The research in Manufacturing Engineering is carried out in the field of machine tools, machining processes and manufacturing systems. It is mainly directed towards improved machining accuracy, productivity and optimal production scheduling as well as process management. The experimental and theoretical studies are focused on thermoelastic effects and are carried out on both fundamental and applied levels. The research involves extensive use of computers for data acquisition, simulation and computer-aided engineering analysis.
The studies directed towards production systems led to the development of a model for optimal distribution of jobs on machine tools for required time-based input-output schedule, which is expected to reduce the lead time and to increase the utilization level of machine tools.
Process management investigates the improvement of productivity and cycle time for manufacturing activities. Knowledge work activities are emphasized, e.g., design, production planning, concurrent engineering. An improved method for estimation of effort and duration of projects had been developed and is being used by companies. Recent studies in concurrent engineering have led to the better understanding of how to design new product development processes. New architectures and metrics have been developed for manufacturing planning systems.
More recently research has started on the development of systems for cycle-to-cycle adaptive control for forming processes and for factory-wide control.
Thomson, Ph.D. (McMaster), Werner Graupe Professor of Manufacturing Automation
Professors
- helmi.attia [at] mcgill.ca (H. Attia (email)), Ph.D. (McGill)
- vince.thomson [at] mcgill.ca (V. Thomson (email)), Ph.D. (McMaster), Werner Graupe Professor of Manufacturing Automation.
Research areas
- Analysis and control of thermoelastic behaviour of a machine-tool-workpiece system [1-6]
- Supporting thermometric and interfacial studies [7-8]
- Optimization in production scheduling [9-12]
- Computer Integrated Manufacturing [13-16]
- Process management [17-21]
- Project estimation [22-24]
Publications
1. Attia, M.H., Cameron, A., and Kops, L., "Distortion in the thermal field around inserted thermocouples in the experimental interfacial studies - Part IV: End effect", Trans. ASME, J.Mnfg. Science and Eng., 2002, v.124, n. 1, pp. 135-145
2. Attia, M.H. and Kops, L., "Distortion in the thermal field around inserted thermocouples in the experimental interfacial studies - Part III: Experimental and numerical verification", Trans. ASME, J.Eng.Ind., 1993, v. 115, n. 4, pp. 444-449
3. Thomson V. and Graefe U. "CIM - A Manufacturing Paradigm", International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 1989, Vol 2, No 5, pp 290-297
4. Graefe U. and Thomson V. "A reference model for production control", International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 1989, Vol 2, No 2, pp. 86-93
5. Chan, A. W., Satir, A., Thomson, V., "Reduction of Cycle Time in Manufacturing Using Simulation", Computer Applications in Production and Engineering, Ed. F. Plonka, G. Olling, Chapman & Hall, 1997, pp. 359-369
6. Jin, G., Thomson, V. "A Framework for Manufacturing Planning and Scheduling in Engineered-to-Order Environments", 27th International Conference on Computers & Industrial Engineering, October, 2000, Beijing, CD-ROM
7. Thomson, V. "Process Management in Manufacturing", Control Engineering Practice, 1995, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 537-543
8. Klapsis, M., Thomson, V., "Information Transfers as a Metric for Engineering Processes", Computer Applications in Production and Engineering, Ed. F. Plonka, G. Olling, Chapman & Hall, 1997, pp. 248-258
9. Bhuiyan, N., Thomson, V., "Formalizing and Evaluating the Concurrent Engineering Process", Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering 1998, Vol 3, pp.1-6
10. Lari, K. A., Thomson, V., "Process Monitoring for Knowledge Work Processes", The 9th IFAC Symposium on Information Control in Manufacturing, France1998, pp. 499-504
11. Bhuiyan, N., Thomson, V., Gerwin, D. "Evaluating the Performance of Concurrent Engineering Processes", Proceedings of the 7th ISPE International Conference on Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications, Lyon, France, July 2000, pp.157-164
12. Bashir, H., Thomson, V., "Estimating Design Complexity", Journal of Engineering Design, 1999, Vol 10, No 3, pp. 247-257
13. Bashir, H., Thomson, V., "Metrics for Design Projects: A Review", Design Studies, 1999, Vol 20, No 3, pp. 263-277
14. Bashir, H., Thomson, V., "Models for Estimating Design Effort and Time", Design Studies, 2001, Vol. 22, pp. 141-155