Interface
Queen’s University Belfast

Daire is investigating novel ways to streamline textile manufacturing processes, to provide a more efficient manufacturing operation. The modern economy is constantly evolving with customer needs, and current trends mean that small but complex batch sizes are often desired for more specific, customised products. By developing a smart manufacturing process and deploying the latest technologies, the system can be integrated into long-established factories, aiming to retrofit new machinery into existing processes. In this way Daire’s work is relevant to more than just recently assembled modern factories, but also to existing ones in order to reduce costs and increase efficiency in all areas of the textiles industry.

The project will aim to deliver these new production processes and systems, including a new method for tracking and tracing sustainable materials, and human-robot collaboration. By establishing the efficacy of integrating smart technologies into pre-existing production environments, Daire’s project will put the textile industry on the right track for reducing waste and increase both sustainability and energy efficiency. With much of the research being conducted on the factory floor from real-life simulations, the results will accurately and reliably influence ongoing academic research into this area.