Congratulations to Nicholas Pickett on his latest KTP award
Nick Pickett has been successful in being awarded a 2-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Sidetracker Engineering, hot off the back of another KTP he was awarded in August last year with Preformed Windings Ltd.
A KTP is a three-way partnership between a business, an academic institution, and a graduate. KTP is a national programme that is part-funded by grants from Innovate UK. It is highly regarded by businesses as an effective R&D mechanism.
Sidetracker is an SME from the Sheffield City Region who design and manufacture specialist forklift trucks and handling equipment for niche applications. Nick and an Associate employed to lead the project will develop and implement an advanced design for a compact, multi-directional side-loader fork-lift truck incorporating an electric drive and control system whilst retaining and improving the unique, market leading product features.
Nick, will take the role as Academic Supervisor, providing half a day a week to support the Associate and the project and Hongwei Zhang will take the role as Academic Lead to provide academic oversight and provide his extensive knowledge in both automation and control systems, as well as electrical and electronic engineering.
Nick, currently leads KTP development in the Department of Engineering and Mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University. He has more than 30 years of mechanical engineering experience, which includes product design, modelling, analysis and testing. He sits on the SHU KTP Steering group at SHU and has been involved with 8 KTPs to date with this being his 9th.
We asked Nick about his involvement in KTPs and the benefits of doing so:
Q. How have you been involved with KTPs?
A. I have previously been a KTP Associate with Cranfield University and PAFEC Ltd (one of the first software developers of finite element analysis and computer-aided design). I have also been an Academic Lead for a KTP between SHU and Wilson Benesch, as well as being an Academic Supervisor for several KTPs whilst at SHU.
Q. What made you want to do a KTP in the first place?
A. Having been a KTP Associate I knew how enjoyable and rewarding KTPs were for all parties, so I was keen to share my expertise with industry, whilst helping the development of another Associate.
Q. What have been the benefits to you in being involved in KTPs – Have any of the KTPs you’ve been involved in impacted on your wider research or teaching activities, what has been the real world impact of them?
A. Numerous. I have establish long term industry partnerships with the companies I have worked with. I have gained critical insights into several industries, developed new materials for case studies to support my teaching, as well as supervised student projects closely related to the KTPs I have completed.
Q. Do you have any advice for someone wanting to get involved in KTPs?
A. Yes. I strongly recommend getting involved with KTP, its very rewarding from both a professional and academic view point. Helping to shape a company by sharing your knowledge is exciting and intellectually stimulating. Establishing a good partnership, where all parties have a clear understanding of what can be done in the timeframe of the project ensures all expectations are met. Maintaining regular communication and visits to the company and Associate enables working relationships to grow and strong ties to be developed. To get involved in KTP, I recommend attending university/ industry events, publishing your expertise on SHU’s website, etc.
If your business needs help solving a specific challenge and you would like to know more about partnering with Hallam on a KTP please take a look here: https://www.shu.ac.uk/business/grow-your-business/knowledge-transfer-partnerships