Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)

The wide scope of products variants driven by customers’ preferences and dynamic demand fluctuations introduce challenges which directly impact manufacturing systems design and operation to cope with product changes efficiently and cost effectively. Reconfigurable, adaptable and smart manufacturing paradigms aim to deal with these challenges in modern manufacturing systems.
The proposed research program seeks to develop new knowledge and innovative enablers of smart, adaptable, flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing systems. This leading edge research emphasizes a holistic integrated view of manufacturing from designing products to making them and targets two important themes: 1) design and synthesis of manufacturing systems for managing products variety and sustainability, and 2) Enablers of change in adaptable smart manufacturing systems as pre-requisites for the new Industry 4.0 paradigm.
Innovative models for integrating design of products and design of manufacturing systems using a new “Co-platforming” methodology will enable systems adaptability and efficient reconfiguration. Co-development of manufacturing systems and evolving products will prolong the useable life of manufacturing systems and increase their economic sustainability. Rationalizing energy used in production is becoming a priority in light of environmental sustainability concerns. A new “Systems Design for Energy Sustainability” methodology will be developed to plan the best manufacturing system configuration which reduces its energy consumption by design. Digital intelligent manufacturing systems require adaptable equipment and operation strategies to cope with increasingly frequent changes on the shop floor. New methodologies for adaptable system configuration and production flow as well as scalable production volume will be developed and demonstrated using the modular, reconfigurable assembly system (iFactory) and digital simulation.
The research program will provide valuable learning experience and exposure to state-of-the-Art facilities, such as the Learning Factory (iFactory) for more than 20 researchers. They will also gain practical experience by participating in industrial projects and collaborations
The planned research is of strategic importance to Canada’s plan to be at the forefront of the intelligent manufacturing paradigm. Application of its results will make manufacturing systems economically and environmentally sustainable. It will enhance productivity, performance, and profitability of the important manufacturing sector and increase Canada’s global competitiveness.