United Kingdom commits £12 million towards technological advancements in manufacturing industries
UK Government Invests £12 Million in IT-Driven Manufacturing Innovation
The UK's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced an investment of £12 million in six research projects aimed at driving IT innovation in manufacturing. These projects are expected to aid manufacturers in transitioning from product-centric to services-based business models and keep the UK ahead in the global race.
One of the collaborative projects, led by the University of Nottingham, receives £2.4 million. Known as the cloud manufacturing project, it aims to apply cloud computing principles to share design and process resources among manufacturers, fostering collaboration and efficiency.
Aston, Sheffield, and Coventry Universities are also part of a £1.5 million project to aid manufacturers. They are working together to create virtual worlds for service simulation using 3D development, which will help manufacturers test and refine their services before implementation.
Loughborough University is leading a separate project with a budget of £1.9 million. This project aims to improve the availability of information throughout the manufacturing supply chain by developing "intelligent software services."
Another collaborative effort, between the University of Strathclyde and Loughborough University, receives £2.5 million. This project focuses on developing software for analyzing data from sensors used in the chemicals manufacturing process, enabling continuous production.
Nottingham and Brunel Universities are leading a project with a budget of £1.8 million. Their project aims to develop IT tools for customers to participate in product design and development processes in the food and packaging industry.
Lastly, the University of Bath is leading a project with a budget of £1.9 million. This project seeks to improve complex, collaborative engineering projects by analyzing the way parties work together through email, computer-aided design (CAD), and other means.
The investment also includes six projects looking at innovative manufacturing equipment. These projects are expected to boost efficiency and productivity in the manufacturing sector.
The UK government's investment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen computational science and digital skills crucial for manufacturing innovation. This includes investments in critical digital research infrastructure, skills development, and innovation strategies. For instance, the government and UKRI launched a Compute Roadmap investing over £59 million into national hubs at the University of Surrey and Durham University to provide training, career pathways, and talent pipelines linking data, software, and hardware development.
The government also promotes innovation skills such as iteration, data literacy, user-centricity, and the use of AI and anonymised data to accelerate innovation processes. Initiatives like ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) with £168 million funding focus on leveraging public data for economic growth and innovation, offering training and capacity-building in data use.
This investment is intended to drive growth and support the UK's industrial strategy in various sectors. As stated by David Willetts, science and universities minister, the UK needs access to the latest science and technology to build on its manufacturing success. The investment is expected to contribute significantly to this goal.
With the establishment of four new R&D centres across the country, the UK's manufacturing sector is set to benefit from advanced IT solutions and improved collaboration, paving the way for a more efficient and innovative future.
- The cloud manufacturing project, which is one of the six research projects receiving investment from the UK government, aims to apply cloud computing principles to share design and process resources among manufacturers, promoting collaboration and efficiency.
- The UK government's investment in the projects, including the one led by Loughborough University that focuses on developing "intelligent software services," is part of a broader strategy to strengthen computational science and digital skills crucial for manufacturing innovation.
