Abstract: The unique and unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in significant disruptions to manufacturing systems and diverse supply chains around the globe. With such high variability in the demand for urgently needed products (e.g., personal protective equipment and testing technologies) and shifts in the required capabilities of already complex production systems, many challenges to maintaining sustainability have come to light. This includes an increase in waste generation, uncertainty in decision making, and the challenges associated with navigating new modes of manufacturing operations. This seminar proposes strategies to overcome these challenges and enable sustainable and resilient manufacturing. The concept of a Digital Depot will be introduced. Being virtual in nature, the Depot can contain plans and data for many different types of crises and contain a wider array of products than would be available in a physical, national stockpile. Additionally, a framework for multi-criteria decision-making for informing investment decisions in smart and sustainable technologies will be presented with a case study application in CNC machining.

Ultimately, a systematic integration of sustainable manufacturing principles and metrics into the business practices of manufacturing enterprises is envisioned. Realizing the vision for sustainable and resilient manufacturing will inevitably require greater availability and transparency of key production data, to create a future in which our response to emergencies can be realized swiftly and efficiently.

Biography: Dr. Nancy Diaz-Elsayed is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida (USF) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME). She holds a M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. Her projects have spanned discrete and continuous processes, including the development of a building intelligence application that combined real-time data with Building Information Models to improve the performance of factories and commercial buildings, and the sustainable design of integrated wastewater management systems. Her research interests include system and process modeling, technology development for smart and sustainable systems, and the role of industrial symbiosis in the design and growth of urban environments. Prior to joining USF, she was the Sustainable Manufacturing Specialist at Autodesk. Dr. Diaz-Elsayed is currently a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and leads the Women in Advanced Manufacturing committee for ASME’s Manufacturing Engineering Division (MED).