Circular Manufacturing research and educational collaboration with India and Japan

The main purpose of the CIRMAN-project is to develop world-class research and education in Norway on the role of manufacturing in a sustainable Circular Economy dominated by the 9 r’s: Repair, Reuse, Remanufacture, Recycle, Recover, Redesign, Reduce, Recondition, and Repurpose. An area is also known as Circular Manufacturing. In addition, CIRMAN focus on product life cycle data collection and information flow to make informed decisions. This data, collected in both manufacturing and use phases of the product, is sensitive to cyber-attacks and unwanted data leakage, a correct level of cyber security needs to be established. CIRMAN shall add value by creating new knowledge and innovative pedagogical tools to understand the design and implementation of Circular Manufacturing within the digitalization of the manufacturing industry. The motivation for this project is to strengthen the quality of our research and education by creating long-lasting international links with key research institutions in Japan and in India. The project will enable us to broaden and deepen these strategic collaboration links and help us to develop relevant research and education in Norway with international validation within the area of Sustainable manufacturing and the role of Manufacturing in Circular Economy. Expected outcomes will be: (i)Joint research projects with external funding from EU and other sources, (ii)Joint PhD School and master program with a seamless multi-campus with shared teaching materials, (iii)mobility of students, teachers, researchers and industry personnel,(iv)joint papers, (v)Cooperation with the industry and innovations (vi) added value for industry partners through the extended network, (vi)Strong links between research, innovation, and education(vii)Yearly summer schools alternating between the three countries,(viii)Established collaboration between manufacturing and information security research on digital twins, data collection along a product life cycle.

The CIRMAN-project originates from the previous intpart project INMAN, continuing with the same partners: Japan National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science And Technology (AIST), Waseda University, Japan and Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad. Our qualifying projects are the Centers for Research-based Innovation SFI Manufacturing and SFI NORCICS and the MANULAB research infrastructure. SFI Manufacturing is covering Sustainable Manufacturing, NORCICS information security, and MANULAB provides laboratory infrastructure. CIRMAN focus on manufacturing aspects (thus Circular Manufacturing) and our main motivation is to strengthen quality of research and education by creating long-lasting international links with key research institutions in Japan and in India. The CIRMAN-project will broaden and deepen the strategic collaboration established in INMAN and to develop relevant and world-class research and education in Norway within Circular Manufacturing. Our Japanese partners are global leaders in the field of advanced manufacturing. Our Indian partner is rapidly expanding its research and educational activities within the area of automotive technologies. Circular Manufacturing is of strategic importance for all partners - both research and education. Integration of business enterprises is an important asset, both for research activities, to foster exchange of research results and technology transfer as well as to link Norwegian industry with the industry in Japan and India. The mobility program in the project will be offered industry partners as well as academic partners. The case studies will serve as source for empirical data useful for the project baseline on Circular economy manufacturing and use to illustrate the potential. Moreover, the industries subjected in the case studies will receivevaluable feedback from an international team of researchers.