More than 10 companies have already signed up to work with a centre set up to help the manufacturing sector use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency, cut costs and create business opportunities.

Established by A*Star and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing (AIMfg) aims to help drive AI adoption in a sector where incorporating AI has been difficult due to the need for accuracy, expertise and integration with old systems.

For instance, AI can tap data from a manufacturing plant’s sensors to indicate when maintenance is needed for its components, rather than having a company follow a fixed schedule, which can be inefficient.

Potential clients can test the use of such AI solutions at AIMfg, which was launched on Sept 27 by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong. AIMfg shares the facilities of the A*Star Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre, located in Cleantech Loop.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, said he had often been told that “the manufacturing sector is the most difficult sector to start (using) AI”.

But that should not stop the sector — which contributes a fifth of Singapore’s gross domestic product and employs an eighth of the workforce — from finding ways to use AI to improve its efficiency and operations, he added.

AIMfg is part of the strategy to set up centres of excellence across multiple industries to drive innovation, as outlined in Parliament earlier in 2024, said Mr Gan.

A*Star has developed a range of standard AI models for manufacturing uses that can be readily customised to clients’ needs in areas including quality assurance, predictive maintenance and industrial automation.
 

A*Star chief executive Frederick Chew said during the launch that the centre will work with partners to customise and fine-tune AI models to fit their needs.

AI can potentially reduce downtime and maintenance cost and improve the lifespan of machines.

Among A*Star’s ready-made AI solutions is a generative AI assistant that can guide users on how to fix machines that have broken down.

Dr Wang Wei, AIMfg’s centre director, said the AI can be trained on existing manuals and summarise instructions, saving technicians the time needed to consult thick booklets.

Coca-Cola and tech manufacturer Philips are among 13 companies that have signed on to collaborate with the centre.

Coca-Cola Singapore plant general manager Gerardo Artavia told The Straits Times it is working with A*Star to build an analytical AI system to help the company distribute beverages to its markets more efficiently.

“We need to know how much to sell in each market, and not send too many bottles that they become expired,” he said. “AI can help us to find a formula to find that balance.”

Mr Artavia said that an initiative like the one with A*Star at AIMfg will go a long way to help manufacturing firms adopt AI, as many may lack the funding and expertise to digitalise their services.
 

Source: The Straits Times ©️ SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.