Dr Mandeep Dhanda

Dr. Mandeep Dhanda is a RA at the WSMEME at Loughborough University, joined in July 25. His current research focuses on ‘Circular Robotic Manufacturing’ creating an intelligent environment and cost life cycle assisted end-of-life management of Industrial robots. It addresses the "digital future" priority by co-creating a digitally enabled proactive real-time maintenance system for the circular economy of Industrial robots.

Before joining LU, he worked at the University of Bath as a PDRA in Dept of Mechanical Engineering from June 23 to June 25 on an EU-based Horizon project ‘Fluently’ the essence of Human-Robot Interaction. This project was on development of AI-enhanced robotics systems for digital manufacturing to achieve true social collaboration between humans and robots while matching extremely dynamic manufacturing contexts.

Mandeep holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Manufacturing and CAD/CAM from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. During his PhD, he worked on the development of computational algorithms for multi-axis CNC Machining. Mandeep completed his master's degree in mechanical with a specialization in manufacturing science & engineering from IIT Kharagpur, India, with a CGPA of 9.37/10, establishing a solid foundation in manufacturing engineering. He has 3 years of industry experience as a Design Engineer and over 4 years of teaching experience as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering from higher educational institutes in India.

Over the course of his PhD and Postdoc, he authored and co-authored more than twelve research articles in international peer-reviewed journals. Mandeep academic journey from India to UK and Europe reflects his dedication to global collaboration and sustainable innovation. At LU, he continues to advance his research at the intersection of robotics, advanced manufacturing and environmental sustainability.

Mandeep research interest lies in the broad area of Circular Robotic Manufacturing, Human-Robot Collaboration, Digital Manufacturing, CAD/CAM, Algorithms for Multi-axis CNC Machining.

His Postdoc research at University of Bath focused on designing and developing AI-enhanced robotic systems for digital manufacturing. This was an EU-funded multinational multidisciplinary project (fluently) with 21 academic and industrial partners across mainland Europe. He has supported the development of an ontology to describe the information required for effective human-robot collaboration. This digitally links the production aspects together with the different systems and enable the realisation of a metalanguage that is interpretable by robots, machines, and humans within a given production scenario. Furthermore, he has also developed an education CPD programme using a pedagogically driven framework on ontologies through a series of videos, slides, and tutorials. His one of the side projects (as a Co-PI) on ‘Effect of inclination of nozzle on print bead in FFF type Additive Manufacturing’ got postdoc ‘SPIRE’ Funding (£2000) from University of Bath in May 2025.

His doctoral research focused on developing efficient computational algorithms for CNC part programming from CAD models represented as a cloud of points. He designed and developed efficient CNC tool path planning strategies/software for machining of freeform surfaces directly from their representation in the form of point cloud without interim surface fitting. This approach has the advantages of reducing computational effort, increasing accuracy and shortening the product development cycle of a component during reverse engineering and in turn, reduce the costs. The system generates a geometrically adaptive CNC tool path directly on the point cloud. No commercial CAM software does this as of now. This work has a good impact on automobile, aerospace, dies/molds industry using multi-axis CNC machines. 

• EPSRC-Defra Circular Economy Workshop participated (Hybrid-London), 19 June 2025
• Workshop participated on “Unlocking AI-Powered Engineering” at Aerospace Bristol, UK, May 21, 2025
• Workshop participated on “AI-Powered Engineering Deep Dive” at MTC, Coventry, Sept 10, 2024
• General Assembly Meeting & Workshop attended (hybrid) on ‘Fluently project’ Human robot interaction, Turin, Italy, 26-27 Jun 2024
• Academic Career Academy 5-day Workshop participated, University of Bath, UK, Jan-June 2024
• Leadership Program 5-day Workshop participated, University of Bath, UK, Jan-May 2024
• Awarded UK-HEA fellowship (Associate) for teaching & supporting higher education learning, UKPSF (May 2024)
• General Assembly Meeting & Workshop attended (hybrid) on ‘Fluently project’ Human robot interaction, Brussels, Belgium, 8 Feb 2024
• General Assembly Meeting & Workshop on Human robot interaction attended In-person at SUPSI, Lugano, Switzerland, 4-5 Oct 2023
• Expert lecture given on “Reverse Engineering & CNC Tool path” in ATAL FDP, PEC Chandigarh, 9-20 Jan 2023
• Keynote lecture given on “Advances in Manufacturing Technologies and Innovation” in 6th International Conference on Advances in Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Oct 6-7, 2022, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
• Award for recognitions in contribution towards research publications, PEC Chandigarh, India (Sept 2022)
• Organizing Secretary for 2nd International Conference (CIMS-2021), PEC Chandigarh,11-13 Nov 2021
• Best Paper Award in CIMS–2021 International Conference, PEC Chandigarh, 11–13 Nov 2021
• Nominated for best Ph.D. thesis Award at IIT Bombay, Feb 2021