Welcome to the South Eastern Applied Materials (SEAM) Research Centre

We are based in the Applied Technology Building at Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland and were formally launched in February 2009 (launch event photos).   Funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Applied Research Enhancement (ARE) Programme, SEAM carries out applied materials research and materials engineering activities in the medical/bio medical sectors utilising the following niche technologies;

1. X-ray micro-tomography: A non-destructive, 3D characterisation tool applicable to both research and as a service to industries.
2. Microwave processing & remediation: A tool for processing of polymeric materials, chemicals, and the remediation of waste, including the recovery of precious metals.
3. Finite Element Analysis: A computer modelling tool applicable to device design optimisation and for evaluating stress states of implantable bio-medical devices and surrounding structures.

These technologies are multidisciplinary, of significant relevance and complementary to existing activities in the country and are expected to have considerable impact in many industrial sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, orthopaedics, aerospace, precision engineering, etc. 

In addition to the beneficial services we provide for industry, we aim to establish industry-academic collaborations that will have the knock on effect of raising the research and development profile of the region. SEAM has highly qualified and experienced technical staff and also intends to make use of the skills of staff from the Engineering and Science faculties within WIT. Significant expertise exists within these faculties to carry out research for various industrial applications.

Key Research Interests

·        Design optimisation and analysis of medical devices

·        Development of novel implant materials for orthopaedic joints

·        Finite element analysis of composites and joints

·        Microwave processing of materials

To view the article from the SEAM group in Research Matters please click here.

SEAM Brochure
(PDF, 206KB - Warning: Large file!)