State-of-the-art Mechatronic Laboratory opens at SLPA

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) declared open a state-of-the-art Mechatronic Laboratory at its Mahapola Training Institute (MPTI) under its Mechatronic/HRIS Projects.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the auditorium of the MPTI last week with the patronage of Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Chairman of SLPA.

Expressing views at the occasion, Dr. Wickrama said that SLPA had taken a number of fruitful efforts to convert many of the traditional methods practiced through the years into latest and efficient practices that have boosted the efficiency and productivity of the institution at present.

“We have been able to obtain all these all these achievements through many hardships and barriers that stood against the positive implementations we launched, to convert this into an efficient and profit-oriented institution that contributes towards the national development of Sri Lanka,” he said.

Dr. Wickrama said that the prime objective of SLPA was to have an efficient human resource, which is capable of high-tech knowledge in order to facilitate the customers of SLPA to obtain a better and efficient service.

He also said that besides computerising each and every traditional method practiced, SLPA in future hoped to bring the latest, state-of-the-art and standard computerised methods that are internationally accepted to express a better, qualitative and competitive service to its customers.

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, computer engineering, control and system design engineering in order to design and manufacture useful products. Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary engineering system design, that is to say it rejects splitting engineering in to separate disciplines.

According to the definition given at the INF standard, it is the approach aiming at the synergistic integration of mechanics, electronics, control theory, and computer science within product design and manufacturing, in order to improve and/or optimise its functionality.

The courses at the new facility have been categorised under several professional education levels and they include Mechatronics for Beginners, Pneumatics – Basic Level, PLC Basic Level and Electro- Pneumatics – Basic Level. The Advanced Level Programmes will be arranged after completion of basic levels.

Being South Asia’s most diverse and advanced training facility for port operations, maritime and seamanship, technical information systems and management disciplines since 1986, the Mahapola Training Institute (MPTI) of SLPA has contributed immensely towards the technical, maritime and seamanship, safety, port operation, management, equipment handling and information systems disciplines, among others, by providing the highest calibre trained person who has passed out from its portals. The MPTI has also trained several overseas students.

The facility is located in an ideal marine and industrial setting for enhancing the quality of its training programmers.

With the dearth of skilled persons in the maritime, seafaring and port industries, the MPTI is the ideal springboard for young persons seeking employment in these industries. With its recognition by the worldwide shipping industry and UN Agencies as an eminent training facility in the South Asian Region, the qualified trainees of MPTI have ready acceptance in the employment market.

MPTI is also the pioneer educational institution in Sri Lanka that obtained ISO 9001: 2008 Certification in Maritime Education and Training from 2010.

Managing Director of SLPA Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Additional Managing Director Norman Weerarathne, Chief Manager (Human Resources) L.H.R. Sepala, Managing Director/CEO of Ceylon Dockyards Mangala Yapa, all heads of divisions and a number of staff members of SLPA were also present at the occasion of the opening of the Mechatronic Laboratory at the MPTI.