National Manufacturing Institute Scotland
Smart Factory Innovation Hub testbed
Helping Scottish businesses of any size, harness digital technologies
The Smart Factory Innovation Hub testbed at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) brings together specialist technology providers and manufacturers to harness manufacturing data and highlight the accessibility of Industry 4.0 for companies of all sizes.
The testbed at NMIS is one of 16 across the UK that are part of a pilot scheme delivered by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVM Catapult). Each testbed specialises in a specific technology that has been identified by Made Smarter, a national movement to drive growth amongst UK makers, as key in driving future manufacturing performance across the UK.
Accessing Industry 4.0 technologies
Aiming to demystify data-based decision-making for manufacturers, the NMIS testbed provides companies working across data and analytics, cybersecurity, and software with access to live data from our own industrial-scale workshop equipment.
Organisations can develop machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), using data from the radial forge at our University of Strathclyde's Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), allowing them to meet the demand for technology integration across the manufacturing industry.
Manufacturers can also access our world-leading team of specialist technology experts who can provide personalised advice, identify the right digital tools and help make everyday improvements.
Bellrock Technology, originally a spin-out of the University of Strathclyde in 2012, is a data solutions software company with over 100 years experience of in creating data analytics solutions. The Glasgow-based company helps organisations from start-ups to blue-chip organisations become more data-driven.
The project
Bellrock Technology will showcase its platform Lumen® on the Radial Forge at NMIS specialist technology centre, the AFRC. The software technology makes it quicker, easier, and more affordable for companies to directly deploy decision support and advanced data analytics into manufacturing processes.
Lumen® lets business decision-makers liaise directly with data experts to gain valuable business insights and create solutions at pace. The NMIS Digital and Metrology Team will use Lumen® to ensure manufacturing data analytics models, based on Radial Forge production data, can be rapidly transformed into production decision support systems capable of delivering true data-driven value to end-users.
California-based Celona is an enterprise 5G company. Focused on enabling a new generation of AI-powered business-critical apps, it aims to help organisations accelerate their digital transformation journey.
The project.
Celona will showcase and test its Celona Orchestrator platform. Powered by cloud software and AI automation, the platform makes cellular wireless fully accessible within an enterprise. The platform will be integrated with the radial forge and its network splicing capabilities tested.
CGTech is the global leader in computer numerical control (CNC) code simulation through its VERICUT software. The California-headquartered organisation offers a wide range of products and solutions to make CNC machines collision-free and more efficient.
The Project
CGTech will showcase its CNC simulation software and focus on its capability to offer optimised CNC code generation using its VERICUT Force software. SMEs will gain access to CGTech's Force software, improving machining parameters, increasing productivity and cycle times, and reducing cutting tool and machine wear.
Filament is a workspace for analysing data, automating tasks, and integrating systems using Python. By making code-based analysis and automation more accessible and collaborative, Filament's mission is to transform how work is conducted, knowledge shared, and complex problems solved.
The Project
The Data Science team at the NMIS will use Filament to explore, analyse, and visualise production data collected from the radial forge cell in the AFRC.
Filament's unique sharing and collaborative editing features will allow the team to work together remotely, in real-time, and analyse sensor data from the radial forge. Subsequently, the platform will be used to share insights, allowing engineering and production teams to make data-driven decisions.
University of Strathclyde spin-out Lupovis specialise in AI-powered dynamic Cyber deception.
The project
Lopovis will integrate and test its cybersecurity deception technique in the hub network. The AI-based deception solutions deploy active decoys collaborating to lure attackers into revealing themselves and guide them through the network away from valuable assets, providing the next generation of cyber-deception and in-network threat intelligence.
Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions to assist customers in achieving their goals whilst maintaining their security and governance requirements.
Sightline systems offer a real-time operations intelligence solution focused on analytics, root-cause analysis, performance management, correlation of data, and predictive analysis.
The project
Cyber threats to manufacturing environments are more prevalent than ever, therefore securing such environments against these threats is more important than ever. The Unisys and Sightline cybersecurity system will be integrated and tested within the hub network.
Unisys Stealth is a software solution that segregates networks into secure, encrypted zones preventing unauthorised users from gaining access to key systems, providing a logical security architecture that secures OT and IT environments across physical boundaries such as local networks, remote networks, and the cloud. The solution can be used to secure existing environments, giving confidence that new hardware solutions can be tested without impact to production systems. Devices that are stealth enabled are cloaked, and therefore protected, from potential malicious sources.
Sightline has a graphical interface to allow detailed analysis of the data and can be used to identify a correlation between seemingly unrelated data streams, while also providing predictive analysis capabilities to support forecasting. It can also identify unusual behaviour on endpoints and help identify potential threats within an environment.
About the radial forge
Demonstrating that digitisation is accessible, low cost, and easily integrated into existing processes and legacy machinery, the radial forge features recently upgraded software for quick access to data, wireless gateways providing superior monitoring, and enhanced network connectivity. We use the radial forge for trialing and proving the manufacturing route for many applications, including automotive transmissions and aerospace components.
Richard Millar, NMIS Senior R&D Engineer, Digital Connectivity Theme Lead, Digital and Metrology Team
The NMIS Innovation Hub allows technology providers and manufacturing companies to come together to showcase and create a better understanding of Industry 4.0 solutions in a manufacturing environment.
We can further our understanding and create projects to test and develop solutions within the Hub for both technology providers and end-users before taking them to industry.
