Smart Manufacturing and Lean Systems Research Group
The vision of the group is to be recognized for the excellence in
manufacturing and enterprise systems intelligence and applications to
enhance the productivity and competitiveness.
Group Operational Overview The Smart Manufacturing and Lean
Systems Research Group focuses on applied research and related activities.
The Group collaborates with industry to develop and/or solve company
specific problems. The research projects can be executed by either a
research team or dedicated full-time or part time researchers who can work
at company site or at Lawrence Tech. Our faculty has an extensive background
and experience in problem solving and has produced outstanding results. A
research contract and IP agreement will be developed based on the company's
needs and requirements.
Our Group will work with the company to develop the scope of the project.
Our research group will deliver the project at a fraction of the cost of
what the company would be paying internally. This collaborative relationship
between industry and the University has other benefits. It provides an
opportunity for faculty and students to learn
about real-world challenges and innovative solutions. Collaborative Benefits
�
Expanded
company resources
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Access to University
environment include faculty and students
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Development of
innovative solutions
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Enhancement of
existing products, processes and systems
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Lower cost of research
activities
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Potential talented
pool of students
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Experiential learning
for students and researchers
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Company intellectual
property is protected
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Analytical, practical
and statistical solutions
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High quality and value
added deliverables Let's get started Further information and/or to arrange an appointment to
discuss how to start a project with The Smart Manufacturing and Lean Systems
Research Group contact:
Dr. Ahad Ali,
Assistant Professor and Director of MSIE Program A. Leon Linton Department of Mechanical Engineering Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI 48075 Email: aali@ltu.edu;
Phone: 248-204-2531, Fax: 248-204-2576
Research Funding SVPI and Whelan Co.
Group Members Dr. Ahad Ali, Faculty Dr. Daw Alwerfalli, Faculty Prof. Don Reimer, Faculty Ayid Alqahtani, Graduate Student Nirav Sheth, Graduate Student Suvro Sudip, Undergraduate Student
Research Expertise
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Announcements
September 25, 2013: Workshop on Six Sigma and Tolerancing Stack-Up at Mary E. Marburger Science and Engineering Auditorium, Lawrence Tech, 7:00am - 6:00 pm Click Here For Registration
June 5, 2013: Symposium on Smart Manufacturing and Lean Systems at Mary E. Marburger Science and Engineering Auditorium, Lawrence Tech, 1:00-5:00 pm Speakers will be from Chrysler, Ford, GM, and Toyota. Click Here For Registration Past Events March 27, 2013: Workshop on Geometric Diemensioning and Tolerencing (GD&T), 12:30 - 4:30 pm.
GD&T Workshop 2013 Event Photos
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Previous Research Projects / Experiences
Cellular Design, and Optimal Routing for High Mix Low Volume Manufacturing
A part-machine matrix was constructed which grouped parts requiring similar manufacturing processes.
A cellular design was proposed based on the results of the part-machine matrix.
A flow chart detailing the logic behind assigning parts to manufacturing cells was developed.
A new plant layout implementing cellular manufacturing and optimizing part movement through the facility.
Layout Optimization for Label Printing Facility
The current layout of the company was analyzed based on analytical and simulation models.
In the first revision of the layout, the travel distance was used to minimize the non-value added transportation time.
Three layouts options were considered and each of the proposed options provides significant improvement in the process flow with reduced work and process travel time and congestion.
Efficiencies of tool utilization is improved and managed seamlessly.
Energy Optimization for Boiler Controller
Boiler control units were studied for energy savings with gathering data,
analyzing data, developed initial findings and prepared the final
recommendations for independent and objective study.
The statistical analysis of gas consumption usage was performed and compared
with boiler control units.
End-of-Line Inspection for Annoying Noises in Automobiles Using Spherical Beamforming
The feasibility study of a new acoustic imaging inspection methodology for detection and classification of annoying noises in vehicle cabins using spherical beamforming technology.
The approach is to evaluate localization accuracy using a series of designed experiments to establish the sensitivity of the system to both source-based and plant environmental factors at their operating limits.
Paint Bank Sequence Optimization on Assembly in an Automotive Manufacturing Plant
A heuristic sequencing algorithm for the paint-to-assembly bank was developed.
The evaluation of the impact of changes to the product mix as well as to the vehicle options through performance analysis on the final assembly schedule based on paint shop disruption.
Analyzing the violation effect on the sequence where the violations are
counted based on the assembly shop restrictions through the use of a penalty
function.
Robotic Manufacturing System Failure Prediction Methodology Development of Automotive Manufacturing
O
Manufacturing Process Optimization of PVC Alloy Casting for Automotive Interior Trim Application
Analytical models for many different robotic cell scenarios to help determine the optimal schedule of robot move sequences.
The robot scheduling through the use of dispatching rules based on simulation.
Compared analytical models and simulation models.
Metamodeling and Multi Axis Loss Function for Returnable Containers in Automotive Closed Loop Supply Chain
Container resource planning using simulation with metaheuristic optimization and metamodeling based on Steepest Ascent Method.
The container fleet is optimized per built-in Tabu Search and Neural Network algorithms.
Validation of the metamodel by comparing results with Mixed Integer approach.
Multi Axis Loss Function analogous to Taguchi�s Quality Loss Function, more effectively captures reverse logistics cost for a closed loop auto parts supply chain.
Relationships between Waste and Operating Performance in Blanking Manufacturing Facility
O
Innovative Predictive Machine Failure Methodology Development using e-Manufacturing and CBM
A review of methods used to create behavioral models for prognostics and proposed the use of Monte Carlo simulation to enhance the sparse data sets.
This methodology is applied to elevator door operation system data to increase the number of support data sets.
Design a Reconfigurable Assembly Line for Power Drive Products
Design a reconfigurable assembly line to accommodation different category
power drive products including new products and identify optimal production
requirements.
Develop simulation model to evaluate performance of the production line
under a combination of product mix and product volume.
Development of a Real-Time
Web-enabled Platform
Device-to-Business (D2B) is an intelligent tool that enables a product or a system to directly link to a business decision making devices or systems.
The goal is to enable a
product to order its own parts or call for automated services to achieve
near-zero-downtime performance through the D2B platform.
Create a baseline machine condition-monitoring platform, including a
real-time Web-enabled platform, allowing access to machine condition
information from anywhere in the world.
Integrate web-enabled systems to the eBusiness systems
Web-enabled e-Maintenance Platform for eBusiness: Integration and Optimization
Create a basic Web-enabled platform for initial machine condition monitoring
Perform historical and statistical analysis on machine data and information
Perform optimization of predictive and preventative maintenance strategies for the project�s process in order to aid decision-making, such as maintenance policy, preventative maintenance and scheduling. Analysis includes mean time between failure (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), and failure mode analysis (FMA) factors including the evaluation of spare part inventory systems, maintenance personnel scheduling, and optimizing the schedule to maximize productivity.
MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operation) Lean Supply Chain Development
Develop a lean MRO supply chain to provide the right MRO parts in a most
cost effective manner
Development of integration of maintenance supply chain for service and MRO
Develop algorithm for optimal MRO inventory level
Web enabled platform testbed for monitoring
This testbed project will illuminate the utilization of the web to perform, monitoring, analysis and prediction the Functional Test Cell at manufacturing facility.
The main objectives of this testbed is to define, design and develop a
system for real time remote monitoring, and perform signature analysis of
system data over web.
Internal Supply Chain Management with Uncertain Demand and Product Mix
Dynamics reduction and stability analysis of supply chain system
Enterprise modeling based on knowledge intensive computer simulation
Available to promise decision-making in terms of both material and capacity
along supply chain echelons based on constraint optimization
Master production scheduling based on feedback information
Genetic Algorithm based Product Mix and Material match
Modeling and Simualtion Analysis for Airbag Sensors
Process modeling and improvement with Simulation
Software, GPSS and Taylor II
Build flexible
model for
Side Impact Sensor (SIS), Fuel Vaporized Pressure Sensor (FVPS) and
Integrated Coil Driven Assembly (ICDA)
line
Identify yield, down time, unit per hour (UPH), utilization
Identify reason for less utilization and bottlenecks
Genetic Algorithm (GA) based product commitment on available material and
capacity using Visual Basic
Modeling and Simulation of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Shop-floor modelling and improvement with
Arena simulation software
Modeling of PCB assembly, head disk assembly and hard
disk assembly shop-floor
Throughput, lead-time and work-in-process improvement
Daily production operations scheduling for PCB, and HDD based on customer
orders
Assembly line setup and balancing
Shop floor data including WIP, machine utilization, throughput and so on
visualization
Biomass Energy - Briquetting: Manufacturing and Marketing
Biomass briquettes, mostly made of compressed compounds of rice husk, saw dust, bagasse, ground nut shells, municipal solid waste, agricultural waste, etc. with the screw press technology. The study used rice husk and saw dust with heated die.
Experimental study on hot run condition with a preheater.
By briquetting technology with preheating option the loose biomass becomes a competitive green fuel to be commercialization in the market.
Marketing survey was conducted.
Accidential Hazard Reduction in Small Boiler Operations
Boiler Accidental Hazard Survey.
Recommendations for hazard reduction