Professor Ion Sucala
Head of Department - Engineering
Engineering
Engineering
North Park Road, Harrison building
Exeter EX4 4QF
I am the Head of Engineering and Personal Chair in Engineering Management at the University of Exeter.
I am Chair of the Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer committee at Engineering Professors' Council.
I hold a PhD degree in Industrial Engineering (TU Cluj-Napoca) and a PhD degree in Social Sciences (University of Glasgow). I attended Teaching and Learning Studio workshop at d.school, Stanford University in 2019. I am a Senior Fellow of The Higher Education Academy.
Research interest: My research interests are focused on modelling, simulation, digital twinning and optimisation of manufacturing processes, technology innovation and entrepreneurship, industrial organisation management, and engineering education. Together with Dr Martino Luis I lead Exeter Digital Enterprise Systems (ExDES) laboratory, more details here.
Research projects:
Automated Coil Bending Tool Innovation Project at Lynch Motors (2022)
Scoping study of the under-stencil cleaning process innovation at ASM Assembly Systems. With Prof Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen and Dr Peter Melville-Shreeve (2021-2022)
KTP with Smart Manufacturing ltd to develop and embed the capability to develop a novel Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation solution for the manufacture of complex bespoke manufacturing machinery (completed). With Prof Gavin Tabor and Dr Martino Luis. KTP Associate: Yousuf Seyed. (2022-2024)
KTP with Smart Manufacturing ltd to create and implement a dual-production business model and a novel simulation tool to enable the optimisation of multi production manufacturing flows (completed). With Dr Baris Yuce. KTP Associate: Sam John Abraham (2019-2021)
The research group:
Shuang is a Postdoctoral research asociate working on federated learning, distributed machine learning, privacy-preserving data mining, real-time smart meter big data clustering and forecasting. Shuang's knowledge and expertise is applied to engineering problems related to energy and buildings.
Linlin Wang PhD in Engineering, funded by China Scholarship Council. Co-supervisors Prof Oana Ghita and Prof Yanqiu Zhu. Research project: Modelling and Implementation of Digital Twin of Intelligent Manufacturing Factory on Physics Simulation
Rongxu Liu PhD in Engineering, co-supervisor Dr Martino Luis. Research project: Application of Industry4.0 Technologies in Project Management.
Haobing Li PhD in Engineering, co-supervisor Dr Baris Yuce. Research project: Digital Twinning for Manufacturing Machine Tools.
Jianwei Xu PhD in Engineering, funded by China Scholarship Council. First supervisor Dr Dong Wang. Research project: Industry4.0: Digital Hybrid Integrated Manufacturing System and Business Model Research for Additive Manufacturing Orthopaedic Implants.
Yanyan Tian, PhD in Engineering, funded by China Scholarship Council. Co-supervisor Dr Dong Wang. Research project: Digital twin-based predictive maintenance for traditional machine tools.
Xingyue Wu, PhD in Engineering, funded by China Scholarship Council. Co-supervisor Dr Dong Wang. Research project: A novel design of sensor-based Artificial Intelligent (AI) microtome.
Benham Sedigh Nia, MPhil in Engineering. First supervisor Prof Akbar Javadi. Research project: Assesment of effects of natural fibre on mechanical and thermal behaviour of 3D printed concrete.
Saleh Alghamdi, PhD in Engineering. Co-supervisor Dr Martino Luis. Research project: Digital twin in manufacturing systems.
Nicky Cunningham, PhD in Engineering. Co-supervisors: Prof Catherine Butler and Prof Stefano Pascucci. Research project: Good governance as a pathway to water resilience in England.
Completed:
Sam John Abraham MPhil in Engineering, co-supervisor Dr Martino Luis Thesis title: Design, Development and Validation of a Management Tool for ATEX-compliant Products Systems: a Case Study in an Engineering SME. Completed in 2024.
Feel free to email me if you're interested in pursuing a PhD in the area of innovation and Industry4.0 technologies.
Teaching:
ENGM040 Research Ethics and Methodology
In media:
University of Exeter KTP plays key role in the manufacturing process of the new Covid-19 vaccin
KTP helps power production of the new Covid-19 vaccine
Engineering Business Management MSc programme at University of Exeter
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