The handover ceremony for the retrofitting of the AJAX Lathe NC to CNC (AJAX Premier CNC 200) was held at the Retrofit Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) at 10.00 a.m.
The event was graced by Dr. Khairul Hafiz Sharkawi, Head of Product Research & Development, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC), and Dr. Abang Mohammad Nizam, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, representing the Faculty of Engineering, alongside Prof. Ir. Dr. Abdullah Hj. Yassin. Also present were Ms. Hartini Mardan, R&D Manager of SDEC, and Mr. Muhammad Ifhami Bin Shahriman representing Akar Indah Engineering Sdn. Bhd.
This project is the result of a strategic collaboration under a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between UNIMAS, UNIMAS Business School (UBS), and SDEC, with Akar Indah Engineering Sdn. Bhd. as the industry partner providing technical support, maintenance, and execution of the retrofitting works.
The upgraded AJAX Premier CNC 200 will serve as a training and technology transfer platform under the RetroFit Academy, supporting the development of training modules in machine maintenance (preventive, predictive, corrective), retrofitting, and automation.
This initiative aims to:
- Strengthen the capabilities of the local workforce in Industry 4.0 technologies.
- Provide exposure to UNIMAS students and students from across Sarawak in the use and operation of modern CNC machines.
- Ensure local capacity building through certified technical training in collaboration with industry.
This collaboration is expected to act as a catalyst in strengthening Sarawak’s high-technology industry ecosystem, while expanding opportunities for training, research, and innovation between academia and industry.