Queen's University Belfast and Industrial Precision Components Limited KTP 24_25 R4

A factory’s production schedules, supply orders, and customer demand are currently managed in separate silos, creating delays and waste. This project will build a single digital system that pulls data from every part of a precision-components manufacturer—from raw material orders to machine output to delivery logistics—and uses advanced forecasting and scheduling algorithms to coordinate them in real time. Manufacturers often struggle to match production capacity with fluctuating customer orders. Without integrated data, they either overproduce (wasting materials and energy) or underproduce (missing delivery deadlines). This project addresses that gap by creating a “digital twin” of the entire operation, allowing managers to test scenarios and adjust schedules instantly. If successful, the system could cut production lead times, reduce inventory costs, and lower energy use by running machines only when needed. The approach is designed to be replicable across other UK factories, potentially improving the efficiency of supply chains for everything from car parts to medical devices. The work is applied—it directly targets a specific company’s operations—but the forecasting and integration methods developed could become a template for broader industrial digital transformation.