Enabling manufacturing competitiveness and economic sustainability

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In a global economy, high-cost manufacturing countries like Canada cannot compete just on productivity and labor cost. Innovation in products and manufacturing methods is vitally important to wealth generation and jobs preservation. This research develops novel approaches and solutions to meet this challenge. The proposed research program breaks new grounds: "The Co-evolution of Products and Manufacturing Systems Inspired by Co-evolution of Species in Nature". It establishes the scientific foundation and derives methodologies required to design and plan products and manufacturing systems capable of symbiotic co-development in response to forces of change. It has three main thrusts with the common goal of managing variety and change in manufacturing and enabling its competitiveness and economic sustainability. It will develop: 1) New models for planning future innovation directions for products design and manufacturing technologies informed by their evolution history, 2) Novel approches for the design and synthesis of products and systems using innovative methods for capturing their inherent association, 3) Optimized formation of dynamic products families and platforms to manage increased variety in manufacturing. The research outcomes provide Insight into the evolutionary trends of products and systems and offer Foresight to plan their economically sustainable future. Research results will increase manufacturing productivity and maximize flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness to changing products and market demands, which significantly enhances the ability of manufacturers to compete globally. The expected contributions are applicable to a wide range of manufacturing enterprises, including the automotive sector, and would have a positive socio-economic impact. This multi-facetted research program will train many highly qualified personnel who will gain unique and valuable knowledge and marketable skills applicable in industry and academia, and will contribute to innovation and knowledge-based prosperity in the Canadian economy.