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 Prof 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)
KTP with Goonvean Group. With Dr Lavanya Meherishi and Prof Andy Treen. KTP Associate: Mohammed Ammand (2025-2027)
The group
Feel free to email me if you're interested in pursuing a PhD or a visiting research position in the area of Industry4.0 technologies.
Shuang is a Postdoctoral research associate 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 process optimisation, energy and buildings.
Rongxu Liu PhD in Engineering, co-supervisor Dr Martino Luis. Research project: Application of Industry4.0 Technologies in Project Management.
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: Fault detection and energy optimisation in additive manufacturing using multi-sensor fusion.
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: Assessment 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.
Haobing Li PhD in Engineering, co-supervisor Dr Baris Yuce. Research project: Digital Twinning for Manufacturing Machine Tools. Completed in 2025.
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. Completed in 2025.
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
Links