UAH, UA receive NSF planning grant for SMART center to help manufacturers incorporate advanced tech

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and The University of Alabama (UA) are partners in a new economic development initiative – Smart Manufacturing using AI-based Revolutionary Technologies (SMART) – funded by a planning grant from the National Science Foundation Industry University Cooperative Research Center. Members of the UAH SMART team are, left to right, Dr. Ana Wooley, assistant professor, Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (ISEEM); Dr. Nicholas Loyd, clinical associate professor, ISEEM; Dr. Vineetha Menon, associate professor, Department of Computer Science; Dr. Howard Chen, assistant professor, ISEEM; team leader Dr. Judith Schneider, professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; adjunct, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, and director, Materials Science Program, and Dr. Cheng Chen, assistant professor, ISEEM.

Michael Mercier | UAH

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and The University of Alabama (UA) have partnered in a new initiative: Smart Manufacturing using AI-based Revolutionary Technologies (SMART). UA, the lead partner, and UAH recently received a planning grant for the program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC). UAH and UA are part of the UA System.

SMART aims to help manufacturers incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and digital twins (DT) into their production processes. The SMART center will provide a collaborative environment for addressing common, pre-competitive needs of companies to be determined during the planning meeting. By analyzing technological challenges, research teams will create shareable solutions that will benefit companies and the economy.

At UAH, Dr. Judith Schneider – professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; adjunct, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, and director, UAH Materials Science Program – leads the team of five faculty members from the departments of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, and Computer Science. Leading the UA team is Dr. Hwan-Sik Yoon, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, with members from that department.

In the wake of AI/ML and DT advancements, some industries are flourishing, but much of the manufacturing sector has lagged. While many manufacturers acknowledge the vast potential of these technologies, they lack effective methods to integrate them into their organizational strategy, operations and processes.

“What we’re facing with advanced manufacturing is how to incorporate all the new tools coming down the pipeline,” Schneider said. “It can be hard for companies to implement the new tools because they’re not trained to use them. While these companies lack the training, universities are currently training their future employees to fill that gap.”

The SMART center will work with companies to collect data from sensors and cameras during representative manufacturing processes and use the information to develop and integrate AI solutions to improve productivity, product quality, factory sustainability and workforce safety.

The general solutions developed by the center will be shared across the industry with the goal of strengthening the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by advancing technological innovation and cultivating a skilled workforce through targeted training programs. By fostering collaboration among universities, industry partners and government agencies, the SMART center will support national efforts to enhance economic resilience and drive innovation in advanced manufacturing.

The SMART center is currently seeking companies to join this effort. To that end, Schneider said, the UAH team is asking questions and listening to concerns.

“What are your pressing needs? What are potential roadblocks to advancing your company? If your company is going to thrive and succeed, what do you see happening so that, five years down the road, you’ll be where you want to be?”

Companies interested in being part of the SMART center program should contact Schneider at jas0094@uah.edu.