A new grant awarded to the College of Engineering and Demco Automation, a local alumni-owned business, will explore how AI can help engineers design and build automated manufacturing systems for Pennsylvania businesses.
Stephen Maund (left) and Li Bai (center) are leading the new partnership between Temple and Demco Automation. Kyle McGinley (right) is one student who will be involved in the research.
Photo by Ryan S. Brandenberg
For decades, globalization and lower labor costs overseas have put pressure on American manufacturers, especially small businesses. But a new grant awarded to Temple’s College of Engineering and Pennsylvania business Demco Automation aims to strengthen Pennsylvania manufacturing by using artificial intelligence to make advanced robotic automation more accessible to regional businesses.
The grant will fund research into how AI can be utilized to help engineers more efficiently design customized automated manufacturing systems for businesses. The initiative will also create a new curriculum for Temple engineering students and provide them with hands-on experience solving real manufacturing challenges.
“AI and automation really go hand-in-hand,” said Stephen Maund, president and CEO of Demco and a 1999 graduate of the College of Engineering. “Utilizing AI in custom automation applications and rapidly deploying automation tailored specifically for a business or factory can be a true competitive advantage.”
Temple and Demco received $69,530 from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through its Manufacturing PA Innovation Program, which pairs Pennsylvania graduate and undergraduate students with local manufacturers to develop new technologies and advance innovation statewide.
Maund also donated equipment and Demco staff mentorship hours, bringing Demco’s donation value to over $94,000, and the total initiative value to over $163,000. The DCED announced on May 27 that the initiative is one of 47 projects across Pennsylvania to receive funding through the program.
“Steve is a dedicated alum who has been on our Board of Visitors for many years, and he understands that robotic technology will be a big driving force to keep manufacturing happening in Pennsylvania,” said Li Bai, professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate dean for research, graduate studies and faculty affairs at the College of Engineering. Bai is leading Temple’s side of the partnership.
Demco Automation provides custom automated robotics and manufacturing systems for various industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and medical devices to electronics, batteries and consumer products. Their systems perform manufacturing tasks that would be impossible, inefficient or dangerous for human workers.
Through the initiative, Temple engineering students will utilize AI to streamline the design and production of these manufacturing systems. The students will work directly with a Pennsylvania manufacturer of consumer products to design and build a robotic manufacturing cell tailored specifically to the business’ needs.
Maund and Demco engineers will provide mentorship and industry-relevant feedback to help the students fine-tune their advancements.
Bai and Maund say the partnership will also create new knowledge that the college will use to develop a curriculum that meets modern industry needs. This will help Temple engineering graduates stay competitive in manufacturing industry jobs, Bai added.
“Steve really wants our students to succeed,” Bai said. “The students will learn this technology and how to design and build robotic cells for customers. When they graduate, the students will have the hands-on skills to be hired directly by a business that needs to maintain their robotic cell.”
“The people here at Demco have been very helpful in teaching me the process of identifying and solving manufacturing problems,” added Kyle McGinley, an electrical and computer engineering major from the Class of 2027. McGinley has spent the summer interning at Demco in preparation for the grant work, which officially begins in August. He is also the recipient of the Dr. Brian and Susan Butz Term Scholarship for Electrical and Computer Engineering, which supports students interested in software development, AI development systems, health education software or a similar field. “In school they teach you the fundamentals—the basic engineering concepts. But putting those into place here has been really helpful.”
Beyond its impact on Temple students, the initiative will also benefit Pennsylvania businesses with manufacturing needs. Automated manufacturing is key to maintaining a manufacturing presence in the country and Pennsylvania, Maund said.
“There’s just no way that manufacturing would be competitive without having the automated manufacturing option available to various companies, especially in advanced technology sectors,” said Maund, a member of the Bucks County Workforce Development Board. He added that the initiative will also impact the regional economy by adding jobs and increasing the manufacturing presence.
For Bai, also a graduate of the College of Engineering, the partnership is a Temple success story that aligns with the university’s history.
“This initiative fits President Fry’s vision and Temple’s mission of opportunity, engagement and discovery,” Bai said. “The best part is Steve and I are both Temple alumni, so this is great for Temple and for the future of Pennsylvania.”