New AI Centre Of Excellence To Drive Innovation In Manufacturing

The AIMfg was officially launched by Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, Chairman, A*STAR (backrow, 8th from left); Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (backrow, centre); and Mr Frederick Chew, Chief Executive Officer, A*STAR (backrow, 10th from left).

SINGAPORE, 27 September 2024 - The Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing (AIMfg) was officially launched today by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry. Announced during the Committee of Supply debate in March 2024, AIMfg will bring together stakeholders across research, industry and government, to develop artificial intelligence (AI) enabled solutions that address use cases across the manufacturing sector.

Jointly developed by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), AIMfg is the first sectoral AI Centre of Excellence launched under 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 optimisation, predictive maintenance, 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 who know both the AI and manufacturing domain, data availability, standardisations 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 obstacles and fully harness the power of AI.

• Tailored AI Innovations through Industry Collaborations

  Through Co-Innovation projects, AIMfg will work closely with companies to develop customised AI solutions. By leveraging the technical expertise and experience of A*STAR's research institutes - including the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (A*STAR ARTC), Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (A*STAR SIMTech), Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I2R), and Institute of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC) - in both the AI and manufacturing, AIMfg will support the rapid development and deployment of AI technologies into the operating environment of companies. Where synergistic, AIMfg will tap on the capabilities of Institutes of Higher Learning and technology companies (including system integrators) to deliver comprehensive and holistic solutions.

• Scalable AI Solutions for Cross-Sector Applications

  AIMfg will also develop a set of standardised AI models for common manufacturing use cases, such as visual inspection, planning and scheduling optimisation, and product design. These models will enable greater scalability across different manufacturing sub-sectors and companies, delivering improved performances and reducing lead times for the development of more sophisticated, tailored AI models.

  To support a company's journey towards adopting AI, AIMfg will build an AI sandbox - a secure software development environment for companies to experiment with AI solutions, tools and services. This will help companies better understand certain intricacies (for example, the nature of input data required) and benefits of potential AI solutions before committing to a larger-scale deployment effort.

  Besides co-developing solutions, AIMfg will support companies in deploying and scaling up solutions, by providing training and technical consultancy, as well as empowering them with tools and knowledge to manage and update their AI models.

• Immersive Space for Testing and Demonstration

  AIMfg has also set up 'AI Experience Nexus', an immersive and interactive space that will demonstrate cutting-edge AI applications from across A*STAR and the ecosystem. The 'AI Experience Nexus' will serve as an important initial engagement platform for AIMfg, helping to initiate AI adoption for manufacturing companies and enabling them to envision and implement AI-driven innovations.

"As Singapore advances towards its vision of becoming a global hub for AI-driven manufacturing, A*STAR is committed to empowering manufacturers to harness the transformative potential of AI. Through AIMfg, we will support businesses in discovering, developing, and deploying innovative AI solutions that can transform operations and create new value for businesses. AIMfg will help shape an AI-enabled future that elevates our industries and strengthens Singapore's position as a leading manufacturing hub in the global economy," said Prof Lim Keng Hui, Assistant Chief Executive, Science and Engineering Research Council, 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 lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis.

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