A hybrid multi-agent technique for shop floor control. The new knowledge and techniques, as a result of this research project, will have direct relevance to many Australian industries. In particular, they provide opportunities to improve Australia's competitiveness through innovations for the manufacturing sector. The project will enable the development of the state-of-the-art simulation software readily accessible to a larger section of industry, including small to medium sized manufacturers. T ....A hybrid multi-agent technique for shop floor control. The new knowledge and techniques, as a result of this research project, will have direct relevance to many Australian industries. In particular, they provide opportunities to improve Australia's competitiveness through innovations for the manufacturing sector. The project will enable the development of the state-of-the-art simulation software readily accessible to a larger section of industry, including small to medium sized manufacturers. The use of meta-modelling will improve control of processes on the shop floor. Combining process meta-models with hybrid discrete event-based agent optimisation will result in increased shop floor efficiency, assisting Australian industry to be competitive in the world market.Read moreRead less
Novel concepts to engineer low cost blood diagnostics. Novel concepts to engineer low cost blood diagnostics. This project aims to deliver the next generation of on-paper blood diagnostics: cheap, fast, easy to use, reliable, specific and robust. Transformational methods in on-paper and thread-based diagnostics could make indirect and weak blood typing possible. This project expects on-paper testing for fibrinogen to assess clotting capability could revolutionise treatment of massive blood loss. ....Novel concepts to engineer low cost blood diagnostics. Novel concepts to engineer low cost blood diagnostics. This project aims to deliver the next generation of on-paper blood diagnostics: cheap, fast, easy to use, reliable, specific and robust. Transformational methods in on-paper and thread-based diagnostics could make indirect and weak blood typing possible. This project expects on-paper testing for fibrinogen to assess clotting capability could revolutionise treatment of massive blood loss. Expected results of this project are a new class of on-paper and thread-based diagnostic tests with enhanced sensitivity, readability and lower cost, which could significantly affect trauma, rural medicine and developing nations.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100002
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$808,191.00
Summary
A facility for laser-based automated manufacturing of carbon composites. This project aims to create an advanced manufacturing facility for carbon-composites research by integrating laser-based processing and robotic automation. It will enable fundamental research on rapid processing of high-performance thermoplastics and metal-composite hybrids, including functionalisation of the composite through nano-material coating technology, and new instrumentation for structural health monitoring. The fa ....A facility for laser-based automated manufacturing of carbon composites. This project aims to create an advanced manufacturing facility for carbon-composites research by integrating laser-based processing and robotic automation. It will enable fundamental research on rapid processing of high-performance thermoplastics and metal-composite hybrids, including functionalisation of the composite through nano-material coating technology, and new instrumentation for structural health monitoring. The facility will significantly enhance the research capability in the newly established ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites, which will engage with Australian industry to improve productivity and material performance for industry sectors such as aerospace, automotive, marine, and sport.Read moreRead less
A Distributed Virtual Factory in Agile Manufacturing. The aim of this research is to develop an Intelligent Distributed Virtual Factory consisting of several distributed precise simulation models connected by several synchronisation mechanisms named Time Bucket algorithms. Intelligent Distributed Virtual Factory will then be applied into precise evaluations of the whole manufacturing system under two major types of manufacturing operational logics, PULL and PUSH methods.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346666
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$260,000.00
Summary
Mobile high power diode laser for thermal processing applications. This proposal seeks to establish a mobile, high-power diode laser facility for thermal processing of in-situ components in the power generation, defence, shipbuilding and mining industries. Diode lasers offer significant advantages for laser thermal processing over conventional CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers in terms of their output wavelength, size and efficiency. The mobile high power diode laser facility will help build a strong infr ....Mobile high power diode laser for thermal processing applications. This proposal seeks to establish a mobile, high-power diode laser facility for thermal processing of in-situ components in the power generation, defence, shipbuilding and mining industries. Diode lasers offer significant advantages for laser thermal processing over conventional CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers in terms of their output wavelength, size and efficiency. The mobile high power diode laser facility will help build a strong infrastructure for in-situ repair of worn components and is expected to reduce overall component repair costs and time.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC160100040
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,815,143.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites. ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites. This centre aims to develop innovative researchers who can transform Australia’s high-performance carbon composites manufacturing industry. This aim will be achieved through the adoption and creative use of advanced automation technology, which brings benefits of speed, flexibility and accuracy. Industry-based research experience will be enhanced through exp ....ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites. ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites. This centre aims to develop innovative researchers who can transform Australia’s high-performance carbon composites manufacturing industry. This aim will be achieved through the adoption and creative use of advanced automation technology, which brings benefits of speed, flexibility and accuracy. Industry-based research experience will be enhanced through exposure to international partners at the cutting edge of advanced composites manufacturing research and development in developed economies. The intended outcome is a generation of innovators who can use the benefits of automation to position Australian manufacturers as world-class agile producers of high-value advanced composite structures using high-rate, error-free processes.Read moreRead less
A New Parallel Robot with breakthrough performance for Manufacturing of Aerospace Components - kinematic and dynamic synthesis, design optimisation and prototyping. The Gantry-Tau is a new parallel type robot manipulator that will have the large workspace benefit of traditional Gantry robots in addition to stiffness and accuracy benefits well beyond the capabilities of existing robots. Preliminary results have shown that the Gantry-Tau can become the most accurate Gantry manipulator to date, wit ....A New Parallel Robot with breakthrough performance for Manufacturing of Aerospace Components - kinematic and dynamic synthesis, design optimisation and prototyping. The Gantry-Tau is a new parallel type robot manipulator that will have the large workspace benefit of traditional Gantry robots in addition to stiffness and accuracy benefits well beyond the capabilities of existing robots. Preliminary results have shown that the Gantry-Tau can become the most accurate Gantry manipulator to date, with the potential of competing with dedicated machines in the manufacturing industry. The expected project outcome is a working prototype of the Gantry-Tau demonstrating machining performance on aerospace components, publications in high-ranked conferences and journals and several patent applications.Read moreRead less
Developing a new technology: advanced surface hardening and grinding in a single operation. Our advances will give Australian manufacturing industry first access to a significant technological advance in precision grinding, a critical machining process. This will improve our international competitiveness, through major cost reductions by simplifying the manufacturing procedure and by eliminating the use of toxic coolants. The technology will provide significant opportunities for further Australi ....Developing a new technology: advanced surface hardening and grinding in a single operation. Our advances will give Australian manufacturing industry first access to a significant technological advance in precision grinding, a critical machining process. This will improve our international competitiveness, through major cost reductions by simplifying the manufacturing procedure and by eliminating the use of toxic coolants. The technology will provide significant opportunities for further Australian research in precision machining by creating a foundation for extending the technology to more complex manufacturing processes.Read moreRead less
Decision support systems for the implementation of team based cellular manufacturing in adaptive organizations. Cellular manufacturing, where a family of products is produced in discrete multi-machine cells, has been adopted by many firms to increase flexibility, reduce costs and improve quality. However the implementation of cellular manufacturing is a complex process as technology, customer needs, product characteristics, enterprise goals and organisation structure can influence the effectiven ....Decision support systems for the implementation of team based cellular manufacturing in adaptive organizations. Cellular manufacturing, where a family of products is produced in discrete multi-machine cells, has been adopted by many firms to increase flexibility, reduce costs and improve quality. However the implementation of cellular manufacturing is a complex process as technology, customer needs, product characteristics, enterprise goals and organisation structure can influence the effectiveness of the implementation. This project will develop an intelligent model for the implementation of cellular manufacturing in batch production and test it in a case study. The work will contribute to Australia's contribution to the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems international research project SYMPHONY.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear modelling, analysis and prediction of optimal conditions for cold roll forming. This project investigates fundamental analytical and experimental aspects of the highly nonlinear process of cold roll forming of flat steel strip to shaped product in order to gain predictive understanding and determine optimal process conditions. The project aims to develop an innovative software system that will permit operators to balance and optimize mill productivity, energy consumption, mill downtim ....Nonlinear modelling, analysis and prediction of optimal conditions for cold roll forming. This project investigates fundamental analytical and experimental aspects of the highly nonlinear process of cold roll forming of flat steel strip to shaped product in order to gain predictive understanding and determine optimal process conditions. The project aims to develop an innovative software system that will permit operators to balance and optimize mill productivity, energy consumption, mill downtime, and product change over times and facilitate the development of new productsRead moreRead less