Within NIACE, we have worked hand in hand with our Participating Companies to form a selection of
technology specific working groups. With guidance from our Participants, four cross sectorial groups
have been formed to focus on areas of common interest between companies and to facilitate and
support knowledge transfer and the exchanging of ideas.

Our current working groups meet on a regular basis and have already enabled a selection of benefits
to be realised for all those involved. Our current groups are:

1. Engineering Simulation
2. Robotics and Automation
3. Advanced Metals and Alloys
4. Composite Materials and Processing

Steven Barr, Senior Engineer at Salamander AV Ltd, and NIACE participant company, is a member of
the Engineering Simulation Group, known as NEST. He says, “Being part of this team is a good
opportunity for me, a relative novice in the field of simulation. The more expert members of the team
can review my work, help me learn and in turn give me confidence in my own analysis.

“Through NEST, we have the opportunity to initiate student projects which could be of significant
benefit to us, but which would not, due to resource constraints, be possible under normal
circumstances.

“In the future, I can see that connection with NEST, either as a member, or as a student working on a
NEST project, would be seen as a considerable benefit to any candidate seeking a position as an
analyst.

“Finally I think there are real opportunities to standardise the analysis process and set the bar within
the local engineering community for how an analysis is completed and how the results are presented.”