What is IMS ?

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) program is an industry-led, global, collaborative research and development program established to develop the next generation of manufacturing and processing technologies. IMS activities include providing a framework for global cooperative research, assisting project consortium formation, networking people on a global basis, conducting forums to understand current and future manufacturing requirements, and disseminating information resulting from these activities. In so doing, it enhances the quality of life of the world community.

IMS grew out of an initiative from Japan proposed in 1989 by Professor Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, then President of the University of Tokyo. The vision was for a global system of industrial cooperation and technology sharing in cooperative projects for the benefit of mankind and in particular the benefit of partners involved. The formal IMS program began in 1995 following a three-year feasibility study (1992-94).

IMS provides a framework for large and small companies and research organisations to work together to mutual advantage. A key aspect is the Manuacturiing Technology Platform program that promotes rapid formation of researcher groups to solve global manufacturing challenges. This framework provides a congenial space for cooperation across disciplines, company size, and national borders.

The IMS structure consists of an International Steering Committee (ISC) headed by a Chairman, Regional Secretariats in each member country/group (Participant Region), and an Inter-Regional Secretariat. The IMS organisation is an international collaborative environment that provides for a robust exchange of ideas and synergy. The IMS organisation is currently comprised of five Regions including the European Union, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United States of America. In total, IMS serves over 30 countries throughout the world. IMS is open to new members and encourages governments to join as a full Participant member or as an Associate.

IMS offers the Manufacturing Technology Platform program for industrial research to share experience, best practices, and to develop a common global vision. Each region has a host for IMS that supports the Regional Secretariat office and local activities. The organisation is directed by the ISC that comprises delegations from each Region. Each delegation is led by a Head of Delegation (HoD), and comprises delegates and government observers. The Regional Secretariats are the backbone of the program, as they implement program objectives and make recommendations to their delegation to help steer the organisation. The Inter-Regional Secretariat (IRS) is the administrative arm of IMS, and is directed by the Chairman and the ISC. The ISC Chairmanship along with the IRS rotates on a regular basis. The IRS is currently chaired by Switzerland. The ISC holds regular meetings and workshops to promote research.

WHY IMS?

Global markets - Global competition Competitors, partners, & customers from around the world Global sourcing - Global presence Global value chains - Increasing complexity & competition Global access to knowledge & new technologies New and more exacting customer expectations Accelerating pace of technological change Rapid pace of product commoditization Innovation & mastery of global value chains are preconditions for business success

Why have companies and institutions joined under the banner of IMS? In a more integrated global market, the competition is not among companies but among global supply chains and business networks. Supply chains and networks are no longer regional; therefore development of common international standards and methods helps to master the global value chain. Through international collaboration, IMS provides opportunity for value-chain participants to develop world-class solutions.

Global Manufacturing represents 25% of world GDP with over 20 million enterprises, and 28% of world employment.

The global value chains are increasing in complexity and competition. The accelerated pace of technological change is racing to keep up with new and more exacting customer expectations. IMS offers the only portal for international collaboration to solve current value chain expectations and plan for future needs and expectations of customers.

COLLABORATION AS WIN-WIN
In many cases it can be more advantageous to collaborate than to “go it alone”. Some research and development activities are of such a scale that no single country can provide the necessary resources and expertise. Collaborative R&D projects can help achieve the required “critical mass”, while lowering commercial risk for participants and generating a leverage effect on private investment. International IMS consortia bring together resources and expertise from many countries and various research actors. Typical shared-cost projects have budgets of around 2-4 million USD and involve on average 10 participants from 6 countries. They bring together universities, public research centres, SMEs and large enterprises.

Participation in collaborative research offers access to a wider network of knowledge. This enables participants to increase their know-how by being exposed to different methods, and to develop new or improved tools. Being part of an international consortium of highly qualified researchers triggers spill-over effects that are more important than the monetary investment. The experience from the European framework programs shows that while all participating countries enjoy knowledge multiplier effects, the size of these effects is related to the country’s total number of participations in the program.

LEVERAGING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT
Another feature of collaborative research is that public R&D funding carried out by enterprises leads to what is called a “crowding-in” effect on investment. In other words, it stimulates firms to invest more of their own money in R&D than they would otherwise have done. A recent study conducted in Europe  estimates that a € 1 increase in public R&D investment induces € 0.93 of additional private sector investment. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the attractiveness of collaborative research induces firms to invest more of their own funds than they would under national funding programs.

International R&D projects enable participants to access a much wider pool of firms in their own industry than would be possible at purely national level. This mechanism offers clear advantages to enterprises compared with national level schemes. It broadens the scope of research, and allows for a division of work according to each participant’s field of specialisation.

It also considerably reduces the commercial risk, because involving key industry players helps ensure that research results and solutions are applicable globally, enables the development of international standards and offers the potential for exploitation world-wide.

IMPROVING INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCE
Many projects lead to patents, pointing to an intention to exploit research results commercially. Firms that participate in such a type of research, irrespective of their size, tend to be more innovative than those that do not participate. Participating enterprises are also more likely to apply for patents than non-participants. A wide range of ex-post evaluation studies show that as a result of framework program participation firms are able to realise increased turnover and profitability, enhanced productivity, improved market shares, access to new markets, reorientation of a company’s commercial strategy, enhanced competitiveness, enhanced reputation and image, and reduced commercial risks.

Results of econometric modelling indicate that international collaborative research generates strong benefits for industry. A recent study in the UK used an econometric model developed at the OECD to predict international collaborative program effects on total factor productivity . It was found that such research generated a manifold return on the UK government's investment in it.

WHAT IS IMS?

IMS is an industry-led, international research and development (R&D) program established in 1995 to help develop next generation of manufacturing/process technologies. With more than 1,000 research stakeholders in IMS consortia, IMS is a proven scheme.

Companies and research institutions from the European Union and Norway, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United States of America participate in it. IMS Regional Secretariats  support and advise IMS participants in the respective IMS member countries. If you are interested in IMS, you should contact your local IMS Regional Secretariat in your area.

Regional Secretariats typically can help:

You can request support from your IMS Regional Secretariat for contacting potential partners , particularly in regions other than your own through the IMS global network.

GET INVOLVED

If you have an idea for research and would like to start your own MTP initiative, you should contact your local IMS Regional Secretariat or Inter-Regional Secretariat for assistance in preparing your proposal.

There are other ways to become involved in IMS through attending an IMS-sponsored forum or conference , or contacting your local IMS Regional Secretariat to learn about other opportunities specific to your region.