From the date of opening in 2017 to the present day, 25 degree theses and 6 PhD thesis have been developed in ProM Facility. This is an important number that tells how Trentino's mechatronic prototyping centre in recent years has confirmed itself not only as a valuable partner for companies, but also as a reference point for undergraduates and PhD students looking for a cutting-edge context, able to meet the needs of study and experimentation.
Together with projects linked to the academic world, ProM Facility also hosts an average of 3-4 students each year from Trentino's higher education courses, such as the Marconi institute in Rovereto, the Buonarroti institute in Trento, the Veronesi Professional Education Centre and the L.A.B.A. Tentino institute.
Students from Italy and around the world
In addition to young talents from the University of Trento, the mechatronic prototyping centre in Rovereto has in recent years welcomed undergraduates and doctoral students from the Italian universities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Naples, Salerno, Milan, Pisa, Bologna and the LaBa Libera Accademia di Belle Arti in Brescia. Some students also came from abroad, in particular from Iran, India and China.
The subjects of the 31 thesis developed at ProM Facility are diverse and cover economics, design, physics, materials engineering, electronics and robotics.
Ambitious and innovative research projects
The work developed by undergraduate and doctoral students in the mechatronic prototyping centre has resulted in impressive research projects and winning synergies. With particular reference to the PhD projects, some of them were presented at scientific conferences in Europe and overseas, such as the 4th International Sim-Am Simulation for Additive Manufacturing Conference in Munich, the Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference in Vienna and the 50th North American Additive Manufacturing Research Conference for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (NAMRC).
Among the thesis ideas for which the mechatronic prototyping centre in Rovereto has made available the skills of its innovative technologies are:
- the Polly saddle that minimises the negative effects of riding on horses, developed by Sabrina Polana, a graduate in Design at Accademia di Belle Arti (LaBa) in Rovereto
- the 3D printing of sustainable furniture, a project in collaboration with the company Aquafil and the University of Salerno, resulting from Nicole Soligo's degree thesis on the potential of 3D printing of ECONYL® regenerated nylon
- the development of modulators that interact with the proton beams of the machines in the Proton Therapy Centre in Trento, with which doctors and hospital technicians treat cancer patients
- the glove with integrated electrical circuits to follow the natural dexterity and facilitate the work of surgeons
ProM Facility: the concept
The mechatronic prototyping centre ProM Facility was born within the framework of the ERDF Operational Programme 2014 - 2020 of the Autonomous Province of Trento.
The ProM Facility concept came to life in 2013 and over the course of time gave concrete form to the initial idea, continuing to confirm the original project objectives: the creation of an infrastructure at the service of businesses, in which highly qualified technicians work to integrate the needs of industry and research, thanks to their skills and the provision of innovative machinery and technologies.
Operating in Polo Meccatronica since 2017, ProM Facility brings together the services, skills, know-how and network of Trentino Sviluppo and its partners University of Trento, Fondazione Bruno Kessler and Confindustria Trento.
