The 13th International Conference on Precision, Meso, Micro, and Nano Engineering (COPEN13) was hosted by the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT Calicut) from December 13 to 15, 2024, in collaboration with IIT Palakkad, IIST Trivandrum, and NITK Surathkal. The conference was accompanied by a pre-conference workshop on December 12, 2024, and a post-conference workshop on December 16, 2024. Together, these events provided a comprehensive platform for discussing recent advances, challenges, and innovations in precision engineering.

Dr. Jose Mathew, Organizing Chair and Secretary of COPEN13, as well as a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NIT Calicut, welcomed all participants, delegates, and speakers to the event.

Pre-Conference Workshop

A pre-conference workshop focused on providing researchers and academicians with insights into funding opportunities and best practices for grant proposal writing and scientific publishing was held on December 12, 2024. A distinguished team from the Aeronautical Research and Development Board (ARDB), led by Prof. Suhas S. Joshi (Director, IIT Indore), conducted an interactive session on R&D funding at ARDB. Eminent ARDB panelists, including Dr. S.K. Pandey, Dr. A. Gupta, Dr. Swathi, and others, engaged with over 150 participants from academic and research communities. Dr. Prasad Raju, formerly of DST, shared tips on securing funding for extramural R&D projects. Neha Sharma from Springer Nature delivered a special session on “Hints and Tips on Scientific Writing,” providing valuable guidance for researchers. Dr. Prasad Krishna, Director, NIT Calicut presided over the function and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing research.

[Photo 1: Prof. Suhas S. Joshi delivering the talk on Funding Opportunities in Defense Organisation]

Inaugural Ceremony

The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Suhas S. Joshi, Director of IIT Indore, alongside dignitaries such as Prof. Prasad Krishna (Director, NIT Calicut), Mr. Ravi Raghavan (Chairman, COPEN13), Prof. V. Radhakrishnan, Co-Chairman COPEN13, Prof. Sheshadri Sekhar, Director, IIT Palakkad, Prof. Srikanth Bontha, NITK Surathkal and Prof. Jose Mathew, Organizing Secretary, COPEN 13. Prof. Dipankar Banarjee, Director IIST Trivandrum addressed the audience online. and other co-chairpersons from collaborating institutions.

During the inaugural ceremony, the official logo for the COPEN conference was unveiled. The logo, which was selected through a competition among the student community, was designed by Mr. Vishnu S., a research scholar at NIT Calicut, and was chosen as the official emblem for COPEN.

[Photo2: Prof. Suhas S. Joshi inaugurating the conference by lighting the lamp]

[Photo3: The chief guest with organising team of COPEN13 on the day of inauguration]

Conference Activities

The conference brought together over 600 delegates, including researchers, academicians, and industry professionals, to exchange knowledge on emerging trends in precision, meso, micro, and nano engineering.

[Photo 4: Dr. Subramanian from STIMS Institute, San Jose, USA shares insights during the panel session]

[Photo5: Audience attentively engages during the panel discussions.]

The event featured 15 keynote sessions and 12 invited lectures, where speakers highlighted the pivotal role of indigenous innovation, affordable manufacturing, and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in addressing complex manufacturing challenges. A special panel discussion on the second day, led by Dr. Mahesh Kappanayil from Amrita Hospital, Kochi, on “Immersive 3D Technologies (3D Printing and Extended Reality) in Medical Applications,” drew significant attention and enthusiasm from the research community, highlighting the importance of strong collaborative research between the manufacturing and medical fields.

A standout keynote on Day 3 by Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair from VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram, focused on the challenges of space manufacturing, with special emphasis on India’s prestigious Gaganyaan mission, captivating the audience with insights into cutting-edge advancements in aerospace engineering.

[Photo 6: Prof. Sathyan Subbiah, IIT Madras delivering a keynote session on Exciting Developments in Space Manufacturing in India]

The panel discussions were held on themes included Industry-Academia-Startup Collaboration and Biomedical Manufacturing, featuring distinguished speakers from institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Hyderabad, and organizations like DRDL and IMTMA Bengaluru. Discussions emphasized the integration of Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) and Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to enhance academia-industry collaboration.

In addition to the Keynote and Invited Lecturers, the conference showcased 300 oral presentations and 100 poster presentations by young researchers, covering innovative ideas and advancements in precision engineering.

[Photo 7: Glimpses of the poster presentation at COPEN13]

[Photo 8: A glimpse of the oral presentation at COPEN13]

Post-Conference Workshop Highlights

The post-conference workshop delved into cutting-edge developments in additive manufacturing with a focus on applications in medical devices and techniques for evaluating additively manufactured parts. Expert speakers from NITs, IITs, and national research organizations shared insights into the future of additive manufacturing. Discussions covered transformative solutions for quality assurance, including the use of IoT, cloud-enabled systems, AI-driven technologies, virtual manufacturing, and virtual inspection.

Conclusion

COPEN13 and its associated workshops provided a premier platform for researchers and industry professionals to discuss and exchange ideas on advancements in precision engineering. The event successfully fostered collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation across academia, research, and industry sectors. With robust participation and impactful sessions, COPEN13 reaffirmed its position as a leading conference in the field of precision, meso, micro, and nano engineering.

Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees commending the efforts of the organizing institutes and committee members. Dr. Basil Kuriachen (NIT Calicut), Joint Secretary of COPEN13, delivered the vote of thanks, in the presence of Joint Secretaries Dr. V.S. Sooraj (IIST Thiruvananthapuram) and Dr. Dinesh Setti (IIT Palakkad). It was announced that the next edition, COPEN14, scheduled for 2026, will be hosted by NIT Jaipur. Prof. Harlal Singh Mali, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, NIT Jaipur, extended a warm invitation to all participants to attend COPEN14 at NIT Jaipur. Additionally, Prof. I.A. Palani from IIT Indore invited participants to the AIMTDR 2025 conference, which will be held in tandem with the COPEN conference.