Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Symposium
The Department of Production Engineering, University of Peradeniya celebrates its 40th Anniversary with a landmark event
The 1st Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Symposium (MIES) was held at Waters Edge on the 22nd of October. The event was organized by the Manufacturing Engineering Association of the Department of Production Engineering at the University of Peradeniya to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the department. This was the first ever national level symposium to focus on the local Manufacturing sector and the main objective was to create a common platform for industrialists and academia to share ideas, and collaborate on projects and research to drive innovation in the manufacturing sector.
The Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Honourable Patali Champika Ranawaka - the Chief Guest at the occasion - highlighted the relevance of the symposium theme “innovative applications for industry” to the present day context. He also encouraged organizing more activities of this nature in order to share knowledge and realize real benefits to the manufacturing sector. In his inspiring keynote speech, Mr. Mangala Yapa - the former Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce - spoke of the development potential that Sri Lanka had, the opportunities that lay ahead, and warned that as a Nation we still were not ready to take up the challenges of the future. He also emphasized that it is necessary to make sure that all the innovations being showcased were converted to successful commercial ventures. Both speakers lauded the attempt made by the University of Peradeniya to enhance interactions with industry through such events. Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, Professor Upul Dissanayake stressed on the need for more initiative from industries to engage in collaborative research and development activities. Although the University of Peradeniya was the main organizer, the MIES organizing committee was made up of researchers and industrial professionals from various local and international institutions.
The one-day symposium had three main events which were conducted in parallel: First, latest research in the area of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering was presented by researchers from all over the country. In total, 28 papers were presented in two tracks. These papers were selected after a rigorous review process which screened 52 submissions. In parallel, an exhibition of project prototypes and industrial solutions were showcased by the students of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya. Most of these projects were from students specializing in Production Engineering. As a separate event, the organizers also conducted a workshop on the Internet of Things (IoT), the latest technology to enter the world of manufacturing. The strictly hands-on workshop was chaired by Dr. Prasanna Gamage from the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development and was conducted by Eng. Nalin Karunasinghe, former Director of the Inventors Commission and Dr. Dilum Bandara from the University of Moratuwa. All of these events were focused on industrial applications.
The symposium was well attended by over 300 participants from industry, academia and various governmental institutions. IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional body and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka were the main technical sponsors of the event. Financial sponsors for the symposium included Platinum sponsor – MAS Holdings, Gold sponsor - LTL Galvanizers, Silver sponsors - AceCam, Amsafe Bridport, IFS, Drivematic Services, and Bronze sponsors – Dee & Dee Lanka and SLT. LankaBell and Shoutout were the main communication partners. The National Science Foundation provided funding for printing and audio/visual requirements while the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development helped to secure the symposium venue. Thus, industry, academia, and government, all played a major role in organizing MIES 2016. It is hoped that this annual symposium will help create a strong and growing network among these three players that will lead to an innovative, thriving and sustainable local manufacturing industry.