Department of Industrial Engineering, UET Taxila

Kick-Off Meeting GetInnovative4lmpact

The kick-off meeting of Getlnnovative4lmpact was held at the University of Brescia (UNIBS), Brescia City, Italy from 2nd August 2023 to 4th August 2023. Prof. Dr. Analisa Pola and Dr. Marialaura of UNIBS organized the meeting. Teams of NEDUET and DCU attended the meeting physically, whereas, teams of UEÐ¢Ð¢, BUET, UMP and UNIMAP joint the meeting via online.

Dr. Tariq Jamil convened the kick-off meeting. In the meeting, project partners presented the current scenario of the industry related to the digital transformation in Pakistan and Malaysia. Dr. Anis Fatima, Dr. Syed Amir Iqbal and Dr. Salman Hussain presented the case of Pakistan, whereas, Dr. Noor hafiza and Dr. Asnul Hadi Ahmed discussed the digital manufacturing aspects in Malaysia.

The detailed plan related to all the work packages, deliverables and tasks were discussed in detail. Dr. Inam ul Ahad discussed the issues and solutions to the project plan.

The UNIBS representative arranged the visit to the facilities in the Engineering Campus of the University.

A dinner was mutually arranged for the partners who were physically present in the UNIBS. On 4th August 2023, training of Project Management was also conducted by Dr. Muhammad Wasif.

Preparing for Getinnovative4Impact

During the visit of Dr. Inam ul Ahad to Pakistan, in December 2022, Dr. Tariq Jamil and Dr. Muhammad Wasif had a meet-up with him. A discussion on acceptance and advancements in digital manufacturing was carried out. The core responsibilities of the partner were discussed in details.

Professional Trainings Development Committee (PTDC)

During the 1st Consortium Meeting of the Getlnnovate4Impact, a Professional Trainings Development Committee (PTDC) was formed, which held its three trainings during the reporting period. Following are the dates of the PTDC meetings. The minutes of the meetings were issued to all the partners.

1st PTDC Meeting

2nd PTDC Meeting

3rd PTDC Meeting

15 May 2023 21 July 2023 28 July 20

Capacity Building Seminar on Digital Manufacturing

An online seminar was arranged by Dr. Tariq Jamil (Primary Coordinator Contact) of the project in NED University of Engineering and Technology in association with the Dublin City University of Ireland. The speakers delivered a knowledgeable online seminar on

1. Critical Raw Materials for a Resource Efficient Circular Economy

2. Recent Advancements in Laser-related Manufacturing Processes.

The seminar was arranged on 19th October 2023 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm and it was also broadcast live to the partner University of Engineering and Technology (Taxila, Pakistan), Baluchistan University of Engineering and Technology (Khuzdar, Pakistan), University Malaysia Perlis (Malaysia) and University Malaysia Pahang (Malaysia).

Faculty members and students of undergraduate studies of all the five partner institution attended the seminar. At the end of the seminar, a question answer session was arranged, in which faculty members and students ask the questions, who were briefed by the resource persons. A total of 200 students and 10 faculty members participated in the seminar.

Disclaimer

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

URL: www.getinnovative4impact.com

Acknowledgment

The entire team of project "GetInnovative4Impact" is thankful for the support from European Commission for providing the Erasmus+ Capacity Building (ERASMUS-EDU-2022-CBHE) Grant (No. 101083121).

Reinforcement Learning Session at Malaysia

Reinforcement learning session was organized by Dr. Noorhafiza from UNIMAP from 8th-10th November 2023. The meeting was conducted in Siantan Seminar Room of University of Malaysia Perlis.

The Malaysian Beneficiary (UNIMAP) extended a warm welcome to the participants and gave them a tour of their university laboratories, faculty and made them visit to higher management. During the session the consortium participated in a series of hands-on training on course learning outcomes and innovative teaching methods.

The participants also had knowledge sharing sessions with the Director of CeGeoGTech, the Director of centre of advanced industrial technology (UMPSA), and the vice-chancellor of UNIMAP. A dinner was also hosted by Dr. Noorhafiza for the participants.

Maintainace & Updation of Project Website

Project website was launched in November 2023. The website contains information regarding the project, vision and mission of the project, project team, dissemination activities and news and events. The website is continuously updated.

Team NEDUET GetInnovative4Impact

Dr. Tariq Jamil (Primary Participant Contact)

Dr. Muhammad Wasif (Participant Contact - NEDUET)

Prof. Dr. Syed Amir Iqbal (Team Member - NEDUET)

Prof. Dr. Anis Fatima (Team Member - NEDUET)

Capacity Building Seminar

Series of second awareness seminars were conducted in December 2023. Each participant HEI conducted a seminar in their institute. Following presentation were delivered.

Statistics of Attendees of Seminar # 02

1. Advancements in Manufacturing (Industry 5.0) - (NEDUET/UNIMAP)

2. Sustainable Manufacturing - (NEDUET/UNIMAÐ )

3. Digital Transformation: Malaysian Industries Approach - (UMPSA)

4. Evolution of Industry 4.0 & Future of Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Manufacturing - (UETT)

NEDUET, UETT and UMPSA conducted the seminar in-person, while UNIMAP conducted online session for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Participants marked their attendance through digital link.

Recurring Consortium Meetings

Consortium meetings often serve as a forum for documenting project-related discussions, decisions, and action items. This documentation helps in maintaining transparency and accountability.

These meetings have been called at regular intervals since the start of the project. It can take place in person or virtually, depending on the geographic dispersion of the consortium members and other logistical considerations.

Centre of Excellence in Pakistan & Malaysia

Design of Centre of Excellence (CoE) was proposed in February 2024. Two Centers of Excellence will be established in Pakistan & Malaysia; In Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Perlis will establish CoE and in Pakistan, NED University of Engineering & Technology will establish CoE. Moreover, the equipment, facilities, infrastructure and working methodologies were also proposed.

Second Half Yearly Meeting at Karachi

Second half yearly meeting was held at NEDUET Karachi Pakistan on 4th & 5th March 2024. Teams from UNIMAP (Malaysia), UMPSA (Malaysia) and UET Taxila (Pakistan) attended the meeting physically whereas teams of DCU and UNIBS joined the meeting online.

Dr. Tariq Jamil (Primary Participant Contact) presented schedule of the meeting. A series of sessions were conducted including (i) Discussion on lab equipment to be procured moderated by Dr. Wasif, (ii) Impact of Industry 4.0 on Sustainability talk by Dr Anis Fatima, (iii) Discussion on project update and budget plan moderated by Dr. Tariq, (iv) Talk with students on "Opportunity for students in Malaysia under Erasmus+ CBHE grant" moderated by participants of UMPSA and UNIMAP, and (v) PTDC meeting moderated by Dr. Salman Hussain.

NEDUET representatives arranged the visit to the facilities in campus and meeting with Vice Chancellor and Higher management.

The consortium deliberated on the project's advancement, upcoming deliverables, and the strategy for completing deliverables on schedule. A dinner was arranged by NEDUET at Port Grand Karachi on 5th March 2024.

Annual Conference 2024

The annual conference under the project "GetInnovative4Impact" was organised for dissemination and promotion of Industry 4.0 knowledge among key stakeholders. To foster larger and better outreach, this conference was coupled with the NEDUET's existing series of the annual conferences "International Mechanical Engineering Conference" (IMEC) at NED UET. These conferences are organised with support of Institute of Engineers Pakistan (IEP). This year, the conference titled "Industry 4.0 and allied digital trends: current perspective and future direction" was held at NEDUET on March 6th & 7th, 2024 in collaboration with IEP as usual and European Union. The event gathered researchers and authors from many different backgrounds. Twenty-two research articles, six invited talks and twenty-one posters were presented in the conference demonstrating ideas, concepts and research work related to digital transformation in manufacturing and other domains of engineering. Participants from both industry and academia contributed to the event. The conference tracks were:

Implementation of Digital/Smart Manufacturing Systems
Applications of Artificial Intelligence and AR/VR and MR
Advancements in Additive and other Manufacturing Processes
Role of Cloud Computing in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Adoption of Big Data Analytics, Visualisation and Dashboards
Advanced Robotics and Material Handling System
Energy 4.0, Advancements in Power Generation and Transmissions
Advancements in Material Science and Technology

Project Progress

Out of thirty-six, twelve deliverables have been submitted in the first year of three year of project duration. This shows the commitment and active participation of project team.

For More Information, Contact Team GetInnovative4Impact

Dr. Tariq Jamil (Primary Participant Contact)

Dr. Muhammad Wasif (Participant Contact - NEDUET)

Dr. Mirza Jahanzaib (Participant Contact-UETT)

Dr. Abdullah Mengal (Participant Contact - BUET)

Dr. Asnul Hadi Bin Ahmed (Participant Contact - UMPSA)

Dr. Noorhafiza Muhammad (Participant Contact - UNIMAP)

Dr. Inam UI Ahad (Participant Contact - DCU)

Dr. Marialaura Tocci (Participant Contact - UNIBS)

Mr. Muhammad Bilal (Project Manager)

Progress Unlocks Potential Midpoint Project Updates

Disclaimer

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship through Industry 4.0 Competitions

As a part of the project's key deliverables, consortium partners successfully organized Industry 4.0 Competitions in their respective Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). These events aimed to disseminate knowledge and promote student engagement in extracurricular activities, while cultivating entrepreneurial skills.

Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP), in collaboration with local student bodies, hosted their competition in April 2024. NED University of Engineering and Technology (NEDUET) and University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila (UETT) hosted their competitions in May 2024, while Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMPSA) held their competition in June 2024.

These competitions showcased exceptional talent, with innovative solutions of problems solving with the methodology and application of Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing. These competitions nurture the student and bring innovative solutions for society, enhance their entrepreneurial skills and showcase creativity and expertise.

The Industry 4.0 Competitions demonstrate the project's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students, preparing them for the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The industrial and academic stakeholders assessed exhibited Projects. The assessments were based on the rubrics comprised of the key performance indicators showing the sustainability, cost, and reliability of the project.

Capacity Building Training of Faculty and Team Members in Italy

As part of the project's strategic objectives, two comprehensive training programs were successfully conducted for faculty and team members in July and September 2024. These training sessions, held in Italy and Ireland respectively, aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff in state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies.

The five-day training in Bertinoro & Brescia, Italy, comprises summer school training for postgraduate students and visit to the metal additive manufacturing industry to get an immersive experience in:

Cutting-edge manufacturing techniques
Design, production, and post-processing methodologies
Best practices in additive manufacturing

These training of summer school (organized by the University of Brescia and the Italian Association of Metallurgy, AIM) and Brescia's additive manufacturing industry (named as WEAREAM) were specially designed and executed by participant contact and team of the University of Brescia (UNIBS).

The Ireland visit comprised a two-day conference and three-day academic staff training, emphasizing:

Industry 4.0 and related topics
Hands-on training in new pedagogies for teaching and research
Enhancing knowledge and skills in innovative manufacturing technologies

These training programs were aimed to enhance the faculty member's and staff's expertise in cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants, disseminate Industry 4.0 concepts into teaching and research methodology, equipped participants with innovative pedagogies for effective knowledge dissemination.

By investing in human capital development, the project strengthens the capacity of partner institutions to drive innovation and excellence in manufacturing education.

Continuing Professional Development Courses & Workshops

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses are also a part of the project for the dissemination of knowledge related to Industry 4.0. CPD courses were also organized by consortium partners in their HEls to disseminate knowledge among students and industry officials. NEDUET organized CPD course on "Rapid Prototype through 3D Printing Technology" in July, 2024. UMPSA organized the CPD course on "Applications of Al in optimization of process parameters in the industry" in July, 2024 and BUET also organized the CPD talk on “Design of additive manufacturing: Trends & Opportunities" & "Additive manufacturing of metallic alloys: State of the art & Perspectives.

Reciprocation of Training in Partner Higher Education Institutes

The training acquired in Italy and Ireland are to be disseminated among other faculty members at the respective higher education institutions (HEIs) within the consortium. In August, team members of NEDUET and UMPSA conducted these training sessions at their HEIs, focusing on the topic of Metal Additive Manufacturing.

Consortium & Half Yearly Project Meeting

Regular consortium meetings are being conducted to ensure on-time completion of deliverables and tasks. These meetings are arranged either online or in person. In the academic staff training program in Ireland from September 1, 2024, to September 6, 2024, the DCU participant contact Dr. Inam ul Ahad organized the consortium meeting, which was the third half-yearly meeting, attended by stakeholders from each consortium HEI. The agenda of the half-yearly meeting was to discuss the strategy to complete upcoming deliverables.

Progress of the project

Project Getlnnovative4lmpact is halfway through the timeline. Nineteen deliverables out of thirty-six have been completed. All team members are committed to completing the project on time.

Impact of the project

The Getlnnovative4Impact team continues way to revolutionize higher education in Pakistan & Malaysia. The consortium has jointly organized four competitions, two continuing professional development (CPD) workshops, two capacity-building training in Italy and Ireland, two international conferences, and five one-hour seminars impacted the more than twelve hundred undergraduates, postgraduate and industrial professionals, and faculty members.

The team is seeking to expand the circle of impact to more professionals and faculty members and is committed to revolutionizing higher education by implementing digitalization in education.

In case for further queries, please reach out us at:

[email protected]

Team Getlnnovative4Impact

Dr. Tariq Jamil

Primary Participant Contact - Team NEDUET

Dr. Muhammad Wasif

Participant Contact - Team NEDUET

Dr. Syed Amir Iqbal

Team Member - Team NEDUET

Dr. Mirza Jahanzaib

Participant Contact - Team UETT

Dr. Wasim Ahmed

Team Member - Team UETT

Dr. Salman Hussain

Team Member - Team UETT

Dr. Abdullah Mengal

Participant Contact - Team BUET

Dr. Salman Masroor Khan

Team Member - Team BUET

Dr. Noor Hafiza Muhammad

Participant Contact - Team UNIMAP

Dr. Asnul Hadi Bin Ahmed

Participant Contact - Team UMPSA

Dr. Azmir Azhari

Team Member - Team UMPSA

Dr. Azri Alias

Team Member - Team UMPSA

Dr. Daniyal Bin Mohammed

Team Member - Team UMPSA

Dr. Maria Laura

Participant Contact - Team UNIBS

Dr. Annalisa Pola

Team Member - Team UNIBS

Dr. Inam ul Ahad

Participant Contact - Team DCU

Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Procurement & Construction of Centre of Excellence:

All consortium Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have initiated the procurement and construction of Centers of Excellence and laboratories. The tendering process is underway, with completion expected within the next two months.

At NEDUET, the first round of procurement has been successfully completed, and the second round's consignment is slated to arrive within the same timeframe. Similarly, UETT, BUET, UniMAP, and UMPSA are making progress toward completing their procurement processes.

Faculty Development Training Program at UET Taxila

The conceived trainings from Italy and Ireland are to be disseminated among other faculty members to the respective HEls of the consortium. Team UET Taxila held comprehensive reciprocation of these trainings and 14 trainings have been conducted from November 2024 to February 2025.

Milestone: Integration of new/modified course at UET Taxila

One of the major deliverables, 'Course design ofnew/modified courses for all undergraduate, master's, and PhD levels,' has been completed through the collaborative effort of consortium members. The scope of this deliverable included: (i) designingcourse topics for ten courses (five undergraduate,four master's, and one PhD level); (ii) developingdetailed course contents; (iii) creating readingtexts/case studies in PowerPoint slides; and (iv)identifying reference books. These contents are readily available on the project data repository.

Additionally, the related milestone 'Integration ofnew/modified courses in the curriculum' was successfully completed by UET Taxila. The newlydesigned/modified courses were approved throughthe Board of Studies and executive statutory bodies,ensuring seamless integration into the existingcurriculum.