Topic: Integration and Qualification of Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing
Speaker: Professor Wei Zhou, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Time: Friday, May 12, 2023, 10:00 am- 12:00 am
Venue: B506, New Main Building, Xueyuan Road Campus
Abstract：
Intelligent manufacturing, no matter how it is defined, entails use of high level of automation, which is typically achieved through applications of robots. Robots are increasingly used to carry out manufacturing for better quality and improved productivity. However, a widespread misconception on application of robots is “to replace humans with machines”. It is argued that robots can in fact do much more than the humans they replace if they are integrated with more advanced technology and if the integrated technology is properly qualified according to commonly accepted standards. A few case studies are presented to illustrate the point. The first case is on welding of computer server casings. The manual manufacturing process is electrical resistance spot welding. When the process is automated through use of a robot, laser beam welding is adopted instead, showing a good example of how technology integration can help to improve productivity significantly. However, the integrated technology has to be qualified through optimization of the welding procedures. A few more case studies are given, including micro-welding of tubes of dissimilar metals, welding of micro-tubes for capillary electrophoresis technology, and development of trackless wall-climbing robots for autonomous welding of large engineering structures. The cases to be presented mainly deal with welding; however, the concept of technology integration and qualification is applicable to all other manufacturing processes, as shown by another case on additive manufacturing.
About the Speaker：
Professor Wei Zhou is with the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has carried out extensive research on a wide range of advanced manufacturing processes, including welding, 3D printing, and cold spray. He has served on the governing bodies of a number of government and academic institutions. He was Chairman, National Mirror Committee (Singapore) to ISO/TC 44 “Welding and Allied Processes” and Liaison Officer to ISO/TC 261 “Additive Manufacturing”. Currently he serves as President of International Society for Intelligent Manufacturing, Chairman of Welding Technology Committee of Singapore Welding Society, and Editor-in-Chief of Welding and Joining Section of international journal Metals. He is a Fellow of Singapore Welding Society, International Association of Applied Mechanics, and Indian Structural Integrity Society. He is the recipient of a number of awards including the Merit Award in recognition of his “invaluable contributions towards quality and standards in Singapore” and National Day Long Service Medal by the Government of Singapore.
He has worked closely in collaboration with many industrial partners such as Rolls-Royce, UK and Schaeffler Group, Germany. His research has led to new technologies, some of which have been adopted by the industry through technology transfer. He graduated with a BEng degree in Welding from Tsinghua University, China (1985) and obtained PhD in Materials Science and Metallurgy from University of Cambridge, UK (1991). He was a Guest Scientist, Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials, Germany (1991); Visiting Scholar in applied physics, Harvard University (2002); Senior Scientist (on joint appointment), Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (2008-2010); and Visiting Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge University (2014).
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation
