kurnool, CMTI Bengaluru sign pact

Kurnool: The Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) Kurnool and the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), Bengaluru, have formalized a strategic partnership to strengthen collaborative research in advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed this year, establishes a comprehensive framework for leveraging the complementary expertise, resources, and state-of-the-art facilities available at both institutions.

The collaboration aims to benefit students, researchers, industry professionals, and the wider manufacturing sector.

Speaking on the occasion on Tuesday, IIITDM Kurnool Director Prof. BS Murthy said the MoU would pave the way for joint R&D initiatives in design and manufacturing engineering, micromachining, additive manufacturing, smart manufacturing, IoT, automation, green technologies, industrial ergonomics, metrology, sensor systems, and Industry 4.0 domains.

The partnership also covers collaborative research in material sciences and surface engineering, along with joint proposals for national and international funding from agencies such as DST, CSIR, and ANRF.

Both institutes will share high-end research infrastructure on a chargeable basis to support these initiatives.

IIITDM Registrar Raj Kumar Manjhiwal, Mechanical Engineering HoD Dr Akhtar Khan, and Associate Professor Dr S Ananda Kumar highlighted that the MoU focuses strongly on capacity building and skill development.

Under the Academy of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AEAMT), the institutions will jointly design and offer co-branded, industry-oriented programmes.

These include certificate, diploma, degree, and postgraduate courses with a vocational and research focus. IIITDM-K will also extend PhD and MS opportunities to CMTI scientists, while CMTI will provide full-semester industry-relevant projects to eligible IIITDM-K students.

CMTI Director Dr Nagahanumaiah expressed hope that the collaboration would contribute significantly to the creation of job-ready manpower for the manufacturing sector.

He noted that the MoU would enhance the research capabilities of IIITDM-K faculty, support qualification advancement for CMTI scientists, and facilitate the development of platforms aligned with emerging industrial needs. Both institutions clarified that the MoU reflects a shared intention to collaborate and does not constitute a legal partnership or joint venture.