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Cripps Professor of Production Engineering Svetan Ratchev

Cripps Professor of Production Engineering and Director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, Faculty of Engineering

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Biography

Svetan Ratchev is a Cripps Professor of Production Engineering and director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing. He leads the Made Smarter Research Centre for Connected Factories and the Omnifactory. Research Centre. He researches and consults in different aspects of manufacturing systems, assembly automation, process modelling and simulation, manufacturing informatics and precision manufacture with current research project portfolio in excess of £14 million and publication record of over 330 publications including over 130 journal papers. Svetan is a Fellow of IMechE, member of the IFAC technical committees TC5.1 and TC5.2 and the founding chair of the International Precision Assembly Seminar IPAS.

Teaching Summary

Current teaching modules

  • Aerospace Manufacturing Technology
  • Flexible Automated Manufacture
  • Automated Assembly.

Past teaching modules

  • Robotics and Automation Technology
  • Computer Integrated and Flexible Manufacture.

Research Summary

Current research Interests

  • Manufacturing systems
  • Assembly processes and systems
  • Process modelling and simulation
  • Manufacturing informatics
  • Factory automation

Current major research grants (PI)

  • EPSRC EP/V062123/1 Made Smarter Innovation Research Centre for Connected Factories, 2021-2025, https://www.connectedfactories.org/
  • EPSRC EP/T024429/1 Elastic Manufacturing Systems - a Platform for Dynamic, Resilient and Cost-Effective Manufacturing Services, 2020-2024
  • ATI/Innovate UK - Future Automated Aerospace Assembly Demonstrator - Phase 2 - The Omnifactory, 2018-2023, http://www.omnifactory.com

Previous grants

  • EPSRC EP/K014161/1, Cloud Manufacturing - Towards Resilient And Scalable High Value Manufacturing, 2013-2018
  • EPSRC EP/K018205/1, Evolvable Assembly Systems -Towards Open, Adaptable and Context-Aware Equipment And Systems, 2013-2018
  • EPSRC EP/I017933/1, MTC Engineering Doctorate Centre, 2011-2017
  • EPSRC EP/I017933/1, EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative Medicine, 2011-2015
  • EU FP7-NMP-314762, PRIME, Plug and produce intelligent multi-agent environment based on standard technology, 2012-2015
  • EU FP7-NMP-314580, SMARTLAM, Smart production of Microsystems based on laminated polymer films, 2012-2015
  • ATI-Innovate UK, VIEWS - Validation and Integration of Manufacturing Enablers for Future Wing Structures, 2014-2016.

Research leadership

  • Founding Director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (IfAM)
  • Head of the Omnifactory® Research Centre
  • Director of the Centre for Aerospace Manufacturing sponsored by Airbus
  • Director (2008-2011) of the Nottingham Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre funded by EPSRC
  • Founder and Chair of the International Precision Assembly Seminar (IPAS) sponsored by IFIP and CIRP
  • Programme Board Member, Manufacturing Technology Centre, HVM Catapult (2007 to date)
  • Leadership and coordination of multinational EU funded projects including PRIME (2012-2015), FRAME (2009-2012), NanoCom (2009-2012), Micro-Sapient (2006-2009), Assembly-Net (2001-2004) and KARE (1998-2001).

Professional affiliations

  • Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) in Manufacturing, Aerospace Technology Institute
  • IFAC Technical Committee TC5.1 Manufacturing Plant Control
  • IFAC Technical Committee TC5.2 Manufacturing Modelling for Management and Control
  • BIS Manufuture UK Committee
  • EU MINAM Micro and Nano Manufacturing sub-ETP
  • Co-Chair of the EU Nanofutures Industrial Technology Committee.

Industrial collaboration

Major current and past industrial sponsors include Siemens, Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, BAE Systems, IBM, HP, ARM, Finmeccanica, GE Aviation, GKN, RTI, Rolls Royce, GlaxoSmithKline, Astra Zeneca, Volvo Aero Corporation, ITP, Festo, Bosch, Philips, Electrolux Zanussi, Swatch, Mikron and others.

Recent Publications

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