Enable local industry to emerge stronger
September 30, 2024
The AIMfg was officially launched by Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, President of A*STAR (back row, 8th from left); Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry (back, center); and Mr. Frederick Chew, CEO of A*STAR (back, 10th from left).
SINGAPORE, 27 September 2024 – The AI for Manufacturing Sector Center of Excellence (AIMfg) was officially launched today by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry. Announced during the Supply Committee debate in March 2024, the AIMfg will bring together stakeholders from research, industry and government to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions that address business cases. use in manufacturing.
Jointly developed by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), the AIMfg is the first sectoral center of excellence in AI launched in the framework of the Singapore National AI Strategy 2.0. Leveraging A*STAR’s capabilities in areas such as generative AI and large language models, AIMfg will focus on five key areas: AI for quality assurance, operations optimization, maintenance predictive, product and component design, as well as industrial automation.
How the industry can benefit from Aimfg
Manufacturers face challenges when adopting AI solutions, including limited access to expertise with knowledge of both the AI and manufacturing domains, data availability, standardizations as well as risks associated with AI technologies.
AIMfg aims to address these concerns through a comprehensive suite of solutions and collaborative initiatives, enabling businesses to overcome barriers and fully harness the power of AI.
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Tailored AI innovations through industry collaborations
Through co-innovation projects, AIMfg will work closely with companies to develop personalized AI solutions. By leveraging the technical expertise and experience of A*STAR’s research institutes, including the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Center (A*STAR ARTC), the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (A*STAR SIMTech), the Infocomm Research Institute (A*STAR I2R), and the Institute of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC) – in the area of AI and manufacturing, AIMfg will support the development and deployment rapid introduction of AI technologies into the business operating environment. Where there is synergy, AIMfg will leverage the capabilities of higher education institutes and technology companies (including system integrators) to provide comprehensive and holistic solutions.
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Scalable AI Solutions for Cross-Industry Applications
AIMfg will also develop a set of standardized AI models for common manufacturing use cases, such as visual inspection, planning and scheduling optimization, and product design. . These models will enable greater scalability across different manufacturing sub-sectors and businesses, thereby providing improved performance and reducing time to develop more sophisticated and personalized AI models.
To support an enterprise’s journey to AI adoption, AIMfg will build an AI sandbox – a secure software development environment for enterprises to experiment with AI solutions, tools and services. This will help businesses better understand some of the intricacies (e.g., the nature of input data required) and benefits of potential AI solutions before committing to a larger-scale deployment effort.
In addition to co-developing solutions, AIMfg will help companies deploy and scale their solutions, providing training and technical guidance, as well as providing tools and knowledge to manage and update their models of AI.
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Immersive space for testing and demonstration
AIMfg has also established “AI Experience Nexus”, an immersive and interactive space that will showcase cutting-edge AI applications from A*STAR and the ecosystem. The “AI Experience Nexus” will serve as an important initial engagement platform for AIMfg, helping to initiate the adoption of AI by manufacturing companies and enabling them to consider and implement AI-based innovations. AI.
“As Singapore advances towards its vision of becoming a global hub for AI-enabled manufacturing, A*STAR is committed to empowering manufacturers to harness the transformative potential of AI. Through AIMfg, we will help businesses discover, develop and deploy innovative AI solutions that can transform operations and create new value for businesses. AIMfg will help shape an AI-driven future that will elevate our industries and strengthen Singapore’s position as a leading manufacturing hub in the global economy,” said Professor Lim Keng Hui, Deputy Director-General of the Scientific Research Council and technique of A*STAR.
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About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore’s leading public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our public and private sector partners to benefit the economy and society. As a science and technology organization, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs in Singapore and improves lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in developing scientific talent and leaders for the research community and broader industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences through to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis.
