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Heat-as-a-Service (HaaS): a Complex Adaptive Systems perspective on servitization

Special Issue: Rethinking operations and supply chain management in light of the 3D printing revolution

Accelerated innovation through repurposing: exaptation of design and manufacturing in response to COVID-19

Harnessing Exaptation and Ecosystem Strategy for Accelerated Innovation: Lessons From The VentilatorChallengeUK

Exaptation in a digital innovation ecosystem: The disruptive impacts of 3D printing

The role of 3D printing and open design on adoption of socially sustainable supply chain innovation

The potential of emergent disruptive technologies for humanitarian supply chains: the integration of blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and 3D printing

Digital twin for Advanced Service delivery systems: Opportunities and challenges

Cultivating students’ digital literacy

International Journal of Production Economics, Vol.221, March 2020, 107462

International Journal of Production Research, Vol.58, No.15, pp.4610-4630

The potential of emergent disruptive technologies for humanitarian supply chains: The integration of Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and 3D Printing

California Management Review, Vol.64, No.3, pp.78-98

Harnessing Exaptation and Ecosystem Strategy for Accelerated Innovation: Lessons from the VentilatorChallengeUK

Special Issue: Rethinking operations and supply chain management in light of the 3D printing revolution”, International Journal of Production Economics

“Heat-as-a-Service (HaaS): A complex adaptive systems perspective on servitization”, Production Planning & Control (CABS 3)

Dr Ahmad Beltagui's research focuses on design, services and digital technology. He has supported businesses large and small to innovate through customer-centric, digitally-driven business models that create real value.

Ahmad's research has explored applications of design thinking and experience design as the basis of innovative business models; his work on innovation ecosystems explains how new technologies such as 3D printing can eventually become disruptive as well as how accelerated innovation happened during the COVID response. His recent work, "Insights from History" reveals how historical industry transitions can help us understand the current digital revolution.  

Dr Beltagui is available to comment on any current events that relate to these topics, or more general aspects related to operations management, innovation and supply chains.

He has contributed to both written and broadcast media, including BBC World Service, Free Radio Birmingham, Huffington Post and The Conversation.

His research has been funded by UK and European sources, including InnovateUK, EPSRC, ESRC, the British Academy and European Commission.

Servitization

Design-Led Management

Innovation

Service Operations

Supply Chain

Digital Technology

Business Models

Aston Research Explorer Profile

The Conversation Author Profile

ResearchGate Citations

Google Scholar Citations

Insights from History: The world belongs to the risk takers

Actionable insights from the past: what can we learn from history in the new industrial transition?

Achieving servitization through design thinking

4 Key Benefits of Additive Manufacturing in Servitization

Coronavirus: How AI, 3D printing and blockchain can help overcome supply problems in a crisis

Why freemium video games should embrace players who want to play for free

Five 3D printing myths

How 3D printing turns imagination into reality

The Future of (Field) Service is 3D Printed

Why Hygge Is The Word That Sums Up 2016

Ashley Communities and Housing

InterAct Network

LeGrand Electric

Development of a digital twin prototype for DEAS value delivery system

Democratisation or Mass Customisation? Exploring the nature of the 3D Printing revolution

Marie Curie Industry Academia Pathways and Partnerships

AHRC

podcast-3d-printings-vital-solution-to-medical-problem-caused-by-covid19

Associate Professor of Service Operations and Innovation Management

"They were looking to solve a problem and I was able to use my additive manufacturing knowledge to help them out, and the result of that was that we developed a new technology and span a company out of it." Dr Mark Prince Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering  Aston University   New device created in Aston University lecturer's home during coronavirus lockdown Aston Business School expert explains how 3D printers are already used to make hearing aids, dental crowns and hips ‘Imagination is the only limit’ for additive manufacturing’s future, according to Dr Ahmad Beltagui  A senior lecturer at Aston University is helping ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics around the world by using the hi-tech ingenuity of 3D printing.

Dr Mark Prince used 3D printing to prototype and produce a valve for a mask so that ENT surgeons could continue to examine and treat patients without fear of spreading the virus.

Dr Prince, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Aston University, was talking about his experiences in the latest episode of the 'Aston means business' podcast, presented by journalist Steve Dyson.

The podcast also features Dr Ahmad Beltagui from Aston Business School, who talks about the wider benefits, some downsides and future potential of 3D printing in successfully disrupting traditional manufacturing.

 Dr Prince said his interest in additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, peaked after meeting two consultant ENT surgeons in the West Midlands.

He said:

"They were looking to solve a problem and I was able to use my additive manufacturing knowledge to help them out, and the result of that was that we developed a new technology and span a company out of it.

"The company is Endoscope-i Ltd, founded in 2012 and now with an annual turnover of £200,000. The idea was simple: can we get medical endoscopic images of the ears and throat using a smartphone and we came up with a technique to do that."

He said that, traditionally, he would have used large, expensive equipment to prototype the systems and new products. However, that wasn't possible with most of the university closed down at the height of the pandemic last year. He, therefore, had to look at other technologies that were safe to use in the home without breaking lockdown restrictions.

Dr Prince explained:

"When we are looking at diseases or concerns of the throat and nose we often stick an endoscope up the nose and down the throat, but of course you can't do that through a mask.

"One of the founding members, Mr Ajith George, suggested that we could put a valve in the mask that allowed an endoscope to pass through it and allow the procedure to go ahead without breaking containment."

"Work on the device started in mid-March 2020 and was ready for free supply to the NHS in November. Dr Prince added: "What that has allowed the NHS to do is any ENT clinic was able to fit it to a mask, put the mask on the patient, and carry on with an endoscopy procedure without all of the concerns of the pandemic."

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Beltagui, a lecturer in operations and information management at Aston Business School, said you could get 3D printers from as little as £200 all the way up to expensive versions working with "exotic materials" like titanium.

He said there were four main benefits to manufacturers:

"Compared to traditional manufacturing methods you can produce shapes that are harder to produce; you can produce things in very small volumes; you can innovate faster and produce lots of prototypes, and you can produce things nearer to where they are required so you don't have to produce in a factory in one place and transport somewhere else."

Dr Beltagui said:

"The COVID-19 pandemic saw 3D printers used in homes to produce equipment such as cheap face visors for their local hospitals. The great thing about 3D printing is anyone can produce anything they want.

"That's also the biggest risk – there is no control over what people produce or how safely they produce it.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, someone in Italy found that they could produce some spare parts to keep the ventilators in their local hospital going. But then a few days later the manufacturer of those ventilators was considering whether or not it should take legal action."

However, he said the printing machines had gradually become more reliable and there was a better level of quality, while the cost was coming down.

Dr Beltagui added:

"As to the future, the only limit is your imagination."


Podcast: 3D printing’s vital solution to medical problem caused by COVID-19

gas-boiler-ban-how-to-make-sure-everyone-can-afford-lowcarbon-heating

 Most of us only think about central heating when it stops working or when the fuel bills arrive. So reports of an impending ban on gas boilers in the UK – and news that green alternatives such as heat pumps can cost over £10,000 – might have been a nasty shock for many.

Most UK households rely on gas boilers, which are more efficient than ever, but still burn fossil fuels. As a result, domestic heating accounts for over a third of greenhouse gas emissions and almost half of energy consumption nationwide.

Tackling climate change means changing how we heat our homes. But this is possible without turning warmth and comfort into unaffordable luxuries. Our research has looked at how business models can break this trade-off between people and the planet. One involves reimagining heating as a service.

When buying a boiler, a customer typically pays someone to buy and install it. They then sign a contract with an energy company to provide the fuel and find another service provider to fix the boiler when it breaks down. Wouldn’t it be simpler to sign one contract with one company that could guarantee a steady supply of heat?

A manufacturer would be responsible for installing the heating system and for ensuring it works. Since the manufacturer would be paid for delivering heat, you wouldn’t be billed for repairs or have to pay steep upfront installation costs – you’d simply have to keep up with flat monthly payments. By aligning the objectives of all parties, “heat as a service” allows the risks and rewards of investing in new technologies like heat pumps to be shared.

Fuelling poverty  Low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps can go a long way to achieving net zero targets. Unlike a boiler, heat pumps move heat from warm to cold spaces rather than generate it, operating in a similar way to air conditioning.

Heat pumps run on electricity and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions if their power comes from low-carbon sources. Waste heat from sewage plants and other facilities can even be redirected to supply home central heating systems with the right infrastructure, such as district heat networks. But most UK homes have gas on tap, and new heating technologies are expensive to install and manage. Much of the required infrastructure needs to be funded.

Heat pumps decarbonise home heating by replacing fossil fuel burning boilers. I AM NIKOM/Shutterstock  Over two million households in England suffer from fuel poverty. This means that paying fuel bills would leave them with nothing left over for food and other necessities. More efficient, low-carbon heating can bring those bills down, but when faced with the decision to heat or eat, is it fair to expect people to invest in expensive technology? If these technologies are unaffordable, can we hope for the needed revolution in domestic heating?

The slow adoption of rooftop solar panels and electric cars demonstrates what a hard sell these technologies can be for cash-strapped consumers. Technology is not enough. Instead, we need to change the business logic for bringing technology into our homes.

Heat as a service  Digital technology has made it easier for almost everything we use, from music to cars and clothing, to be delivered as a service. Record stores selling albums now compete with online streaming services which offer a vast library of music ready to be played with a monthly subscription. Taxi drivers and car dealers have had to adjust to ride-sharing services and even fast-fashion companies are now threatened by online rental services, which help old clothes find new purpose.

Businesses offer software as a service and even manufacturing as a service, which take away the need for upfront investment and unexpected bills and allow customers to access and pay for what they need with a single fee or subscription. Heat as a service does something similar by cutting out the complexity of installing, maintaining and fuelling a boiler or heat pump.

In the winter of 2017, over 100 UK homes were offered a heat plan, which guaranteed an indoor temperature for an arranged monthly fee. Customers often struggle to keep track of how much they spend on heating, so the plan offered some peace of mind. The trial involved collaboration between local authorities, an energy company and a boiler manufacturer, plus digital tool providers that helped monitor and control the temperature. Most participants found they were more comfortable and were more likely to consider low-carbon heating on its own, and particularly as part of an arrangement like heat as a service.

Paying for heating technologies that are kinder to the planet is likely to be too expensive for lots of people. Relying on households to make these preparations on their own would also be disastrous for decarbonisation. A recent report by the International Energy Agency forecasted that less than 5% of the total emissions reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 can be expected to come from such behaviour changes among the general public. Rather than expecting households to buy heat pumps, states and energy utilities should offer them low-carbon heating as a service.

This article was co-written by Ahmad Beltagui, Andreas Schroeder, and Omid Omidvar, of Aston University 

Gas boiler ban: how to make sure everyone can afford low-carbon heating

In this video, part of the 'Insights from History' series, InterAct funded researchers from Cranfield and Aston Universities discuss the challenges for SME's seeking to compete in a rapidly innovating, interconnected global marketplace. The team uncover Birmingham's rich military manufacturing history to highlight how through cooperation and organisation, small businesses can work together to compete and succeed.

Learn more about the 'Insights from History' project and read their full report on our website: https://interact-hub.org/2023/11/21/insights-from-history-a-systematic-review-of-historical-industrial-transitions/

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InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

Insights from History: Strength in numbers

Manufacturers are being urged to invest in digital technology and to manage their environmental impact. Yet customers often reject new technology and more sustainable products in favour of cheaper and less energy efficient options.

InterAct funded research looked at business model innovation and digital technology adoption in washing machines, and highlights the need to focus on customer experiences and outcomes, rather than features.

Access the full guide: https://interact-hub.org/2024/11/20/beyond-ownership/
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InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

Beyond Ownership - Business model innovation for manufacturers

In this video, part of the 'Insights from History' series, InterAct funded researchers from Cranfield and Aston Universities examine the impact of new technologies, and the value of broader thinking in making the most of their potential. Using the example of the electrical revolution in factories, they emphasise that unlocking the true value can often mean going beyond surface level improvements, and changing the way you do business. 

Learn more about the 'Insights from History' project and read their full report on our website: https://interact-hub.org/2023/11/21/insights-from-history-a-systematic-review-of-historical-industrial-transitions/

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InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

Insights from History: Inside the factory outside the box

In this video, part of the 'Insights from History' series, the team examines the importance of timing and approach in the success or failure of innovative business ideas. Taking the surprisingly early introduction of electric vehicles and ride-sharing as an example, they explain more about the factors that drive entrepreneurial achievement.

Learn more about the 'Insights from History' project and read their full report on our website: https://interact-hub.org/2023/11/21/insights-from-history-a-systematic-review-of-historical-industrial-transitions/

__________________________________________________________________________________________

InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

Insights from History: Ahead of your time, or too soon?

By widening their field of vision through cases from history, this InterAct funded team from Cranfield and Aston Universities argue that today’s manufacturers have the chance during this digital transition to increase their appreciation of the potential risks and opportunities that lie ahead, and perhaps even stimulate creative solutions to them. 

In this video, the team examines how small scale technological changes in the mining industry influenced the lives and capabilities of people employed in the sector, and how this is relevant today.

Read their full report on our website: https://interact-hub.org/2023/11/21/insights-from-history-a-systematic-review-of-historical-industrial-transitions/

__________________________________________________________________________________________

InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

Insights from History: technological change in the mining industry

In this video, part of the 'Insights from History' series, InterAct funded researchers from Cranfield and Aston Universities look at the impact of English clergyman turned inventor, Edmund Cartwright and what his story of trial and error can teach us about the importance of risk taking and resilience on any innovation journey.

Learn more about the 'Insights from History' project and read their full report on our website: https://interact-hub.org/2023/11/21/insights-from-history-a-systematic-review-of-historical-industrial-transitions/

__________________________________________________________________________________________

InterAct is funded and overseen by Made Smarter Innovation and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

If you enjoy our videos, please leave a comment 

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