Smart Manufacturing Test Bed

Capturing AM process knowledge through industry-specific manufacturing ontologies

Challenges

  • Development of agile systems capable of adapting to changes in processing functions, production capacity, and dispatching of orders.
  • Detection of changes among the newly emerging concept(s) and its relevance.
  • Application of appropriate deduced changes to ensure consistency in evolved ontologies
Research Opportunities

  • Identification of candidate resources and resource combinations for a specific production need.
  • Developing ontology-Based Smart Production Management Systems.
  • Conflict analysis for consistency check of developed ontologies.

Objectives

  • Developing modules with a computer-aided decision support system for system adaptation and reconfiguration of associated processes.
  • Providing support for product life cycle interoperability.
  • Developing ontologies for formal representation of manufacturing services.

Equipment / Software

  • Computer
  • Protege (open source)
  • Webowl Editor (open source)

Collaborators: Industrial Ontology Foundry consortium (IOF)

Create a scaled Smart Factory Test Bed as a proving ground for the digital AM technologies

Challenges

  • CONNECTIVITY: How to connect modules of the smart bed to the internet?
  • Devices ranging from sensors, actuators, controllers up to IT systems from multi-vendor and multi- platforms.
  • INTEROPERABILITY: How can information be exchanged reliably between disparate systems?
  • Description of capabilities of an asset, its information model, and semantics must be conveyed.
  • LAYOUT: How to create a layout for the testbed to cater to the needs of different industrial products?
  • Different products require a different sequence of operations, to mimic the exact production scenario a dynamic product layout is required for the testbed.
Research Opportunities

  • Implementation of the standard machine-to-machine communication, like OPC UA, MTConnect to enable interoperability among different controls and systems.
  • Design of a system to automatically reconfigure the layout to suit different products.
  • Development of visual analytic products like OEE Dashboard and services like reactive scheduling which could be tested and hosted on the cloud.
  • Development of web services to publish the data collected internally and externally of the lab.

Objectives

  • To create a facility where manufacturing companies can come to de-risk the development of digital solutions that will drive innovation across their business.
  • To closely work with both large and small-scale manufacturing industries, to understand their IT & OT requirements, research the current trends in technology and develop novel products and solutions.
  • To help industries to test and mature not only new technologies but data strategies and new business models and promote common standards and interoperability.

Equipment / Software

  • Open source mini CNC machines/3D Printers
  • Digital measurement devices
  • Sensors
  • Material Handling Systems
  • Controllers
  • Small Robots
  • Machine vision and mechatronic modules 
  • Mini AS/RS 
  • Modular automation systems 

Collaborators: SVP Lasers Pvt Ltd, MTAB

Link for test bed survey : https://forms.gle/MAi3PQZUNJzg7SCu7