Sustainability and the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing at the ZČU conference

Nearly 200 experts from around the world attended the engineering conference Manufacturing Technology Pilsen. One of the most important professional platforms in mechanical engineering in Central Europe, the conference this year focused on current trends in modern technologies.

Challenges facing contemporary mechanical engineering - from advanced manufacturing processes and additive technologies to the use of artificial intelligence in production design and management - were the main themes of the 10th edition of the Manufacturing Technology Pilsen conference, held during the first week of February. The biennial event is organized by the Department of Machining Technology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (FME). This year, all contributions were united by the theme of sustainable manufacturing and its role in industrial competitiveness.

“The tenth edition of the conference was not only an anniversary for us, but above all an opportunity to further raise the level of professional discussion. We greatly appreciate that leading scientists continue to return to Pilsen and that we succeed in connecting academic research with the real needs of industry,” said the conference’s main organizer, Miroslav Zetek from FME. The program was not aimed solely at a narrow group of specialists, but at all those interested in the topics presented. “We naturally build on the long-term efforts of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen to bring modern technologies closer to the general public. We show that top-level research, high-quality education, and the popularization of technology can go hand in hand,” Zetek added.

The conference, held at the Vienna House hotel in Pilsen, was opened by UWB Vice-Rector Josef Basl. The keynote speakers included world-renowned authorities in manufacturing technology. Abilio de Jesus from the University of Porto in Portugal presented the results of an international project focused on material fatigue under extremely high numbers of loading cycles - on the order of billions - where conventional computational models cease to be effective. Harlal Singh Mali from Jaipur, India, addressed advanced manufacturing processes and hybrid materials. Nadjib Semmar from the University of Orléans in France spoke about thin-film engineering, and Frank Brückner from the Fraunhofer Society in Germany opened the topic of laser technologies for metal 3D printing.

“Manufacturing Technology Pilsen is exceptional in the way it combines a high level of expertise with an open and friendly atmosphere. Discussions with students and colleagues from industry are often just as inspiring as the lectures themselves, which was something that pleasantly surprised me during my first participation in the conference,” said another keynote speaker, Luis Reis from the University of Lisbon in Portugal.

In total, representatives from 15 universities and 16 other research organizations and industrial companies from Europe, the United States, and India presented at the conference. The program also included two specialized symposia focused on additive technologies and modern manufacturing methods, two panel discussions, and the traditional student section. Young researchers and doctoral students presented their results and established their first international contacts there. According to the organizers, this part of the conference is crucial to the development of research and the quality of education at FME.