News from Technology Transfer, 5. May 2009

Industry day for the SwissFEL Project – innovation impetus for the industry

On 4 May 2009 the SwissFEL industry day took place at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has ventured onto unknown territory: In order to create a platform for collaboration with the industry, the institute organised an industry day on 4 May 2009 for the SwissFEL X-ray free electron laser, formerly PSI-XFEL. Interested companies were able to find out at first hand about the technological challenges of this project and converse with PSI representatives about the opportunities for cooperation.

Experts predict bright prospects worldwide for the research with high-intensity light. Interdisciplinary scientific teams investigate nature with it in order to wrest secrets from nature which until now have remained undiscovered.

Collaborations with industry

SwissFEL is a crucial part of the strategic positioning of PSI and will guarantee the Swiss research community a leading position for years to come. When the facility comes into operation in 2016, dynamic experiments will be possible for the first time by means of the generation of short X-ray pulses.
SwissFEL also offers the industry new prospects. Nowadays at SLS, more than 10% of the beamtime is already used for companies with their own R&D work. The beamlines of the SwissFEL will offer attractive opportunities at the interface between top research and industrial application. But the domestic industry is also invited to participate in the construction of this new high-tech facility. The high technological complexity of the SwissFEL and the challenging timeline require close cooperation, not only in terms of supply and sub-contracting, but also in terms of specification and development. Many of the skills required are present in the Swiss industry. PSI would like to highlight and offer collaboration opportunities.

SwissFEL presented to industry

In collaboration with partners economiesuisse (umbrella association of Swiss trade and industry associations), Swissmem (association of the Swiss engineering, electrical and metal industries) and Federal Innovation Promotion Agency (KTI) 2,200 Swiss companies were invited. The fact that 130 participants attended, mostly from small and medium-sized companies (KMU), exceeded the expectations of PSI and its partners.
The principles of the construction and operation of SwissFEL as well as selected subjects from the areas of engineering, precision engineering, power electronics, diagnostics, control, laser systems and electron source were introduced to the industrial representatives in eight technical presentations. A highlight was the presentation of three case studies from previous collaboration projects. The companies Thomson Broadcast & Multimedia, Schär Engineering and Supercomputing Systems reported on the progress and successes in the collaboration with PSI. A particular mention was made of the business which resulted afterwards from extending the companies competencies. By this means, investment arising from involvement and commitment has been well compensated.

Networking – important side effect

During breaks the participants entered into a dialogue with the PSI experts, and networking was fostered among the KMU themselves. It emerged that many of the participating KMU had outstanding skills useful for PSI but were too small to be able to cope with the extensive sub-projects of SwissFEL.
Over the next few months, SwissFEL collaboration opportunities will be published and interested companies will be invited to collaborate in specific sub-projects. This will be of benefit for both parties. PSI obtains the components necessary for its project. The industrial companies will receive the incentive to work on new competencies, which they can use profitably. In this way highly qualified jobs are preserved and new ones created.