Virtual Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping

VITAMIN - CP96-262

Keywords: virtual manufacturing, rapid prototyping, SMEs

Start Date: open / Duration: 24 months

Objectivies and Approach

The main objectives of this project are to provide the required support for adopting virtual manufacturing (VM) methodologies and rapid prototyping (RP) technologies in CEE SMEs and to conduct pilot applications to show SMEs how they could benefit from the utilisation of this advanced design concept.

The project has the following goals:

to build technology demonstration centres (TDC) in Bulgaria and Hungary, to prepare a feasibility study of VM and RP, and to disseminate information about these advanced concepts for product and manufacturing system design and product development;
to develop two VM pilot applications: one in Bulgaria (that will focus on VM in product design) and one in Hungary (application of VM in system design);
to increase the awareness of the capabilities of concurrent design environment for product development in CEE companies and to demonstrate the benefits of the rapid prototyping technology;
to demonstrate the benefits of utilising simulation tools for manufacturing system design;
to enable CEE companies to estimate the benefits associated with the implementation of VM and RP.

A great number of local companies from Bulgaria and Hungary have already declared their interest and support for this technology demonstration project. The consortium will also collaborate with the national scientific and professional organisations to further increase the awareness of the potential benefits of VM and RP among SMEs and academia.

Coordinator

University of Cardiff, UK

EU Partners

University of Cardiff, UK
Technical University of Graz, A

Non-EU Partners

University of Rousse, BG
Technical University, Budapest, HU
Agromachina, BG
77 Elektronika Muszeripari KFT, HU

CONTACT POINT

Prof. Pham Duc Truong
Tel: +44 1222 874 429
Fax: +44 1222 874 420
E-mail: phamdt@cardiff.ac.uk