Smart Manufacturing Data Hub
UK manufacturers have had their productivity and competitiveness boosted thanks to a new digital Smart Factory and testbed at Ulster University. MEGA are an integral part of this exciting £50 million project and its implementation across the UK.
What is the Smart Manufacturing Data Hub?
The SMART Manufacturing Data Hub (SMDH) supports small and medium-sized manufacturers to become more competitive by harnessing the power of data. Digital tools and expert guidance are available to companies through the Hub, allowing them to explore and evaluate their processes, make operational savings, de-risk investments and make their factory smarter.
Businesses across a range of sectors, from food and drink to aerospace technology will benefit from the hub, with inputs and expert recommendations from data scientists and engineers, allowing them to upskill staff and implement a long-term digitalisation strategy.
This is an exciting project for MEGA, allowing them to be at the forefront of advancement and growth in manufacturing within Mid Ulster. As manufacturers seek to improve their competitiveness and productivity through digitalisation and automating their factories, they will also need to retrain and upskill their existing workforce.
Manufacturing within Northern Ireland cannot grow without the adoption of digital tools, or the ability to properly optimise manufacturing processes using data. This means developing new digital skills alongside those of traditional engineering and production. MEGA have shown that a collaborative approach between employers and education can deliver the experience of work in ways which engage and motivate young people. Great strides have been made to address the immediate and medium-term skills shortages in the manufacturing and engineering industries in the Mid-Ulster area. The SMDH project seeks to further build on MEGA’s vision and work towards this common goal.