Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Industry 4.0/5.0 (I4.0/I5.0) is a core strategy for innovating and increasing competitiveness in the manufacturing sector in an increasingly digital global economy. Despite its growing relevance, I4.0/I5.0 is not yet well established in practice, and further knowledge and practice-enhancing research efforts are required to advance its realization. With this in mind, modelling and simulation (M&S) are considered a key technology that can advance the realization of I4.0/I5.0 and the new generations of intelligent manufacturing systems since it enables their investigation from different perspectives (strategic, tactical, operational), including technological, human and organizational aspects. Nevertheless, the advancement of I4.0/I5.0 poses challenges to the field of M&S given the growing complexity of systems to be modelled. The long-term objective of this research program is to advance simulation-based engineering science and digital twin (DT) technology in the context of I4.0/I5.0 to enable high-confidence intelligent and cognitive manufacturing systems design, analysis and applications. This research program aims to develop a cognitive DT platform for autonomous intelligent manufacturing systems. To this end, different new artifacts (models, methods, algorithms, and prototype systems) will be developed to facilitate the realization of I4.0/I5.0 application scenarios (order-controlled production, adaptable factory, self-organizing adaptive logistics, operator support in production), to enable concrete applications in industry. The three interrelated and complementary short-term objectives defined in this research program (the next five years) are: (1) to develop context-aware models for DTs to enhance their physical counterparts representation; (2) to develop coordination and control models for enabling networked DTs; and (3) to develop humans-to-DT interaction models. The achievement of these objectives involves the development of a testbed and proof-of-concept cases in collaboration with the Réseau CÉOSNet which is financed by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and managed by the Réseau SDG Innovation Network. Moreover, due to its multidisciplinary nature, this research will involve collaborators from different backgrounds. The expected contribution of this research program is significant and impactful since it will advance knowledge and practice in simulation science and DT technology in the context of I4.0/I5.0. It can contribute significantly to realizing the full potential of DTs across a wide range of industries and applications and enable intelligent and cognitive manufacturing that can help foster innovation and the competitiveness of the Canadian manufacturing sector, which is facing various challenges (labour shortage, aging). Moreover, it will provide training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in cutting-edge technologies, equipping them with skills that are in high demand in the Canadian industry.