July 28, 2020

Overview

Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science, had initiated in 2014 India’s first indigenous smart factory platform. With funding from Department of Heavy Industries (DHI), Government of India under its SAMARTH Udyog Bharat 4.0 programme, this is turning into a complete factory testbed with two parts:

  • A labour-intensive toolroom with a connected set of legacy machines that represents the MSMEs of India, and
  • An automation-intensive factory that integrates 3D (metal, polymer) printers, metal laser routers, 5 axis CNCs, using industrial robots, collaborative robots and automated guided vehicles.

The aim is to demonstrate the power of smart and connected intelligence in enhancing quality, productivity, efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability for manufacturing across sectors and for research into factories of the future.