Planning for Research Center on Smart Manufacturing Equipment
Katherine Driggs-Campbell (ECE)
William King, Placid Ferreira, and Geir Dullerud (MechSE)
Klara Nahrstedt (CDS)
Research Problem
The first industrial revolution was achieved by the introduction of steam-engine-driven machine tools, the second through the electrification of manufacturing machines, and the third through the advent of computer numerical control (CNC) machines. The CNC concept underlies all modern manufacturing machinery, from robots to metal-cutting machine tools to additive manufacturing. By enabling programmable automation in manufacturing, CNC has led to what is now called digital manufacturing. Although the exponential rise in computing power has enabled improvements, machine architecture and organization have not changed notably over the last four decades. We believe that the next Industrial Revolution will integrate pervasive sensing, high-bandwidth communications, and perceptive computing, and will also do so through the agency of manufacturing machines. A multidisciplinary, multi-partner effort is needed to make this a reality.
CSME Vision
We propose the Center for Smart Manufacturing Equipment (CSME), which will exploit computing, computer science (CS), and mechanical engineering (ME) advances as the foundation of our center. It will bring together ubiquitous data gathering, curation, and distribution of novel sensor technologies with high-bandwidth communication; Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Machine Learning (ML) systems; and manufacturing science and machining insights to realize a new generation of AI-enabled manufacturing equipment. Such capabilities will reduce downtime from operations and process optimization (typically done today by experts) and increase equipment lifespan. We aim to produce generalizable, open-source solutions and frameworks to impact and democratize the manufacturing community. While developing the scientific and technological knowledge base needed to realize our vision, we will also develop the human resources needed to integrate this diverse knowledge base into a scalable engineering practice.
Larger Impact
The research in the Center for Smart Manufacturing Equipment will seek to advance the state-of-the-art in manufacturing capabilities by contributing fundamental findings in both manufacturing/mechanical engineering and computing. We aim to enable new capabilities in domain-specific GenAI and ML by combining them with advances in real-time sensing, controls, and communications in the context of manufacturing. By combining these fields, we will help realize a new generation of smart manufacturing machines that provide US manufacturing with elevated levels of capability, productivity, flexibility, and resilience. Foundational research in the Center will be grounded in innovations in physical manufacturing machines and equipment, and will lead to new understanding of how AI can impact and improve manufacturing capability and decision-making across multiple timescales, from milliseconds to years.