Industrial Mathematics:

What is it and why should we do it?

Dr Ben Goddard
What is Industrial Maths?
Key characteristic: The origin of the problem lies in industry.
Aim: Gain insight through mathematical analysis and numerics.

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What is Industrial Maths?
Key characteristic: The origin of the problem lies in industry.
Aim: Gain insight through mathematical analysis and numerics.
We (here, and in SoM) interpret this broadly both in area:
Manufacturing
Finance
Healthcare
Energy
Environment
...
and in type:
International companies
SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises)
Government agencies
Charities
...
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Some general examples

Application of Data Assimilation to Ocean and

Climate Prediction

Avalanche Defence Schemes

The Reduction of Sound from Aircraft Engines

Cost-Effective Simulation and Prediction of

Explosions for Military and Public Safety

Some Mathematics for Splashes: Sea-Wave Impact

on Coastal Structures

[UK Success Stories in Industrial Mathematics, Editors: Aston, Philip J., Mulholland,
Anthony J., Tant, Katherine, Springer, 2016]

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Some personal examples
Intellidigest
uFraction8

EDEM
WEST Brewery

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Why do it? (Industry POV)
What is the alternative?
make a prototype;
test how it works;
use trial and error to improve it.

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Why do it? (Industry POV)
What is the alternative?
make a prototype;
test how it works;
use trial and error to improve it.
But this is completely impractical:
incredibly expensive (in money and time)!
may not be able to measure required quantities.

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Why do it? (Industry POV)
What is the alternative?
make a prototype;
test how it works;
use trial and error to improve it.
But this is completely impractical:
incredibly expensive (in money and time)!
may not be able to measure required quantities.
Mathematical models:
are relatively efficient and inexpensive;
can test a wide range of situations;
can be adjusted in only prescribed aspects;
trial and error can be replaced by optimisation.

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Why do it? (Industry POV)
What is the alternative?
make a prototype;
test how it works;
use trial and error to improve it.
But this is completely impractical:
incredibly expensive (in money and time)!
may not be able to measure required quantities.
Mathematical models:
are relatively efficient and inexpensive;
can test a wide range of situations;
can be adjusted in only prescribed aspects;
trial and error can be replaced by optimisation.

Often mathematical models are the only way to test new designs

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Why do it? (Maths POV)

For mathematics as a whole:

applications are a driving force;
modern technology is very amenable to modelling;
mathematics is universal.
[The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences, Wigner,
Eugene, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics, 13, 1–14, 1959]

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Why do it? (Maths POV)

For mathematics as a whole:

applications are a driving force;
modern technology is very amenable to modelling;
mathematics is universal.
[The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences, Wigner,
Eugene, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics, 13, 1–14, 1959]

For you:
go past the idea that applied maths is just a load of methods
to solve problems of particular forms;
less mathematics is being taught in applied science courses;
excellent opportunity to expand your horizons.

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What are the differences from University maths?

not presented with a set of equations to be analysed;

get a practical problem;

need to translate;

this is a difficult step, especially when you start;

should involve insight from subject experts;

however, the basic principles of good mathematical modelling

are universal.

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What skills do you need / will you learn?

Technical knowledge:
the modelling process (coming next!);
mathematical analysis;
numerics;
how to combine them to best understand a problem.

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What skills do you need / will you learn?

Technical knowledge:
the modelling process (coming next!);
mathematical analysis;
numerics;
how to combine them to best understand a problem.
How to work on industrial problems:
real-world problems are large, messy, and often vaguely stated;
almost never worth your time to produce a ‘complete’ solution;
look at ‘clean’ sub-problems.

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What skills do you need / will you learn?

Technical knowledge:
the modelling process (coming next!);
mathematical analysis;
numerics;
how to combine them to best understand a problem.
How to work on industrial problems:
real-world problems are large, messy, and often vaguely stated;
almost never worth your time to produce a ‘complete’ solution;
look at ‘clean’ sub-problems.
Communication:
Writing for a non-specialist audience;
Determining what the crucial message is;
Working in teams.

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