ManuRAG: Multi-modal Retrieval Augmented Generation for Manufacturing Question Answering (Early Version)

TL;DR

ManuRAG is a multi-modal retrieval augmented generation framework tailored for manufacturing question answering, effectively integrating complex data types to improve accuracy and interpretability, and demonstrating superior performance over existing methods.

Contribution

This paper introduces ManuRAG, a novel multi-modal RAG framework specifically designed for manufacturing QA, enhancing answer quality and domain adaptability.

Findings

Outperforms existing methods on manufacturing QA datasets

Handles multi-modal data including text, images, formulas, and tables

Demonstrates versatility across domains like law, healthcare, and finance

Abstract

The evolution of digital manufacturing requires intelligent Question Answering (QA) systems that can seamlessly integrate and analyze complex multi-modal data, such as text, images, formulas, and tables. Conventional Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) methods often fall short in handling this complexity, resulting in subpar performance. We introduce ManuRAG, an innovative multi-modal RAG framework designed for manufacturing QA, incorporating specialized techniques to improve answer accuracy, reliability, and interpretability. To benchmark performance, we evaluate ManuRAG on three datasets comprising a total of 1,515 QA pairs, corresponding to mathematical, multiple-choice, and review-based questions in manufacturing principles and practices. Experimental results show that ManuRAG consistently outperforms existing methods across all evaluated datasets. Furthermore, ManuRAG's adaptable design makes it applicable to other domains, including law, healthcare, and finance, positioning it as a versatile tool for domain-specific QA.