Engineering, Manufacturing and Mathematics
16:05 - 17:25 | Meeting Room 4 (Level 0)
Chair: Prof. In摹. Emmanuel Francalanza
Prof. In摹. Michael Galea
Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Electrification of transport requires lighter, more reliable systems, including electrical machines. This presentation aims to provide an introduction to the concept of reliability-oriented design of electrical machines (especially for aerospace applications), where machines need to be super reliable without compromising mass or weight. The main focus will be on the major bottleneck in electrical machine failure: the insulation system of the coil windings. The aim is to show why and how more scientifically robust methodologies than today's state of the art, in terms of how insulation systems are designed, are required.
Mr Andrea Bondin
Department of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
A persistent skills gap exists between the competencies that mechanical engineering graduates possess and those required by industry. This disparity stems largely from the inherent limitations of traditional classroom-lecture methods, which have long struggled to teach hands-on engineering skills effectively and now increasingly fail to keep pace with advancing manufacturing technologies. As this gap widens, educators and technologists have turned to innovative solutions to address the fundamental shortcomings of passive learning environments, including diminished student attention and insufficient practical application. Mixed Reality (MR) technologies have emerged as a promising medium for exposing students to diverse manufacturing processes. However, closer examination of existing implementations reveals a troubling pattern that most applications function as one-time demonstrations prioritising technological novelty over pedagogical advancement. Current studies remain predominantly outcome-based, failing to achieve meaningful curriculum integration, and preventing MR technologies from reaching their full potential as established educational tools. This study addresses this gap by presenting a comprehensive framework guiding educators toward full MR integration within engineering curricula. The framework progresses through several stages: identifying study units relevant to contemporary engineering practice; transforming them into constructively aligned modules with clear intended learning outcomes; evaluating units for MR enhancement potential based on technological and pedagogical considerations; translating pedagogical requirements into MR specifications; and conducting pilot testing prior to implementation. Each stage incorporates quality gates, ensuring rigorous progression. By following this structured approach, the framework enables the development of constructively aligned, MR-enhanced study units that move beyond novelty toward genuine pedagogical value, ultimately narrowing the skills gap between academic preparation and industry requirements.
Mr Graham Pellegrini
Department of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of 福利在线免费 and Communication Technology
The erosion of specialised industrial expertise is a global phenomenon, yet it presents a unique structural challenge for Malta. Despite boasting high employment rates, the local labour market faces a significant deficit in niche technical skills, necessitating a heavy reliance on imported labour to sustain industrial growth. This presentation introduces M.AI.ESTRO (Mixed-reality AI-Enhanced Skills Transfer & Robotic Optimisation), a research project at UM designed to bridge this gap by preserving and scaling local industrial mastery.
M.AI.ESTRO acts as a bridge between human expertise and technological innovation. Rather than relying on traditional shadowing techniques or static documentation, the project leverages Mixed Reality (XR) to ‘capture’ the intricate movements and decision-making processes of experts in real time. This data is then processed by Artificial Intelligence to create a digital blueprint of the skill. This dual-purpose asset enables interactive, high-tech training for the local workforce while simultaneously providing the foundation for programming robots to assist in both repetitive and adaptive industrial tasks.
As the lead Research Support Officer, this project represents a significant personal milestone. Transitioning from a Computer Engineering background into the multidisciplinary world of AI. Mirroring the project’s own goal of adapting foundational skills for a digital future, a steep learning curve will be tackled. Ultimately, M.AI.ESTRO is a prestigious initiative aimed at strengthening Malta’s industrial sovereignty. By transforming human ‘know-how’ into a digital asset, we empower the local workforce to lead in the era of Industry 5.0.
Prof. Arif Rochman
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
The MALTI3D project successfully leveraged a novel idea to develop a ground-breaking Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF) 3D printing solution. This technology utilises the direct extrusion of industrial polymer pellets instead of costly filaments, resulting in cost savings up to 90% compared to filament-based systems.
The MALTI3D printer demonstrates exceptional material versatility. It is capable of processing polymers ranging from low to high viscosity, including high-temperature polymers (up to 450°C) and super-soft polymers inaccessible to traditional filament-based printers. The integration of multiple extruders enables efficient multi-material 3D printing. Furthermore, the MALTI3D 5-axis model introduces advanced capabilities, enabling the production of parts with quasi-isotropic properties and substantially reducing material consumption by eliminating the need for support structures. Complementing this, the system’s heated build chamber is crucial for enhancing interlayer bonding strength, addressing a fundamental issue in additive manufacturing.
Recognising the substantial market potential, the project secured its core innovations by filing a utility patent protecting the unique features of the MALTI3D extruder. The initiative has since transitioned into a business venture: the spin-out company, MALTI3D Ltd, is currently in formation and is scheduled to commence business operations in January 2026. This presentation at UMRE26 will detail the technological advancements, the strategic transition, and the commercial roadmap for delivering high-performance, cost-effective FGF printing to the industrial additive manufacturing sector.
Dr Leonardo Fanton
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Biodegradable Mg-based scaffolds are promising for bone grafting because they can support regeneration and undergo gradual resorption. Their clinical translation is limited by rapid corrosion, which can generate hydrogen and lead to premature loss of mechanical integrity before healing is complete. In this study, WE43 scaffolds with gyroid and Voronoi architectures were produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). To mitigate degradation, phosphate conversion treatments were assessed using a nitric-acid pre-treatment for surface cleaning, followed by immersion in a phosphating bath containing phosphoric acid and calcium nitrate tetrahydrate. The WE43 substrate and conversion coatings were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The printed material exhibited a columnar solidification morphology, with α-Mg and MgNd intermetallic phases, consistent with microstructural features reported for related WE43 material conditions. On flat specimens, phosphating achieved full surface coverage and demonstrated the potential to reduce corrosion rate. In contrast, initial trials on gyroid and Voronoi scaffolds indicated that simple immersion did not reliably deliver treatment solutions throughout the interconnected porosity, highlighting the need for improved infiltration strategies.
Prof. In摹. Martin Muscat
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
The growing demand for sustainable, bio-based engineering materials has intensified research into natural fibre reinforced polymer composites. This study, conducted within the DLAN-COMP project, presents a comprehensive material characterisation of sisal fibre reinforced composites manufactured using a bio-based resin system, aimed at generating reliable mechanical property data for application-oriented composite design.
A systematic experimental programme was carried out to evaluate the mechanical behaviour of sisal fibres and sisal composite laminates under different loading conditions. Tensile testing of sisal yarn was performed to determine intrinsic fibre properties, followed by experimental characterisation of composite laminates under tensile, compressive, flexural, and shear loading in accordance with relevant ASTM standards.
The experimental results demonstrate the anisotropic mechanical response of sisal fibre reinforced composites, with stiffness, strength, and failure behaviour strongly influenced by fibre orientation and loading mode. The resulting material property dataset provides a robust foundation for numerical modelling and structural analysis. Building upon this material characterisation phase, future work will focus on the design, fabrication, experimental evaluation, and numerical validation of application-level composite components, such as C-section profiles. The findings of this study support the development of sustainable sisal-based composite solutions with potential for use in real engineering applications.
Mr Matthew Bonello
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
The use of smart wearables is becoming more common in rehabilitation to encourage children to perform therapy exercises. Even though these Smart Wearables for Paediatric Habilitation (SWEPH) seem to be an ideal tool for children to perform better during therapy, exceeding their expectations is necessary for device compliance. To ensure adaptability, compliance is also necessary for the secondary users who interact with such devices, including the caregivers and occupational therapists.
As additive manufacturing (AM) is gaining popularity in the development of medical devices, this work focuses on leveraging its capabilities during the development of SWEPHs to enhance their basic properties and provide a positive User experience (UX). The ontology-based AMfUX framework bridges the gap between AM characteristics and relevant UX elements by promoting an empathetic and participatory approach that understands users and their experiences. The framework is implemented in a computer-based design support tool to promote AM-enabled characteristics that positively influence users’ interaction in the context of SWEPHs. The presented framework and tool are evaluated by design engineers to assess their contribution to enhancing the multiple users’ experience with SWEPHs, remarking on their strengths and limitations. Ultimately, further improvements and future research directions are outlined.
Prof. Peter Borg
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Graph theory is the mathematics of relations and connections. A graph G is essentially a network, consisting of a set of objects, called vertices, together with a set of relations; any two vertices are either related or not related. The closed neighbourhood N[S] of a set S of vertices of G consists of the vertices in S and each vertex related to at least one of them. If N[S] contains all the vertices of G, then S is called a dominating set. Domination theory is the popular study of dominating sets. In 2017, Yair Caro and Adriana Hansberg widened it to the study of isolating sets. Given a set F of graphs, S is called an F-isolating set of G if N[S] intersects the vertex set of each subgraph of G that is a copy of a member of F. The F-isolation problem is to determine how small an F-isolating set can be. As with domination, the study of isolation is expanding rapidly and is now among the most active in graph theory. The research that the speaker is directing in this new, fertile field is in a leading position. It particularly led to extensions of the Art Gallery Theorem, which states that an 'art gallery' (a polygon in general) with exactly n corners can be completely guarded by at most n/3 guards. This work is supported by a SEA-EU Research Seed Fund 2025 grant and UM’s Research Seed Fund 2025 grant.