33^rd International Manufacturing Conference
31^st August - 1^st September 2016
University of Limerick, Ireland

The 33^rd International Manufacturing Conference (IMC33) will be hosted by the Department of Design and Manufacturing Technology, University of Limerick, Ireland.  The conference will commence with a welcome reception on the evening of August 30^th, followed by the technical programme on Wednesday 31^st August and Thursday 1^st of September 2016.  This conference uniquely showcases research undertaken in academia and industry by researchers in Manufacturing Engineering domains across all career stages and specifically welcomes early stage researchers and PhD students.  The conference promotes specific innovations in manufacturing technologies and is an excellent opportunity for networking between researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators as well as government and funding agencies.  In organising a high profile and high impact programme of activities, the organising committee wishes to invite contributions from companies, academic institutions and research institutes nationally and internationally, for whom IMC33 will have particular relevance.

The theme of IMC33 is Industry 4.0, which is intended to explore and discuss some powerful emerging currents which will change the way manufacturing is carried out.  Industry 4.0, as the next phase in the digitisation of the manufacturing sector, is driven by increasing data volumes, computational power, and connectivity.  

The conference will explore the traditional manufacturing business models, how they are changing and how manufacturing professionals should react to the new competitive challenges.  
Making digital manufacturing information and communication technology usable for industry will be key to maintaining our manufacturing competitiveness internationally.

* IMC33 will have two tracks
    - A track for manufacturing technologies and innovations
    - A track for engineering education

Manufacturing Technologies and Innovations Track
We invite papers from all researchers in the manufacturing engineering domain.  We especially invite papers with the Industry 4.0 theme.  These can include (but are not limited to) papers on advanced digital manufacturing methods, industrial transformation, manufacturing productivity and automation.

Engineering Education Track 
This conference offers a unique opportunity for academics and practitioners to discuss recent trends in engineering education and education research.  The conference includes plenary and technical sessions for those interested in discussing and advancing research in engineering education.  It aims to bring together the growing international community of engineering education researchers.  All areas of engineering education research and practice are invited.

For each track, we invite one-page abstracts (submitted via imc33.exordo.com) from all areas of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Education:

• Manufacturing Innovation
• Manufacturing Processes
• Medical Device & Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Computer Control & Automation
• Big Data in Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Connectivity
• Design thinking and engineering decision-making
• Machine Tool Design
• Additive Manufacturing
• 3D Printing
• Design for Manufacture
• Rapid Prototyping
• Manufacturing Management
• Life Cycle Engineering
• Energy & Resource Management
• Engineering Education and Professional Development
• Engineering curricula
• Design of engineering learning environment

The IMC33 Organising Committee are currently working with the Editors of the European Journal of Engineering Education to have a small number of high-quality original research papers presented at the Engineering Education track considered for review and publication in this Journal.   Further news to follow on this.