The industrial sector is a vital source of national economy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is considered a strategic choice to diversify income sources in the Kingdom. Industries are keys to a knowledge-based economy, where modern technologies use innovation to develop value-added products. The vision of the industry in the Kingdom promotes competition with global industries on the basis of creativity and innovation in order to convert national resources into sustainable wealth.

Universities must support the industrial sector as a foundation for a knowledge-based economy, and to enhance its competitiveness and technology transfer capabilities. King Saud University (KSU) responded to strategic national requirements and placed industrial research and development among its top priorities in KSU’s Strategic Plan 2030. Engineering design and manufacturing has become a focus area of ongoing efforts, in which technology transfer and innovation are a significant source of added value, and where effective technological support is provided to various industrial sectors in the Kingdom with many advanced products, materials, machines and spare parts processing and re-manufacturing.

The Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) at KSU was established in 1433H (2012) as an expansion of the Program of Manufacturing Technology Transfer. The AMI serves the industrial sector, which undoubtedly represents a vital source of the national economy, and provides support to other civilian and military sectors. It aims to expand the achieved technical capabilities and technological facilities in order to serve a wider range of industrial clients as well as provide enhanced training, student supervision, and research-based innovative solutions to various manufacturing, design and material processing problems.