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Patrick Lim
Robots have long piqued the curiosity of boys of all ages, and IRL’s Engineering Innovations leader, Patrick Lim, is no exception. His enduring interest in robotics control spans years of university study in electrical and electronics engineering and has earned him several contemporary awards, including a Royal Society medal.
Patrick Lim
The remote-controlled robots of the past have now given way to sophisticated automatic systems for handling and processing items of varying sizes and shapes — a skill very much in demand due to New Zealand’s reliance on primary products.
The Engineering Innovations team is providing a vital springboard for developing a range of robotic systems for processing sheep carcasses through the Ovine Automation Limited (OAL) consortium —the joint FRST[?]/industry funded programme to rejuvenate the meat processing industry.
Currently, the two active OAL projects spearheaded by the team are making good progress along with the commercialisation of IRL technologies; the gas de-pelter and the intelligent Y-cutter.
As co-science leader for the OA L consortium, Patrick and his R&D team deliver state-of-the-art technologies that would provide the best possible outcome for the industry in terms of improved productivity and competitiveness.
“A lot of what I do involves getting out there and talking to people,” says Patrick. “That’s what it’s all about — getting a good understanding of industry needs and what technologies they would like to see operating in their plant.”
While Patrick admits the work can be frustrating, he is passionate about providing solutions to industry problems.
“It’s challenging because often the things that we do have never been attempted before, so you start from scratch. Sometimes you have to go through several iterations before you come up with a viable solution.
“We currently have a strong R&D group in IRL in robotics and automation. I want to build on that capability and within the next five years I envision the establishment of a centre of excellence in IRL in this field.”