Network for Zero-defect and Zero-waste Digital Manufacturing (DM) for Electric Vehicles’ Components: NeDMEV

Programme(s): Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI)

Topic(s): NDICI-2023-MOBAF

Type of action: NDICI MOBAF Unit Grants

Project ID: 101144276

Objective
The need to upskill African advanced manufacturing (AM) postgraduate research students with expertise in mitigating climate change via practical application of digital manufacturing (DM) processes in achieving defect- and waste-free products necessitates the establishment of a Network for Zero-defect and Zero-waste Digital Manufacturing (DM) for Electric Vehicles’ Components (NeDMEV). NeDMEV; a consortium of four African and one European higher education institutions (HEIs), and four African associate partners; engages community of practice (CoP) to (i) increase the employability of 48 scholars/trainees in green jobs by engaging soft skills and digital manufacturing (DM) to achieve zero-defect and zero-waste production of electric vehicle (EV) components; (ii) improve the quality, relevance, internationalisation, and climate change focus of NeDMEV HEIs through 12 staff exchange fellows; and (iii) increase the level of cooperation among NeDMEV HEIs/Associated partners including the European technical partner to establish additional projects focussing on climate change mitigation and creation of green jobs. Hence, NeDMEV interdisciplinary consortium carries out responsive activities which promote socio-economic recovery, growth, and prosperity by (i) removing the disconnection between manufacturing needs of the industrial and academic research; (ii) developing experts skilful in engaging big data science (BDS) and artificial intelligence (AI) including machine learning (ML), in analysing the cause-effect variation in the research; and (iii) mentoring young academics in grant proposal writing and project management. Finally, NeDMEV ensures equity and inclusion, system strengthening and capacity building as well as employability by imparting participants with skills in DM of EV components while strengthening partners’ wider economic and social ecosystems as it embeds innovation into EV manufacturing research via business involvement to maximize societal impact.