SMART 4.0 has enabled CONFIRM Centre to host international talent in relevant scientific areas to deliver Industry 4.0 and continued to support increasing Europe’s critical mass in the field of smart manufacturing through its disruptive RD&I outputs. SMART 4.0 has enabled Confirm to strengthen its international networks and visibility at a global level, enabling it to continue to support increasing Europe’s critical mass in the field of smart manufacturing through its disruptive RD&I outputs. Furthermore, the program has successfully attracted a high proportion of high calibre female researchers, demonstrable of CONFIRM’s and SMART 4.0’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The main demonstratable impacts from the SMART 4.0 programme are,
• Positive perceptions of smart manufacturing
• Creation of 16 Industry 4.0 thought leaders
• Increased R&D capacity and Innovation in Ireland, Europe and beyond
• Sustainable R&D through increased collaboration and partnerships
• Significant contributions to international relations, profile and reputation of Ireland in Europe and the World.
• Increased Competitiveness of Irish research and enterprise
• Highly educated, in-demand skills for current and future workforce
In addition, SMART 4.0 has a strong impact on European Industry in so far as each fellow availed of a 3-month secondment in the non-academic sector. The secondments aimed to immerse the fellows’ in a non-academic setting with the view to learning and understanding of the practices and needs of the non-academic sector. Five companies, including J&J, Analog Devices, Robotics & Drivers, Collins Aerospace, Lufthansa Technik Shannon (LTTS), offered numerous placements for the fellows, where they worked on smart manufacturing projects. This activity had a dual impact, in so far as it significantly contributed to the fellows’ CPD and exposed Industry to the talent pool of the SMART 4.0 fellows, where they helped these industry partners solve difficult problems. Some standout projects that go beyond SOTA were the implementation of machine learning algorithms for 3D printing the repairs for metallic turbine blades at LTTS; the deployment of a 5G communications system to control mobile robots in J&J, and the development of a future factory demonstrator at Analog Devices.
Conclusions: SMART 4.0 has been a highly successful training and mobility programme, has delivered on all its milestones and deliverables, has produced 16 world-class researchers who are now contributing to European Industry and Academia, has significantly contributed to the movement toward gender equality in the manufacturing sector, and through effective outreach and publication has significantly improved the positive perceptions of the manufacturing sector as a desirable domain to work in.
