Degree research evolves into new company for 澳门六合彩官网直播 alumni in semiconductor industry
Contact: Paula M. Davis
Aug. 25, 2016
Read more about 澳门六合彩官网直播 researchers and their ongoing work in the 澳门六合彩官网直播 Magazine.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.鈥Dr. Deepak Ravindra became a business owner at the same time he completed his doctoral degree through a unique collaboration with a faculty researcher focused on developing methods to machine extremely hard and brittle materials.
Ravindra worked with Dr. John Patten, former chair of 澳门六合彩官网直播鈥檚 manufacturing and engineering department, to launch Micro-Laser Assisted Machining Technologies LLC in July 2012. The new technology they have developed utilizes a diamond-cutting tool capable of focuses gigawatts of laser power onto a concentrated surface to soften the material so a diamond can easily cut it.
鈥淧eople cut with diamonds, people cut with lasers鈥攚e merged the two into a hybrid device,鈥 Patten says.
The technology could replace the current method for making advanced engineered ceramics and semiconductors smooth鈥攁 lengthy and expensive polishing process.
鈥淚n the machining industry, materials are getting better, but the manufacturing of them is getting trickier,鈥 said Ravindra, who earned his bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at 澳门六合彩官网直播.
鈥淲hen I entered the Ph.D. program, I was looking for a dissertation project in which I solved either a societal or industrial problem. Three to four companies that we were already working with had a grant for this kind of research, so we collaborated. John submitted an NSF proposal and was awarded close to $1 million, so I decided to do my Ph.D. along those lines.鈥
As part of the process to launch a business, in March 2012 Patten and Ravindra were selected to attend an Innovation Corps boot camp hosted by Stanford University and the National Science Foundation with their product, where they were required to interview a minimum of 100 potential customers. Acceptance into I-Corps came with a $50,000 grant to help. The NSF provided another $850,000 to get the company off the ground, which has already received state-level recognition as a semifinalist in the Accelerate Michigan business plan competition. Micro-LAM now leases a manufacturing facility owned by Battle Creek Unlimited, an economic development and business assistance resource in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Within two years of completing his Ph.D., Ravindra had engaged with about 160 prospective companies to identify 25 as strategic partners鈥攁 group that has a cumulative value of about $100 billion.
鈥淲e have grown from a one-person company to a staff of nine, which includes 澳门六合彩官网直播 graduate and undergraduate students,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 am very proud of 澳门六合彩官网直播, and almost everyone working with me has a 澳门六合彩官网直播 connection. It is a great sense of accomplishment to see things happen and to make an impact in such a short period of time.鈥
As a young man new to 澳门六合彩官网直播鈥檚 campus, Ravindra said his goals were very lofty and he aspired to 鈥渟olve every problem on the face of the earth.鈥 He soon figured out how little he knew about the engineering world he intended to enter, but said he found plenty of chances to learn what he needed to know to become a successful researcher and business owner.
鈥淚n 澳门六合彩官网直播鈥檚 engineering college, even as undergraduates, we were taught to engage very closely with industry,鈥 Ravindra said. 鈥淢any students at other universities don鈥檛 get to do that, which can cause a huge disconnect between the academic and real worlds. Students need that engagement to become marketable. They need to have meaningful senior research projects and to go through the entire process to see how things work in a commercial setting. It is important to me that my company inspires a spirit of entrepreneurship in our employees.鈥
And well remembering his own academic roots, Ravindra also is 鈥減aying it forward鈥 with current 澳门六合彩官网直播 students; more than a dozen have interned at Micro-LAM since its inception.
For more information about the 澳门六合彩官网直播 College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, visit wmich.edu/engineer.
Read more about 澳门六合彩官网直播 researchers and their ongoing work in the 澳门六合彩官网直播 Magazine, which is published quarterly by 澳门六合彩官网直播's Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications.