[Seville, Spain] – July 31, 2025 – The GREEN-LOOP Value Chain Platform is officially live, offering an all-in-one digital solution for businesses, researchers, and policymakers seeking to optimize value chains and lead the transition to a circular, bio-based economy. Developed through a groundbreaking collaboration among 17 partners across 8 countries, and coordinated by IDENER, the platform merges cutting-edge technology, artificial intelligence, and environmental science to reshape how industries innovate with sustainability in mind.

Accessible at https://greenloop.idener.ai, the GREEN-LOOP Platform is a modular, scalable, and secure environment designed to empower a wide range of users, from SMEs and manufacturers to academic researchers and eco-innovators.

Its core mission: to enable data-driven decision-making that enhances operational efficiency while reducing environmental impact.

With the GREEN-LOOP Value Chain Platform, users can analyse and optimise their value chains, train custom AI models, assess environmental performance in real time, and collaborate across sectors to accelerate the transition to a circular bioeconomy.

Smart, Secure, and Sustainable: Highlights of the Platform

 Interactive Value Chain Mapping

• Visualise the full development pathway of a product or service across stakeholders.
• Identify key actors, connect with them directly, and explore collaboration opportunities.
• Promote transparency, traceability, and real-time interaction across supply chains.

Free & Intuitive Machine Learning Forecasting

• Upload your own datasets and train custom AI models in just a few steps, no coding required.
• Predict critical material or product properties like elasticity, strength, or deformation.
• Accessible to all users without expensive software licenses or technical barriers.

Simplified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

• Easily estimate the environmental impact of your process with a user-friendly LCA tool.
• Get early insights into carbon footprint, energy use, and other key sustainability metrics.
• Ideal for innovators taking their first steps toward eco-design.

Equation Solver & Process Optimisation

• Build a set of equations that represent your process, including material balances, energy flows, or cost structures.
• Run optimisations to reduce manufacturing time, minimise costs, or improve performance.
• Perfect for engineers and developers aiming to fine-tune their systems with real data.

Real-Time Environmental Monitoring

• Connect your company’s sensors directly to the platform to stream real-time environmental data.
• Use this dynamic data to power forecasting models, update LCAs, or refine optimisations.
• Brings decision-making closer to the process floor for immediate responsiveness.

Fully Interconnected Digital Ecosystem

• Combine all features into a single, powerful workflow.
• Build a full value chain with real partners, link it to a forecasting model, estimate LCA, set up equations, feed in live sensor data, and run an optimisation, all in one unified space.
• Get the best, most sustainable outcome across the entire chain, faster and smarter.

AI for a Greener Future: Empowering the Eco-Materials Revolution

What truly sets the GREEN-LOOP Platform apart is its powerful integration of Artificial Intelligence to accelerate the development of novel bio-based materials. The platform offers three embedded AI models—focused on bio-rubber, bioplastics, and wood composites—that support rapid prototyping and predictive performance analysis. These models are exclusively available to users who are part of a value chain within the platform, and can be accessed on request:

• Bio-rubber: Predict tensile strength based on formulation data.
• Bioplastics: Estimate the elastic modulus to fine-tune design before physical testing.
• Wood composites: Simulate deformation under load to improve structural performance.

But the real innovation lies in the platform’s ability to support custom AI model creation. Any user can upload their own datasets and train machine learning models tailored to their specific processes or materials—no coding, no licenses, and no technical background required. This functionality democratises AI in material science, allowing organisations of all sizes to harness predictive intelligence and make smarter, faster decisions in sustainable product development.

Designed for Collaboration, Built for Impact

The GREEN-LOOP Platform isn’t just a tool—it’s a digital hub for innovation, learning, and cross-sector collaboration. Developed with a user-centric approach and input from industry experts, policymakers, and research institutions, it offers:

• Circularity assessments for enterprises.
• Partner and supplier search for businesses and R&D actors.
• Access to validated datasets for experts and analysts.
• Dedicated materials on the three GREEN-LOOP pilot value chains.

Through intuitive dashboards and interactive modules, users can evaluate materials across their lifecycle—from biomass sourcing to end-of-life—while engaging with the broader sustainability community.

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Discover the platform now: https://greenloop.idener.ai
Watch the platform in action:

• Overview Video
• User Training
• About the Project – Playlist

The GREEN-LOOP consortium held an internal workshop to introduce partners to the project’s Digital Platform, a key tool designed to support sustainability assessment and decision-making across bio-based value chains. The session was led by Alejandro Gómez Gutiérrez and Sergio Pérez Capitán from IDENER.

The training provided an overview of the platform’s structure and functionalities, including how to access, navigate, and interpret key data related to environmental performance, life cycle assessment (LCA), and circularity metrics. The platform is part of GREEN-LOOP’s commitment to promoting Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles and is built to facilitate informed decision-making by researchers, industry actors, and policymakers.

The Digital Platform integrates digital tools and data repositories to guide the design and validation of sustainable bio-based materials. It allows users to evaluate new materials across all stages of their life cycle, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life, helping to identify trade-offs, opportunities for improvement, and pathways toward circularity.

The Digital Platform is available via this link greenloop.idener.ai/ to external stakeholders and companies, offering a practical and science-based tool to support greener innovation in industry.

Stay tuned for the official launch!

Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/wL–ME9Hzjc?si=GGirXT6zYpwqDZVG

The latest external workshop in the GREEN-LOOP series shed light on a groundbreaking innovation in the circular use of materials: recycled bio-rubber panels designed for the construction industry. Developed by the National Composites Centre (NCC), the University of Bristol, and the Bristol Composites Institute, these panels address two pressing environmental issues, tyre waste and building material sustainability.

At the heart of this innovation is a devulcanisation process that enables used automotive tyres to be reprocessed similarly to virgin rubber. This makes it possible to create panels tailored for anti-vibration applications, combining mechanical performance with a circular design philosophy.

One of the central topics discussed during the workshop was fire resistance enhancement through the integration of lignin, a bio-derived flame retardant extracted from waste biomass. This approach offers a more sustainable alternative to traditional, often toxic, flame retardants. Lab-scale tests have already shown promising results, notably a significant reduction in heat release rate, a critical factor in fire safety classification.

The workshop also highlighted ongoing research into lignin-based coatings, which could extend the applicability of this solution across sectors such as infrastructure, transport, and acoustic insulation. These coatings could serve as protective layers, further improving the fire performance and environmental profile of rubber-based materials.

The session featured insights from leading experts:
– Tom Andrews, Advanced Research Engineer, NCC
– Friderik Knez, Researcher, ZAG – Zavod za gradbeništvo Slovenije
– Fabrizio Scarpa, Professor of Smart Materials and Structures, University of Bristol
– Hesam Ramezani, Research Associate, Bristol Composites Institute

The workshop was not only a showcase of technical innovation but also a testament to collaborative research driving the transition toward circular, high-performance materials in construction. From recycling complex waste streams to integrating bio-based additives, the project reflects GREEN-LOOP’s core mission: closing the loop on material waste through sustainable design and engineering.

 Catch up on the full discussion and discover how the GREEN-LOOP project is transforming tyre waste into a resource for the future: Watch the video

On June 11th, 2025, the ONE4ALL project proudly hosted a joint PhD Workshop in collaboration with sister projects from the AMiMO Cluster, uniting early-stage researchers across disciplines to explore the future of smart manufacturing.

The speakers and participants represented five Horizon Europe projects— ONE4ALL, DMaaST, MARS, Modapto, Modul4r — ccommitted to creating and strengthening synergy and clustering within Horizon Europe initiative.

Held under the title “Emerging Research in Smart Manufacturing: A PhD Round Table on Digital Twins and AI”, the event focused on fostering cross-project connections, showcasing how diverse research themes—from Digital Twins (DT) to Artificial Intelligence (AI)—complement and enrich each other.

The workshop featured two thematic sessions:

• Session 1 spotlighted DT-oriented solutions for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS), with talks on energy efficiency, validation techniques, and expert knowledge integration.

• Session 2 centered on AI-driven approaches, including federated learning, predictive maintenance, optimization algorithms, and production scheduling.

As a result, the event successfully promoted knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary dialogue, and future collaboration among researchers working on advanced manufacturing solutions. It marked a significant step toward the consolidation of a strong and connected research community within the AMiMO Cluster, reinforcing the strategic objectives of the Horizon Europe programme.

From May 21st to 23rd 2025, the partner HOLOSS hosted in Porto the 5th General Assembly of the ONE4ALL project. This key event marked a significant transition for the project—from strategy and design to hands-on implementation at the pilot sites.

Over the three-day gathering, consortium partners reviewed progress across work packages, aligned on upcoming deliverables, and solidified deployment plans for the project’s two pilot sites: Madama Oliva(Italy) and InnoGlobal Technology(Ireland). This assembly set the stage for real-world validation of ONE4ALL’s innovative technologies in flexible automation, robotics, and Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS).

Strengthening Collaboration with the AMiMO Cluster

The highlights of the event were two joint sessions with DMaaST, ONE4ALL’s sister project:

• A workshop led by common partners – Karlsruher Institut für Technologie and Syddansk Universitet – explored advanced digital modeling approaches,
• A focused session on stakeholder identification— organized by CRIT and Energy Efficiency in Industrial Processes —helped ensure that project outcomes align with market and industrial needs.

Throughout the 2 days of meeting, the consortia compared roadmaps, aligned KPIs for flexibility, energy efficiency, and circularity, began drafting joint actions to maximize impact.

In conclusion, the Porto General Assembly reinforced ONE4ALL’s commitment to creating resilient, data-driven, and adaptable manufacturing ecosystems across Europe. With momentum building and strong synergies between partners, the project is poised to deliver impactful results in the next phase.

A heartfelt thank you to HOLOSS for their outstanding hospitality and flawless event coordination. As the ONE4ALL consortium enters this critical implementation phase, the focus now shifts to delivering measurable impact, fostering cross-border collaboration, and driving sustainable transformation in Europe’s manufacturing sector.

As part of its ongoing efforts to advance industrial automation and foster collaboration across Europe, the ONE4ALL project took center stage at MECSPE 2025, Italy’s premier trade fair for the manufacturing industry, held in Bologna in March 2025.

With over 65,000 visitors in attendance, MECSPE provided an outstanding opportunity to spotlight ONE4ALL’s forward-thinking solutions in smart automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing. CRIT, one of the project’s key partners, led the initiative with a fully branded booth dedicated to ONE4ALL, capturing the attention of industry professionals, researchers, and innovation stakeholders. 

In addition to the booth, CRIT co-hosted a public seminar with Innobotics, diving deep into the core technologies and methodologies being developed within ONE4ALL.

The session sparked meaningful dialogue on the role of automation in improving manufacturing efficiency and adaptability.

Driving Impact and Collaboration

The event fulfilled its mission to:

• Raise awareness about ONE4ALL’s advancements in automation

• Engage potential stakeholders for follow-up actions

• Stimulate interest in the broader dissemination and adoption of project outcomes

By leveraging the visibility of MECSPE, the ONE4ALL project continues to strengthen ties between research and industry, paving the way for a more connected, efficient, and sustainable future in European manufacturing.

The ONE4ALL Project, funded by Horizon Europe, is set to transform manufacturing processes by enhancing resilience and flexibility (read more here). It focuses on modular and reconfigurable technologies to address the needs of industries with fluctuating demand.

A key innovation within ONE4ALL is the Reconfigurable Cyber-Physical Production Module (RCPM), an autonomous and adaptable robotic system designed to meet the needs of diverse manufacturing environments. The RCPM, designed and developed by INNOBOTICS, consists of three primary components:

• Robotic Arm: A six-degree-of-freedom arm capable of handling payloads up to 18 kg, with a reach of 1400 mm, designed for tasks such as picking, inspection, and end-of-line operations.
• Mobile Base: Equipped with omnidirectional wheels and laser scanners, the base enables precise and agile movement, even in confined spaces.
• End Effectors: Customizable tools designed for specific tasks, ensuring the system’s adaptability to various manufacturing processes.

The system is equipped with advanced safety mechanisms, including Fail Safe Over EtherCAT (FSOE) and safety-certified industrial components such as laser scanners and Safety PLCs.

The RCPM operates with the Intelligent Orchestration Platform (IOP). This software ensures smooth integration with industrial systems. Moreover, it enables tasks like quality checks and end-of-line activities in pharmaceutical and food production.

Reconfigurability is a key feature of the RCPM, which adapts to different production stages by modifying End Effectors and programming. This ensures it meets diverse industrial needs while staying efficient.

Progress and achievements in the first 18 months of ONE4ALL

During the first 18 months of the project (January 2023 to June 2024), the technical partners of the Consortium reached relevant achievements:

• System design: The architecture of the RCPM and its interaction with the IOP were finalized.
• Remote operation testing: Initial testing demonstrated successful remote communication, with the IOP in Spain (managed by Idener) commanding the RCPM located in Italy.
• Prototype development: A first prototype of the RCPM was completed on schedule and is now undergoing internal testing.
• Use case definition: the procedure is still ongoing, and will be completed at the beginning of 2025, with the start of demonstration phase.

Next steps of technology testing

Further development will add new functionalities to the RCPM, improving its performance. Specialized gripping systems are also being designed for specific use cases. These advancements will validate the system’s versatility and effectiveness in real-world settings.

On the 18th and 19th of September 2024, ONE4ALL consortium gathered for the 4th General Assembly in Padova, hosted by InnoBoTics (IBT). Over these two days, we reviewed our achievements, evaluated progress, and laid out the roadmap for the next phase of the project.

With 18 months of the project completed, this General Assembly was a crucial step in ensuring that the consortium remains aligned on its objectives.

ONE4ALL General Assembly – Day 1

On Day 1, the agenda focused on updates from the various Work Packages. WP1, led by Innoglobal, kicked off with a detailed presentation providing an in-depth look at the environmental and social impacts of the project, highlighting ongoing efforts to assess the sustainability of our innovations.

KIT and IDE provided insights into the progress of their respective work packages (WP2 and WP3), dealing with technical components:

• Data-driven Digital Twin, enabling more accurate simulations and predictions
• Intelligent Orchestration Platform, designed to enhance coordination between machines and operators on the production floor.

Finally, IBT presented its update on WP4, sharing developments in the design of flexible, reconfigurable production systems that seamlessly integrate both physical and digital components. In the afternoon, participants were given the opportunity to visit IBT’s premises to see the cobot technology in action, providing an exciting glimpse into the practical applications of our project’s innovations. The day concluded with a guided tour of Padova’s historic sites and a networking dinner.

ONE4ALL General Assebly – Day 2

Day 2 of the General Assembly opened with discussions on WP6: Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication, led by EXE and CRIT. This session focused on strategies to effectively share the project’s results with both industrial stakeholders and the broader public. Exploitation plans were also discussed, with a view towards maximizing the commercial impact of the project’s innovations.

Special attention was given to a preview of WP5 by CRIT, as the project’s demonstrators are scheduled to be implemented in January 2025. These demonstrators will serve as a real-world test of the project’s innovations and are expected to play a pivotal role in validating the developed technologies. During the GA, CRIT presented a first proposal about the methodology to be employed for the demonstrators’ implementation.

IDE covered all aspects related to project management (WP7), such as the preparations for the upcoming project review meeting in October 2024, ensuring that all deliverables, financials, and reports are on track. This session also outlined the key steps in the short-term work plan. The day concluded with a review of the first official reporting period, which included evaluating expenses and setting targets for the upcoming phases.

On June 26–27, 2024, InnoBoTics S.r.l., in collaboration with CRIT S.r.l., took part in R2B – Research to Business 2024, Italy’s leading event for innovation and technology transfer, held at BolognaFiere.

At Stand A14h in Hall 21, the teams presented two high-impact projects funded under Horizon Europe: MASTERLY and ONE4ALL.

R2B 2024 provided a valuable platform to present ONE4ALL to stakeholders, explore potential collaborations, and gather insights from other European projects and innovation hubs. Events like this are vital for sharing knowledge, testing ideas, and ensuring that technological progress reaches the industries that need it most.

From June 10–14, 2024, the ONE4ALL project was proudly showcased at ACHEMA 2024 in Frankfurt; the fair is a renowned stage for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and process industries. InnoGlobal, technical project partner, represented ONE4ALL with a stand in Hall 11.1, Booth G10.

As part of its commitment to driving digital and sustainable transformation across European manufacturing, InnoGlobal presented the project alongside two of its flagship technologies: Eyecon² and SmartX.

At ACHEMA, Innoglobal shared the project’s goals, current progress, and future outlook among an international audience of industrial stakeholders, researchers, and technology providers.

Visitors to the booth learned how the ONE4ALL consortium is:

• Developing tools to assess digital and sustainability maturity

• Supporting SMEs in the integration of smart technologies and flexible systems

• Promoting knowledge-sharing and standardization across industries

• Building bridges between research, technology providers, and end users

nnobotics at SPS Italia 2024: Showcasing Innovation in Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing

On May 28, 2024, Innobotics S.r.l. proudly participated in SPS Italia, held in Parma — Italy’s premier trade fair dedicated to smart, digital, and sustainable industry solutions. As a technological partner of the ONE4ALL project, InnoBoTics was among the forward-thinking companies engaging with the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of manufacturing.

SPS 2024 edition focused strongly on the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0, addressing how intelligent systems and sustainable practices are revolutionizing industrial processes.

Throughout the event, InnoBoTics showcased its ongoing contributions to the ONE4ALL project, highlighting cutting-edge solutions designed to promote greater efficiency and flexibility within manufacturing environments. Visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with experts, explore real-world applications of our technologies, and discover how our innovations are helping shape the factories of tomorrow.

ONE4ALL Project Featured at EDI40 2024: Academic Contributions to Energy Efficiency and Digital Twins

From April 23–25, 2024, the ONE4ALL project took part in the 7th International Conference on Emerging Data and Industry (EDI40) in Hasselt, Belgium. The event brought together researchers and industry leaders to discuss how data is driving industrial innovation.

As part of the conference, project partners from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and University of Southern Denmark presented three research papers connected to ONE4ALL. These papers shared new insights on sustainability, energy use, and digital transformation in manufacturing.

The ONE4ALL team used the conference to share real project outcomes with the academic community. By taking part in events like EDI40, the project connects research with real-world impact and build strong links between universities and industry.

On November 13th 2023, ONE4ALL Consortium met for an interactive workshop, with the aim of identifying best routes for the Exploitation and Replicability of project results.

• During the first part of the meeting, EXELISIS (the partner in charge of exploitation activities) provided an exploitation and IPR training session, analysing and commenting on both background and foreground knowledge of ONE4LL beneficiaries. EXELISIS also provided an analysis of available and most appropriate IPR means to be used by partners, to protect the results produced throughout the project implementation and maximise their exploitation potential.
• In the second part of the meeting, EXELISIS coordinated a discussion concerning the replicability of project results and proposed a clear and robust strategy to examine and evaluate the replication potential.

In the next months, it will be possible to analayze and detect the implementation of this strategy designed for ONE4ALL results.

The sister projects of the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL4-2022-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-03 joined to form a new cluster AMiMO (Automated Manufacturing with Intelligent Modules).

In fact, their primary and common objective is to explore the modularity of production systems that will enable flexibility of production, through the use of cyber-physical modules.

The synergistic collaboration among these research projects will expand their impact beyond individual schemes and contribute significantly to the dissemination and communication of cutting-edge scientific developments.

On 11th October 2023 the representatives of the 4 projects met and engaged in a productive brainstorming during which they have identified the official name of the cluster, the future joint activities and a cluster roadmap covering the years until the completion of the four projects.

Follow updates and news on our communication channels, to discover the next step of this very promising collaboration!

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE SISTER PROJECTS OF ONE4ALL

MARS Manufacturing Architecture for Resilience and Sustainability represented by ENSAM and Steinbeis Europa Zentrum

Modul4r Industrial Manufacturing strategies for distributed control and resilient, rapidly responsive and reconfigurable supply chains represented by Fraunhofer IWU and CORE IC

MODAPTO MODULAR MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTED CONTROL VIA INTEROPERABLE DIGITAL TWINS represented by ATHENS Technology Centre and Université de Lorrain

Automationware is one of the technology providers of One4all project. It is a leader and expert in disruptive innovation, technology, research applied to mechatronics and advanced robotics, for the robotization of process and factories. 

In this article we have interviewed Automationware to discover more about the applications in One4all use cases.

Which are the solutions you have already implemented and adapted for Industry 4.0?

Automationware is working on a series of projects concerning the Italian production chain and mainly in the food and pharma sectors. Our solutions use mechatronics and robotics (also collaborative and mobile) to redefine the way of making production in factories.

Specific attention is paied to the issue of connecting machines to company management systems, but also foreseeing multi-agent evolutions, scalable and modular according to supply chain evolutions, new machine learning and AI technologies.

Which is the role of robotics in the future of Industry 4.0?

It will be decisive in overcoming some of the difficulties that many companies encounter nowadays:

• to give people roles of competence in the management of the equipment, avoiding processes in the absence of intellectual value.
• to make production more efficient and predictable, especially in processes that require interventions that are potentially dangerous for humans, such as palletisation or human-guided forklift movement.

The robots will have unconventional forms and modalities and therefore they will adapt to the different applications. 

What is your role in One4all project?

Automationware is responsible of Work Package 4, for the development of Innovative reconfigurable cyber-physical production module (RCPM). This means that the technology provider will identify the most suitable robot or module and adapt it to the specific context and peculiarities of the project use-cases.

Moreover, Automationware will be involved also in activities related to the definition of the pilots, the analysis of data collected and standardisation of results.

According to your expertise, what will be the impact of One4all innovations in Industry 5.0?

The impact foreseen is strictly related to the EU indications paradigms in terms of next generation robotics:

• Flexible production systems
• Advanced robotics
• Building Information Management
• Human-oriented Technologies

Madama Oliva is one of the One4all case studies. It is an international leader in the processing and packaging of distinct types of olives and other products (like lupini beans, tapenades, and many others.)

In this article we have interviewed Madama Oliva to discover more about the demonstration case.

What are the challenges addressed by the project in the Madama Oliva use case?

One of the main objectives of ONE4ALL project for the Madama Oliva application consists in analyzing relevant quantities of olives, developing a system for the pick and place of the discarded fruits with the required speed and precision. Moreover, the application will also target quality control and palletization of different packages in the storage area.

What are the applications for the one4all project in the Madama Oliva case?

The technical partners involved in the demonstration activities are evaluating two main applications int the Madama Oliva use case.

The first application concerns the selection process of olives based on defect and color, by application of collaborative-robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The system will identify and remove fruits that do not conform, while the flow of olives runs on a sorting belt. This belt is equipped with several lanes where the discarded fruits must be divided and then classified by type and severity of defects.

The second application is related to the quality control and palletization process of packages, by application of collaborative-robots and AI able to discriminate defective packages

What is the impact that this innovative technology will bring?

The impact of this innovative technology will be lifechanging for Madama Oliva.

It has the potential to increase the quantity of products processed per unit of time, the efficiency in the selection process, and the overall production speed and efficiency. Additionally, it will improve the division of discarded fruit and therefore get a higher percentage of recoverable fruit for other processes and decrease the number of defected pieces shipped.

What is the expected impact in terms of sustainability?

The expected improvements in sustainability for both applications are on different areas:

• redeploy workers in activities with greater added value and not repetitive and alienating, also increasing skills and job satisfaction.
• save energy and water resources, whose use is high due to slowdowns or rework caused by human error.
• reutilization of the raw products will be increased since the collaborative-robots will improve the amount of waste by making it more homogeneous and reusable in other processes.

On 14th and 15th June the partners of ONE4ALL project joined for the second time in presence in Dublin.

The meeting commenced with an overview of the project’s current status, outlining milestones achieved, and highlighting key outcomes. Partners actively engaged in sharing their findings, acknowledging successes, and discussing potential modifications to enhance project efficacy.

Throughout the meeting, partners engaged in constructive debates to identify and address any obstacles hindering progress. The discussion encompassed a wide range of topics, including resource allocation, technological advancements, timeline adjustments, and stakeholders’ engagement strategies. The goal was to develop actionable plans that would pave the way for smoother project implementation.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to collaboration and a clear list of next-step actions for the following 6 months.

On 8th March 2023, CRIT, Automationware and Innoglobal have been visiting the premises of Madama Oliva. The company, in fact, will be one of the case studies of ONE4ALL Project.

During the meeting and inspection, the partners have discussed the characteristics that the cobots will need to have, as well as the possible implementations inside the factory.

Madama Oliva, located in the centre of Italy, is a company leader in the processing of fresh table olives of different types. In addition, the product range is enriched with olive pestates, lupins and snacks. Most of its production still relies on manual and human processing, which require an high level of focus and longer timing, for instance in the selection of olives (discarding the lower quality products) and packing of cans on pallets or in boxes.

The consortium of ON4ALL Project is committed to finding innovative strategies to adapt the potentialities of cobots inside the factory, augmenting its productivity and keeping the quality of products intact.

ONE4ALL Project Officially Launched in Seville: A New Step Toward Industry 5.0

On February 2–3, 2023, the kick-off meeting of the ONE4ALL project took place in Seville, Spain, marking the official start of this ambitious Horizon Europe initiative. The event gathered representatives from all eleven project partners, offering an opportunity to align strategies, define priorities, and set the course for the months ahead.

Over the two-day meeting, partners presented their planned contributions, discussed the project structure, and outlined key milestones and deadlines. The consortium also agreed on coordination strategies to ensure smooth collaboration and timely delivery of results. The event not only laid the foundation for technical and operational work but also strengthened the spirit of cooperation among the partners.

What is ONE4ALL?

Launched in January 2023 and funded under Horizon Europe, the ONE4ALL project focuses on accelerating the transition of European manufacturing toward Industry 5.0. The initiative brings together a diverse group of partners—including technology developers, research centers, and innovation experts—working to design and deploy flexible robotic solutions tailored to the evolving needs of industrial plants.

The core objective is to enable smarter, more adaptive, and human-centric production environments. The solutions developed through ONE4ALL will not only support digital transformation but also address sustainability, resilience, and worker empowerment.

We are proud to share that the GREEN-LOOP Project was presented at the SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, held under the theme “Innovation for Tomorrow: Progress in Safe and Sustainable Concepts.”

The event brought together leading experts and initiatives committed to advancing the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approach. GREEN-LOOP contributed to this dialogue by showcasing how innovative bio-based materials and circular value chains can offer viable alternatives to fossil-based resources—supporting safer, more sustainable manufacturing practices.

Our participation highlighted GREEN-LOOP’s work in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), circular design, and the bioeconomy, aligning with SETAC’s focus on integrating safety, sustainability, and innovation, through a poster presentation by Carlos Bernárdez Casás from AIMEN.

We are excited to continue engaging with the scientific community and stakeholders to accelerate the transition toward a greener, low-impact future.

On June 5, 2025, the GREEN-LOOP project hosted its second external workshop, this time spotlighting the wood composites value chain.

The event brought together researchers, engineers, and sustainability advocates to explore how bio-based wood composites can revolutionize industrial applications.

The session was led by Liviu Dan Toma from Fraunhofer Center HDL and Andreas Kailer from Fraunhofer IWM.

Liviu opened with an in-depth presentation on the development of wood composite materials, focusing on the use of renewable wood fibers, biopolymers, and natural additives.

The goal? To create high-performance, recyclable, and cost-effective materials for use in precision-engineered mechanical components like sliding bearings.

The workshop detailed the formulation process, including the selection of sustainable raw materials, the integration of recycled glass fibers, and the use of microwave-assisted extrusion to enhance energy efficiency. Liviu also introduced a novel fiberglass composite barrel developed to support microwave heating during extrusion—an innovation aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving material homogeneity.

Andreas followed with a technical deep dive into the tribological testing of the developed materials. Using pin-on-disc and bearing test setups, the team evaluated friction and wear performance under dry conditions. The results were impressive: several bio-based formulations demonstrated low friction coefficients, high wear resistance, and thermal stability up to 120°C, making them viable alternatives to conventional thermoplastics in demanding applications.

The workshop also highlighted the collaborative nature of the GREEN-LOOP project, with contributions from partners such as Technaro, GRS, NCC UK, and Guala Closures. Together, they are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with circular, bio-based materials.

Attendees engaged in a lively Q&A session, discussing the challenges of fiber degradation during extrusion, the potential of coupling agents, and the scalability of these solutions for industrial use. The event concluded with a look ahead to component testing in conveyor rollers, marking the next step in validating these materials for real-world applications.

This workshop underscored the GREEN-LOOP project’s commitment to closing the loop on material waste through innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.

On May 23, 2025, the GREEN-LOOP project hosted an engaging and insightful external workshop focused on bio-plastic formulation and innovation. The event brought together experts, researchers, and industry leaders to explore the potential of bio-based and biodegradable plastics in advancing the circular economy.

The session was led by Marco Scatto, and Angela Davidov from Mixcycling, a pioneering company in sustainable materials.

Marco opened the workshop with a comprehensive overview of bio-plastic types, including bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable polymers. He emphasized the importance of reducing environmental impact through innovative material design, highlighting the role of bio-based feedstocks and natural fillers in achieving lower carbon footprints.

Angela followed with a deep dive into Mixcycling’s patented non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology, which enhances the performance of organic fibers used in bio-composites. She showcased real-world applications developed in collaboration with Guala Closures, including biodegradable bottle caps for olive oil and limoncello. These solutions not only reduce plastic waste but also maintain high performance and aesthetic appeal.

The workshop also addressed the regulatory landscape, particularly the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and how GREEN-LOOP’s bio-plastic solutions align with upcoming EU sustainability targets. The team shared their success in achieving high bio-based carbon content and industrial compostability, positioning their materials as compliant and forward-thinking alternatives for packaging producers.

Participants engaged in a lively Q&A session, discussing topics such as fiber treatment methods, recyclability, and the challenges of integrating bio-based materials into existing manufacturing systems. The event concluded with a strong call to action: to embrace innovation, collaboration, and sustainability in the development of next-generation materials.

This workshop was a testament to the GREEN-LOOP project’s mission to close the loop on plastic waste through bio-based innovation, and it highlighted the power of cross-sector collaboration in driving meaningful environmental change.

On 21 June 2025, the BIOMATTERS cluster – comprising six Horizon Europe projects (AMBIANCE, BIO-UPTAKE, GREEN-LOOP, NEW WAVE, VITAL, and Waste2BioComp) – submitted a joint contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy. This consultation represents a crucial milestone in advancing bioeconomy to support European businesses and accelerate progress towards the EU’s environmental, climate, and competitiveness goals. In its position paper, the cluster outlines the main barriers currently hindering the development and market uptake of bio-based materials, essential components of a sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

The most pressing issues identified include:

- Cost competitiveness: Bio-based materials are often more expensive than fossil-based alternatives due to limited availability, higher raw material and processing costs, and a lack of large-scale infrastructure.

- Limited access to finance: European SMEs in the bioeconomy sector face a significant funding gap when scaling from pilot to commercial stages. The cluster calls for targeted financial instruments and dedicated EU funds to de-risk investments in the sector.

- Regulatory fragmentation: Inconsistent standards, complex certification processes, and unclear end-of-life regulations hinder the market uptake of bio-based products across Member States.

To address these obstacles, BIOMATTERS proposes:

- Revising the EU waste framework to enable better collection and valorisation of bio-based plastics.

- Introducing tax incentives for sustainable production and procurement of certified bio-based products.

- Establishing harmonised certification systems and promoting regulatory sandboxes to accelerate market access for sustainable innovations.

The BIOMATTERS Cluster contribution underlines the need for a dedicated policy framework for bio-based chemicals and materials, aligned with the EU’s broader environmental, climate, and competitiveness objectives. Through this joint effort, the Cluster reaffirms its commitment to shaping an inclusive and forward-looking EU Bioeconomy Strategy that supports innovation, strengthens European value chains, and drives the green transition.

EC - Published Initiative

EC News - Commission launches public consultation on upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy

The GREEN-LOOP project is driving a sustainable transformation in European manufacturing with the development of three cutting-edge bio-based materials: bio-rubber, bio-plastic, and wood composite. With a strong focus on circular economy principles, GREEN-LOOP aims to optimise every step of the value chain—from raw materials to end-of-life—while reducing environmental impact and boosting innovation.

From Lab to Market: Smart, Green, Scalable

At the heart of GREEN-LOOP’s mission is a triple objective:

• Enhance the green and smart features of manufacturing bio-based materials at relevant industrial scales.
• Introduce bio-materials into new market sectors.
• Demonstrate real-world applications with measurable environmental and economic gains.

Leveraging AI-driven smart manufacturing, microwave-enhanced production, and a digital platform for real-time KPIs, GREEN-LOOP is not just developing sustainable products—it’s redefining the way they are made.

Bio-Rubber Innovation for Greener Construction

In the bio-rubber value chain, GREEN-LOOP has developed fire-retardant and vibration-damping acoustic panels tailored for the construction sector. Using lignin additives sourced from the kraft process, the material offers:

• 15% improved mechanical properties
• 40% faster lignin extraction
• 30% lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional rubber

These panels are refurbishable and fully recyclable, setting new standards for circular construction materials.

Bio-Plastics: Closing the Loop in Packaging

For the food and beverage industry, GREEN-LOOP introduces 100% bio-based bottle closures made from agro-industrial residues like rice husks and fruit waste. Innovations include:

• Microwave-enhanced injection moulding delivering 20% energy savings
• 100% organic recycling and 50% biomaterial reuse
• A 60% reduction in production waste and 30% lower CO₂ emissions

These closures maintain the performance of fossil-based plastics while being fully food-safe and sustainable.

Wood Composites: Sustainable Engineering in Motion

The project’s third innovation is a high-performance wood-composite sliding bearing for injection moulding machines in the appliance and tooling sectors. Composed of 50–60% wood fibres, these bearings are:

• Water-lubricated and metal-free
• Designed for 90% refurbishment rate
• Responsible for 28% less CO₂ emissions than traditional steel bearings

This solution demonstrates how biocomposites can meet demanding mechanical needs while advancing sustainability.

Empowering Industry with a Smart Circular Platform

Supporting these technological breakthroughs is the GREEN-LOOP Value Chain Platform—a powerful digital tool that offers:

• Real-time AI-based manufacturing optimisation
• Customisable modules for circularity, environmental impact, and business analytics
• A training hub with webinars and tutorials for workforce upskilling
• Public access to circularity metrics, boosting transparency and social engagement

Impact and Outlook

With its end-to-end circular approach, GREEN-LOOP is overcoming long-standing barriers in sustainable manufacturing. Key outcomes include:

• Three fully optimised bio-based products
• AI-retrofitted and microwave-enhanced production
• 30% average CO₂ reduction across the value chains
• New market creation with projected CAGR of 3–6%
• 415+ jobs created by 2023, aligned with Blue Economy goals

GREEN-LOOP is proving that sustainable, scalable, and smart manufacturing is not only possible, it’s already happening.

GREEN-LOOP Presentation

Press Release
1st Plenary Meeting of the ENCIRCLE project

Date: 16 May 2025

Location: Thessaloniki, GREECE

ENCIRCLE Project Marks Key Milestone at First Plenary Meeting, Driving Digital and Green Transition in Manufacturing

The ENCIRCLE project, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 101178230), recently held its first plenary meeting on May 8–9, 2025. Hosted in a hybrid format by the Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH in Wuppertal, Germany, the meeting marked a pivotal moment for the consortium to assess early progress, align on objectives, and chart the next steps toward its ambitious goals.

ENCIRCLE is at the forefront of promoting the twin transition—digital and green—within the manufacturing sector. The project aims to establish circular value chains by harnessing advanced digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Twins, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Blockchain, all embedded in a human-centric innovation ecosystem. This integrated approach seeks to reduce the environmental footprint of production and enable low-carbon, sustainable manufacturing practices.

The two-day plenary featured detailed presentations across all key Work Packages (WPs), underscoring the strong momentum achieved since the project's launch. A standout element of the event was the on-site visit to the production facilities of ZINQ, offering partners a firsthand view of operational processes. The visit provided valuable insights for real-world application of research, particularly in terms of data accessibility and use-case development.

Collaborative sessions during the meeting addressed core challenges, including the standardization of Digital Product Passport (DPP) metrics and the refinement of communication interfaces between technological components. These discussions laid the groundwork for future integration efforts and reinforced the project’s commitment to practical, scalable innovation.

With clear action points and strengthened cross-partner collaboration, ENCIRCLE is advancing steadily toward its vision of digitally empowered, circular manufacturing.

For more information, please visit the project website (www.encircle-project.eu) and/or contact us directly:

Dr. Nikolaos Dimitriou
Project Coordinator
nikdim@iti.gr

The 5th Internal GREEN-LOOP workshop explored bio-plastic formulation and testing with Mixcylcing and ISQ as the facilitators. Innovation meets sustainability!

On March 25th, the GREEN-LOOP consortium attended the 5th internal workshop focusing on Bio-Plastic Innovations, as part of its mission to advance sustainable, circular, and smart manufacturing practices aligned with the capacity-building principles of the consortium. This event spotlighted the cutting-edge developments in bio-plastic formulation and characterization, led respectively by project partners Mixcycling and ISQ.

Mixcycling shared their expertise in creating bio-based plastic closures derived from agro-industrial waste, presenting insights into innovative formulation strategies, material performance, and sustainability principles embedded in the design process. Their session addressed the challenges of replacing conventional plastics and highlighted opportunities across packaging and food sectors. ISQ guided participants through the characterization techniques essential to validating the quality and safety of bio-plastic products. Their contributions covered methods for testing mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, as well as assessing durability, biodegradability, and compliance with EU standards.

The workshop featured interactive discussions and knowledge-sharing, fostering collaboration across technical and scientific disciplines within the project. Participants also engaged with key topics such as market trends, regulatory challenges, and Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) related to bio-based materials.

This workshop contributes to GREEN-LOOP’s broader vision of implementing circularity by design, reducing environmental impact, and advancing smart manufacturing in Europe. These discussions not only support internal progress but also pave the way for future exploitation of bio-plastic solutions in various industrial applications.

During the last General Meeting of the COMPASS project in The Hague, NSBproject, the partner leading Dissemination and Exploitation, curated the first exploitation workshop, bringing together all project partners.  

The session focused on strategies to transform research results into actionable and market-ready solutions, ensuring that the project's innovations effectively contribute to the circular economy.  

Key Exploitation Insights  

• Mapping Key Results – Aligning innovative outcomes with their roles in circular value chains.  

• Developing Tailored Scenarios – Defining targeted exploitation strategies for technology providers and use-case partners, with a strong emphasis on remanufacturing and circularity.  

• Collaborative Roadmapping – Facilitating discussions among partners to outline an integrated, aggregated value chain approach.  

• Phased Strategy Development – Advancing from early-stage characterization to readiness metrics, setting the stage for impactful market entry by 2026.  

From Research to Market: Next Steps  

Building on these foundations, the workshop identified promising business prospects for the project’s results. Current estimates suggest that between 2027 and 2028, the project will introduce new technologies and services into the B2B and industrial markets, of which approximately 64% will be commercial and capable of supporting companies engaged in production, dismantling, remanufacturing, and product lifecycle management.  

These innovations will enhance process efficiency, quality control, and traceability across sectors such as:  

• Aerospace 

• Automotive  

• Advanced Manufacturing  

• Circular Economy & Sustainability – Implementation of Digital Product Passports for end-of-life component management and promotion of reuse and recycling.  

• MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) 

• Material Science & Engineering  

The primary objective of these technologies is to reduce waste, optimize efficiency, and accelerate the transition toward more sustainable production and reuse models.  

Additionally, by the end of 2025, stakeholder engagement activities are planned to assess market sentiment and refine commercialization strategies. To ensure a smooth market transition, COMPASS is leveraging advanced validation tools, integrating multidimensional technical assessments of the developed innovations with economic and commercial feasibility analyses. These methodologies, presented during the workshop, received highly positive feedback from participants, confirming their effectiveness in shaping viable business models.  

Through a structured approach and the expertise of its partners, the COMPASS project continues to drive the transformation of research into real-world impact, fostering innovation and sustainability in key industries.

On February 21st, the 4th internal workshop session of the GREEN-LOOP project took place, focusing on the sustainability and environmental benefits of wood composite applications.
The event, held online via Microsoft Teams, lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes and brought together partners involved in the GREEN-LOOP project to explore the key aspects of these innovative materials.

During the session, the trainers Andreas Kailer and Liviu Toma from Fraunhofer provided insights into:
• The properties and production processes of wood composites
• The opportunities and challenges associated with their manufacturing
• The importance of sustainability in material selection and production methods
• The potential applications of wood composites in construction, transportation, and industrial components
• The technical and performance characteristics of bio-based composite bearings
• Future perspectives for optimizing wood composite production

Participants gained valuable insights into the potential applications of wood composites from a sustainability perspective.
The workshop allowed them to better understand how to select the most suitable materials and components for specific industrial uses and to analyze possible solutions for improving the performance and durability of these materials.
The discussion also encouraged the exchange of ideas on how to maximize the project’s results, laying the groundwork for further developments and collaborations in the sector.

This workshop represents another step forward in GREEN-LOOP’s commitment to innovation in bio-based materials, supporting the transition towards more sustainable and circular production systems.

The ENCIRCLE project officially kicks off to revolutionize sustainable manufacturing

Date: 6 November 2024

Location: Thessaloniki, GREECE

The European Union-funded project “Enabling Circular Value Chains via Production Digitization and Human Empowerment” (ENCIRCLE) officially launched on the 1st of October 2024. The ENCIRCLE project is setting a new benchmark in sustainable manufacturing by offering an advanced framework for environmental impact assessment. This European initiative leverages state-of-the-art technologies, including Digital Twins, Soft Sensors, and Digital Product Passports, to transition traditional manufacturing methods toward sustainable, circular models. The ENCIRCLE project is supported by the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Grant Agreement No 101178230, and will run for three years, bringing together a dynamic consortium of 15 partners across Europe, including top research institutions, industry leaders, and specialized SMEs.

The kick-off meeting, held on 29 and 30 of October 2024 in Thessaloniki, Greece, gathered all partners to outline objectives, defined roles, and set the project’s anticipated impact towards transitioning from linear to circular manufacturing by building on and advancing digital technologies. The ENCIRCLE project aims to:

1. Decarbonize manufacturing, searching for sustainable production configurations and designs that reduce environmental footprint without compromising quality.
2. Train workforce through gamification, cultivating new skills and fostering a new circular mindset.
3. Follow a human-centered design and propose a symbiotic ecosystem of humans and AI through explainable Human-in-the-Loop methodologies.

Aligned with the EU’s guidelines on sustainable production, ENCIRCLE emphasizes a strategic approach to circularity at each stage of the product lifecycle, with key objectives focusing on:

1. AI-enabled control loops for sustainable manufacturing

2. Circularity and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Framework

3. Production virtualization for first-time right manufacturing

4. Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Decision Support System

5. Gamification for circular value chains

6. Digital Product Passport (DPP)

With the achievement of the above objectives, ENCIRCLE’s end goal is to create a culture of sustainable consumption and responsible production, encouraging businesses to adopt circular CRM systems and empowering consumers with digital tools for sustainable choices. By exploring legal and ethical dimensions, the project is committed to creating a model for the industry that aligns with the environmental needs of the planet, ultimately contributing to the global effort of mitigating climate change and fostering a sustainable economy.

For more information, please visit the project website (www.encircle-project.eu) and/or contact the project coordinator:

Dr. Nikolaos Dimitriou
e-mail: nikdim@iti.gr

The 3rd internal workshop on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) within the GREEN-LOOP project took place on January 27, focusing on the LCA of the three value chains involved in the project. This session aimed to provide a deeper understanding of LCA methodologies and their application to sustainable manufacturing systems based on novel bio-based materials. This workshop was designed to equip participants with both theoretical and practical insights into LCA, emphasizing its importance in assessing the environmental impact of materials throughout their entire life cycle. Trainers from AIMEN, Carlos Bernárdez Casás and Rocío Pena Rois, led the session, delivering key knowledge on the methodology, tools, and applications of LCA within the GREEN-LOOP project.

The workshop was conducted online via Microsoft Teams and incorporated interactive elements through tools such as PowerPoint and Mentimeter. Over the course of 1 hour and 10 minutes, participants explored several core aspects of LCA, including:

- Fundamental concepts of Life Cycle Assessment – An overview of what LCA entails and its significance in sustainability assessments.

- Application of LCA to the three GREEN-LOOP value chains – A detailed examination of how LCA is integrated into the project to evaluate material impact.

- Tools and methodologies for conducting LCA – Insights into key instruments used to assess the environmental performance of materials.

The session began with an introduction and ice-breaking activity, allowing participants to engage before diving into the core topics. This was followed by an explanation of the LCA framework, its relevance to the GREEN-LOOP value chains, and a discussion on the practical application of LCA tools. This internal workshop aligns with GREEN-LOOP’s broader objectives of promoting sustainable manufacturing practices and evaluating the lifecycle impact of bio-based materials. By integrating LCA into decision-making processes, the project seeks to enhance the sustainability of materials across different stages of production and use. The insights shared in this workshop will contribute to ongoing efforts in optimizing the environmental footprint of materials within the GREEN-LOOP framework. Future sessions will continue to build on these discussions.

On December 3rd and 4th, 2024, the 2nd Internal Workshop on “Introduction to Sustainable Materials in Product Design” took place virtually, hosted by Marcus Crew from the National Composites Centre, in Bristol (UK).  

Over the course of two mornings, participants explored the importance of sustainability in product design and examined strategies for integrating sustainable practices into their everyday processes.  

The workshop highlighted key sustainable design principles, emphasiszing the increasing need for environmentally responsible choices. The sessions were designed to enhance knowledge, develop practical skills, and cultivate the right attitudes necessary to drive meaningful change in product development.  

Key topics covered included the fundamentals of sustainability, focusing on the three pillars of sustainability and their application in design. Participants also assessed the impact of global warming and greenhouse gases on the environment, learning methods to mitigate these effects. Additionally, they explored tools to measure and implement circular design practices, as well as practical approaches to embedding sustainability throughout the product lifecycle via Design for Sustainability (DfS). Demonstrations of eco-design tools and software provided hands-on experience to support sustainable design efforts.  

Throughout the workshop, attendees engaged in discussions, Q&A sessions, and practical activities, including exploring concepts like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Planetary Boundaries (PBs), and Doughnut Economics, to frame sustainability within a global context. Hands-on tasks allowed participants to apply circularity principles and evaluate real-world sustainability applications in design.  

By the end of the workshop, participants had gained a deeper understanding of sustainability’s role in product design and its environmental impact. They were equipped with practical tools and techniques, such as DfS and eco-design strategies, to implement sustainable practices in their own work. The workshop also provided valuable insights into current and future policies influencing sustainable product design.  

Participants left the event inspired and ready to influence peers and organiszations, championing sustainable design tools and methodologies to amplify the initiative’s impact.  

The success of the workshop highlights the importance of continuous learning and collaboration in addressing global challenges like climate change. It has laid a strong foundation for future exploration of sustainable practices, empowering participants to lead the transformation of product design into a force for environmental goods.  

Stay tuned for more workshops and initiatives aimed at fostering sustainability in design and innovation! 

As 2024 comes to an end, we reflect on a year of remarkable progress, fruitful collaborations, and impactful achievements in our mission to foster circular and sustainable bio-based value chains. This year has been pivotal in advancing our shared vision of a greener and more sustainable future, with GREEN-LOOP playing a central role in key international events and conferences.

Here are some of the most significant milestones and achievements that have shaped our journey this year:

• Ecomondo 2024 (November 5th–8th, 2024): The GREEN-LOOP project was presented at Ecomondo 2024, one of Europe’s leading events on green technology and the circular economy. During the event, the project’s digital paper highlighted key results, fostering dialogue with industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers.
• Mirabilia Network Food & Drink Event (October 14th–15th, 2024): GREEN-LOOP proudly participated in the prestigious Mirabilia Network Food & Drink Event in Perugia, Italy. This global B2B gathering for the food and drink industry brought together leading companies and international buyers from markets worldwide, including the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. The event provided an excellent platform to promote sustainable practices and foster international cooperation in the food sector.
• 6th European Congress on Eco-Plasturgy and Sustainable, Intelligent, and Safe Plastic Materials (October 2nd–3rd, 2024): GREEN-LOOP contributed to the 6th European Congress on Eco-Plasturgy in Alessandria, Italy, offering valuable insights into plastics processing developments and applications, reinforcing its role in advancing sustainable solutions in the plastics sector.
• Macrolibrarsi Fest (September 21st–22nd, 2024): At Macrolibrarsi Fest in Cesena, Italy, GREEN-LOOP showcased its progress in developing bio-based materials to replace traditional plastic and aluminum caps in packaging. This event was an opportunity to engage directly with communities and showcase practical solutions.
• European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) 2024 (June 24th–27th, 2024): At EUBCE 2024 in Marseille, France, GREEN-LOOP shared insights on bio-based innovations and resource efficiency alongside five other projects from the BIO-MATTERS Cluster. Together, they presented manufacturing technologies for bio-based materials aimed at creating circular value chains for a wide range of final and intermediate bio-based products.
• National Stakeholder’s Workshop at Mixcycling (March 21th, 2024): In March 21th, the National Stakeholders’s workshop hosted by Mixcycling, in Breganze, highlighted the project’s efforts to improve sustainable production processes, with a focus on biomass valorisation for final bio-based products for different industries.

As we step into 2025, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our partners and stakeholders for their unwavering dedication and contributions to GREEN-LOOP’s success. The momentum we’ve built this year inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of circular and bio-based innovation, creating lasting value for people and the planet.

Rimini (IT), November 7, 2024 – GREEN-LOOP is a European project that enhances the manufacturing industry by refining bio-based materials and optimising production processes to offer solutions compliant with the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Among the key players in the project is the Italian company Mixcycling, which transforms agricultural by-products into bio-based materials ideal for various applications, focusing on sustainable packaging. Another project partner, Guala Closures in Breganze (Vicenza, Italy), is actively involved in designing new products and testing Mixcycling’s bioplastics for bottle closures for spirits that comply with European regulations (EC 1935/2004 and 10/2011), ensuring safety for contact with food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

As part of the GREEN-LOOP project, a new bio-based composite for injection moulding was developed and used to create initial prototypes of screw caps and oil dispensers. Additionally, an innovative microwave-assisted production process helps reduce energy consumption and improve material properties. New bio-based thermoplastics incorporating agricultural residues as fillers also show great potential for packaging. These advancements were presented by the project’s dissemination leader, NSBproject, in the paper “GREEN-LOOP: Sustainable Bio-based Materials and Circular Economy Solutions” during the Ecomondo 2024 conference in Rimini on November 5, 2024.

Solutions for Packaging Companies Compliant with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)

The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, approved on April 24, 2024, aims to promote the circular economy by reducing the environmental impact of packaging and waste. The main goals include reducing waste volumes by optimising use of materials and designs that avoid excessive packaging; promoting reuse with long-term solutions; and increasing the share of recycled materials by improving collection systems and recycling processes. These principles are crucial for environmental sustainability and natural resource conservation, contributing to reduced pollution and carbon footprint. The PPWR introduces stricter requirements to reduce waste and enhance recyclability, creating new challenges and opportunities for companies. GREEN-LOOP demonstrates how bio-based materials can play a significant role in this transition, offering alternatives to traditional plastics within the PPWR framework.

With support from NSBproject, Mixcycling has developed materials for packaging and food closures. In collaboration with Guala Closures, bioplastic composites have been integrated into tamper-evident closures that match conventional plastics in terms of strength, hygiene, and flexibility. These closures, compliant with EC regulations, are safe for use with food, beverages, and medicines, reflecting GREEN-LOOP’s commitment to regulatory compliance and the development of sustainable materials. Technologies such as microwave-assisted injection moulding, which reduces energy consumption by up to 30%, pave the way for sustainable solutions that meet the standards of fossil-based plastics. Collaboration with industrial partners showcases the feasibility of integrating bio-based materials across various sectors, from food to cosmetic packaging. The bio-based materials proposed in the GREEN-LOOP project could potentially replace recycled plastic content, either due to a lack of recycled material or for quality reasons. As stated in Art. 8 of the PPWR, within three years from the regulation’s entry into force, the European Commission will review the technological development status and environmental performance of bio-based plastic packaging, taking into account the sustainability criteria outlined in Article 29 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and the Council. Based on this review, the Commission may propose legislation to:

a) establish sustainability requirements for bio-based raw materials in plastic packaging;
b) set targets to increase the use of bio-based raw materials in plastic packaging;
c) introduce the possibility of meeting the regulation’s objectives using bio-based plastic instead of post-consumer recycled content.

Conclusion

GREEN-LOOP will continue to develop solutions for bio-based industries by improving material formulations, optimising production processes, and conducting rigorous tests to ensure scalability and market readiness. For the packaging sector, the project’s outcomes will offer tangible solutions compliant with the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

***

The GREEN-LOOP partners involved:

Guala Closures www.gualaclosures.com

Guala Closures offers high-quality, sustainable, and innovative closure solutions that ensure protection and convenience for end consumers while enhancing the value of brands. Guala Closures is a global leader in closures for the spirits, wine, beverages, oil, and condiments markets. With 35 production plants worldwide, the Group ensures proximity to its clients, offering tailored services and solutions. Guala Closures has over 5,000 employees.
Visit www.gualaclosures.com and follow the company page on LinkedIn.

MIXCYCLING www.mixcycling.com

Founded as a start-up in 2020 by brothers Gianni and Amerigo Tagliapietra, Mixcycling scaled up to become an industry player in 2023, earning international awards and recognition. It collaborates with major research centres and universities and participates in the GREEN-LOOP project funded by the European Commission, focusing on the research and development of high-performance, low-impact biopolymers (LCA – Life Cycle Assessment). Mixcycling’s technology is based on a patented process and proprietary technology that valorises organic waste and blends it with both bio-based and fossil-based materials, creating new raw materials for major industrial groups such as EssilorLuxottica, Stoelzle Glass Group, SCHID Spa, UniCredit StartLab, Adamo srl, Lavazza Group, Stilfibra srl, DeRoma Group, Selle Royal Group Spa, among others.

NSBproject www.nsbproject.com

NSBproject (NSB) supports large and medium-sized Italian enterprises in identifying, testing, and adopting innovative and enabling technologies, assisting with research, development, and technological innovation projects for products and processes. Leveraging a vast network of research entities and consortia across Europe and solid relationships with corporate partners and clients, NSB professionals contribute to the Italian and European innovation ecosystem with technological and financial scouting services. NSBproject is a partner in numerous Horizon Europe programme projects, serving as an Innovation Broker. Founded twenty years ago by professionals with expertise in technological innovation and extensive knowledge of national and European research and innovation funding mechanisms, CEO Fabrizio Riccomi, along with partners Andrea Jester and Rita Zanni, promotes and facilitates technology transfer, playing a key role in Italy’s economic system innovation, traditionally driven by foundations and universities. NSB is headquartered in Mantua, with offices in Veneto and Tuscany.

Steyr, January 29, 2024

The COMPASS project, a collaborative effort among 13 leading European partners, was officially launched with a kick-off meeting held in Steyr, Austria, on January 23-24, 2024. Funded under the European Union’s HORIZON EUROPE programme, COMPASS aims to revolutionize the remanufacturing of sheet metal and thermoplastic composites, significantly reusing material waste for high-quality components production, and promoting a circular economy approach in the aerospace and automotive industries. The PROFACTOR research team, coordinator of the project, stated that: “The digital tools developed in COMPASS will make disassembly processes efficient for extracting sheet metal or panels from a decommissioned aircrafts or cars, where relevant component information will be collected and stored in the digital passport during the part’s life-cycle. In addition, remanufacturing process planning software will also optimize the matching of incoming and outgoing parts for the creation of new products”.

Below we present the key concepts of the project:

Driving Circularity through Advanced Remanufacturing

The COMPASS project addresses the growing challenge of efficiently recycling and remanufacturing components at the end of their lifespan. By employing advanced remanufacturing techniques, COMPASS will extend the life of these components, minimizing the need for raw material extraction and reducing environmental impact of new component production.

A Data-Driven Approach for Enhanced Remanufacturing

COMPASS introduces a novel data-driven approach to remanufacturing, leveraging digital tools and a comprehensive digital component passport. This passport will capture real-time information about component performance and history, enabling intelligent remanufacturing strategies. Optimizing Remanufacturing Processes and Quality Digital tools will streamline dismantling processes, ensuring efficient extraction of sheet metal and composite panels. The passport will also facilitate the collection of relevant component data, facilitating improved quality control and optimization of remanufacturing operations.

Partnership for Innovation and Impact

COMPASS brings together a diverse consortium of experts from academia, research institutions, and industry, representing Austria, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Germany. This collaboration will bring together cutting-edge technologies and expertise to develop and drive innovation in remanufacturing processes.

Achieving Sustainable Manufacturing for the aerospace and automotive sectors

The COMPASS project aims to achieve a significant impact by enabling the remanufacturing of approximately 30% of sheet metal parts and thermoplastic composite panels. The remanufacturing process will utilize end-of-life components, or production scrap, from aircraft or cars, retaining a high value in sheet metal and composite panels, rather than reprocessing them as secondary raw materials and/or sending them to landfill. The total commercial value will be in the order of EUR 60 million per year (30,000t/year of end-of-life scrap and 14,000t/year of production scrap) for metal alloys and EUR 500 million per year for composites (10,000t/year) by 2035. This will lead to substantial resource savings and contribute to a more sustainable future for the aerospace and automotive sectors. This will lead to substantial resource savings and contribute to a more sustainable future for the aerospace and automotive sectors.

Project Summary

Project Title: A Data-driven remanufacturing process for sheet metal and thermoplastic composites

Project Acronym: COMPASS Project Number: 101136940

Funding Programme Call – type of action: HORIZON-CL4-2023-TWIN-TRANSITION-01 - Innovation Actions Project

Starting Date: January 1, 2024

Project End Date: December 31, 2026

Project Duration: 36 months

Partners:

PROFACTOR GMBH (Austria) – Project Coordinator

CIRCULARISE BV (Netherlands) FACC OPERATIONS GMBH (Austria)

AIRCRAFT END-OF-LIFE SOLUTIONS BV (Netherlands)

KONINKLIJK NEDERLANDS LUCHT- EN RUIMTEVAARTCENTRUM - NLR (Netherlands)

AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBH (Austria)

NSBPROJECT SRL – NSB (Italy)

MARK METALLWARENFABRIK GMBH (Austria)

FUNDACION AITIIP (Spain)

EDAG ENGINEERING GMBH (Germany)

SCHILD & PARTNER GMBH (Austria)

VOESTALPINE METAL FORMING GMBH (Austria)

LKR LEICHTMETALLKOMPETENZZENTRUM RANSHOFEN GMBH (Austria)

For more information, please contact:

Denis Krajnc Project Coordinator

Mobile: +43 (0) 664-60885-953

Email: denis.krajnc@profactor.at

Website: www.compass-horizon.eu

SURE2COAT´s project parners, HEREON and WUST, published at the beginning of 2024 a chapter in a new book with the title «Advanced Ceramic Coatings for Energy Applications». It is a publication very related with the work the research institute and the university are doing within SURE2COAT. The book chapter abstract can be read here: Advanced Ceramic Coatings for Energy Applications - 1st Edition | Elsevier Shop.

"This chapter focuses on anticorrosive protective coatings on Al-based elements of​ thermal energy storage (TES) units working with phase change materials (PCM). The main​ challenges of such heat accumulators were discussed, highlighting especially their main​ drawback, which is low thermal conductivity. This feature impairs the charging and​ discharging rates and the overall efficiency of such storage tanks. An opportunity for solving​ this problem was presented – the immersion of spatial metallic structures in the PCM deposit​ that significantly facilitate heat transfer. Nevertheless, working in an aggressive environment​ of molten salts as PCMs requires additional protection of the metal surface against corrosion.​

While giving a brief overview of various protection methods, this work primarily evaluates the​ utilization of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) oxide layers for this purpose. It​ characterizes PEO coatings for aluminum substrates in details and suggests the possible​ strategies to further improve the performance of these layers in TES applications."​

A EU project is dedicated to advancing energy efficiency through the development of innovative and eco-friendly corrosion protection methods, with the goal of replacing steel with aluminum.

SINTEF coordinates the SURE2COATproject, which stands for "Sustainable Surface Treatments of Complex Shape Components for Transsectorial Industrial Innovation." The project aims to raise the level of surface treatment methods from research to practical application in industry.

The main goal of the project is to address challenges related to corrosion of aluminium alloys in given environments and improve the effect of “gas-water heaters" where the heat-conducting parts of copper may be covered with a water film that reduces heat transfer.

In three very different applications, the project will demonstrate the new production concepts and demonstrate increased sustainability for the entire production, use and reuse chain of aluminium and copper. We want to address the challenges in the following three applications:

• Motor housing for the food industry
• Macro capsules for heat storage
• Gas-water heaters

For the first two applications, the goal is to replace steel as a material with aluminium alloys, while for the copper-based unit (gas-water heaters) we want to change the structure of the surface using laser.

To ensure relevance and efficiency, the project has partnered up with four industry partners, tnamely SIEMENS, BOSCH, MicroArc and COWA. These partners cover each of the three applications, and their insight and expertise will be critical to realising the project's objectives.

What surface treatment methods are we talking about?

1. Sustainable aluminium: SURE2COAT is exploring methods such as plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to create corrosion-resistant surfaces on aluminum alloys. This can replace steel in many applications and significantly reduce its weight, while improving durability and reducing energy consumption.
2. Hybrid materials: Using techniques such as stainless steel spray coating, your product can achieve the best of both worlds. This means preserving aluminium's light weight and good thermal conductivity while using steel's corrosion resistance. This is especially important for the food industry and other sectors with strict standards.
3. Laser precision: SURE2COAT will apply laser structuring techniques to alter copper surfaces at the micrometer level. This optimizes heat transfer and reduces water condensation in gas-water heaters.

The importance of sustainability and climate friendliness
SURE2COAT aims to raise the status of the three coating methods from TRL 3 to TRL 6 (Technology Readiness Level). This involves validating that the methods provide adequate corrosion protection, are environmentally friendly and can be integrated into production processes with reduced energy consumption and environmental impact. This initiative represents:

• New green surface treatment: SURE2COAT seeks to establish sustainable surface treatment methods that will have a positive impact on both the environment and energy consumption.
• Industrial transformation: By integrating these methods into production processes, the project contributes to a reduction in environmental impact and energy consumption compared to existing technologies.
• Commercial use: Upon reaching TRL 6, SURE2COAT are approaching commercial use, and the results have the potential to change industries worldwide

New technology redefines energy efficiency - SINTEF

From the 15th to 19th of May, 2023, Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST) hosted a workshop in which Sure2Coat partners could delve into the details of manufacturing complex shapes via investment casting technology.

The participants started with a 3D modeling course during which they designed spatial structures. Further days were packed with preparing models, molds, and casting. Additionally, the partners visited MicroArc company, where PEO coatings for proposed solutions in the project will be applied. They also visited the  project partner MicroArc.

See pictures in Workshop WUST.

The new partners are Politecnico di Milano and Avio Aero. They joined consortium in the 2nd trimester of 2024 and will work on a use case related to surface treatment of aluminium parts using cold spray technology.

Daniel Blücher, Håvard Wilson, John Erik Lein from SINTEF and Poppy O’Neill from COWA Thermal Solutions showcased the latest Sure2Coat findings on Latent Heat Storage (LHS) challenges in Phase Change Materials (PCM) at EUROCORR 2024 conference on September 4th in Paris, France. The project is pioneering the uptake of aluminium alloys in new sectors involving products with complex shapes, by new sustainable manufacturing methods with lower energy consumption for end users.

See the video where you can know more about the work which is being done by the University of Aveiro and Bosch Portugal within the framework of SURE2COAT, in close collaboration with the rest of project beneficiaries. Just click on the following link: Optimising laser-based surface treatments to boost heat exchangers in gas water heaters.

The event, organised by the Sure2Coat project and the collaboration of the Bilasurf project, featured the presentations of first-class experts, from leading companies, centres and universities such as Siemens AG, Elsyca, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Micro-Arc S.C., University of Aveiro and CEIT.

During the two days, attendants visited the adjacent facilities of CEIT and CIDETEC Surface Engineering, both located in San Sebastian, Spain, with various pilot plants for scaling different surface treatments, where live demonstrations were held.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, organised by EFFRA in Brussels on May 7th and 8th, was an ideal opportunity to network with other Horizon Europe and Horizon2020 manufacturing projects, and to showcase Sure2Coat alongside two of our sister projects, FABulous Project and BILASURF, who are also advancing research in products with complex functional surfaces.

CIDETEC Surface Engineering and SUPSI were there representing Sure2Coat and it was useful to be able to share discussions and experiences with our sister projects.

SURE2COAT works transsectorial to develop new sustainable surface treatments for the future European manufacturing ecosystems. Its sister projects BILASURF, FABulous Project, SYNTECS Project and CLASCO are all under the same work programme and topic and will together impact the development of new products with complex functional surfaces. The projects are funded by the European Commission. Visit the web site of SURE2COAT to learn more.

In the 3rd AIDEAS Newsletter, we are pleased to present our new YouTube video outlining the project's objectives, details of our second technical review, in which we showed demonstrations to the project officer and highlights from our plenary meeting at the Madeira Digital Transformation Week. The campaign to select participants for the Early Adopters Programme has been successfully completed, with many equipment manufacturing companies applying to benefit from using AI in their processes. We will also present the latest congresses in which we have participated, sharing the advances of the AIDEAS project, as well as handing out our dissemination material, such as the Magic Cube. Finally, we present the latest publications on AIDEAS initiatives published in scientific journals.

You can check the 3rd AIDEAS Newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/789acd97b7a2/aideas-newsletter3 

New YouTube video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE26uiwxTu4 

Stay tuned to dive deeper into our journey and celebrate our continuous progress and success.

After 2 years since the proect start, in June 2022, Resilex partners have achieved significant results in the course of their activities. The following Newsletter summarizes those results, providing detailled insights on the following items:

1. Recovering Mine waste
2. Sustainable Silicon production
3. Sustainable, eco-designed solar cells & modules
4. Silicon recycling from PV modules
5. Silicon composite for Li-ion batteries
6. Impact assessment and Policy
7. The Brussels workshop

You can download the Newsletter HERE

The term “engineered wood” refers to a wide range of wood products that are essentially made by wood derivatives (fibers, particles, strands, etc.) put together with adhesives or other fixation techniques. It has wide applications in the construction and furniture industries.

In NewWave, the partner FORESA Tech will use the lignin extracted from the Fast Pyrolysis Oil (FPBO) as a replacement for fossil phenol in a variety of existing resin formulations. In this webinar, taking place on the 4th of September (11:00 AM – CET) Luis Alberto Otero Vazquez (FORESA Tech) will present the following items:

• Overview of the engineered wood sector and current modes of production (and sustainability issues)
• What is the NewWave concept in this sector
• Achievements so far and future steps of the NewWave value chains

REGISTER HERE FOR THE WEBINAR

More than 2 years have passed since the start of the NewWave project and several concrete results have already emerged from the Manufacturing lines as well as the complementary activities.

In this Newsletter we summarize the main results of the first two years of activities. The updates mainly refer to the materials developed in the Manufacturing Lines, the waste water treatment and the activities of the BIO-MATTERS cluster

HERE you can download the document.

We are delighted to present the official CLASCO project video, which provides an in-depth insight into our innovative journey.

Link to CLASCO VIDEO

This video briefly introduces our partners and outlines the motivation and objectives of the CLASCO project and is divided into key sections:

- Introduction: Examines the traditional production of complex parts and its limitations.

- Project overview: Andrés Lasagni, the project coordinator from the Technical University of Dresden, gives a general overview of the CLASCO project.

- Optimised designs through additive manufacturing: Presents weight reduction through optimised design and additive manufacturing processes.

- Polishing and surface functionalisation: Demonstrates the laser-based polishing process with microscope images and expert commentary from Thomas Burry, the CEO of SYLAS.

- In-line monitoring: Highlights the use of infrared cameras and plasma sensors for real-time monitoring.

- AI and Machine Learning Integration: Describes the AI solutions integrated into the CLASCO machine.

- Use Cases: Presents five real-world use cases from consortium members.

- Sustainability Assessments: Includes insights on sustainability from Gesa Beck, CEO of ABCircular.

The CLASCO machine and its components are explained in detail, demonstrating the highlight of our collaborative efforts. Consortium members and interviews play a crucial role in narrating this journey, providing a full understanding of the impact and innovation of the project.

Our consortium includes: ABCircular GmbH, Airbus Defence and Space, CATEC, CT Ingenieros A.A.I. S.L., DePuy Synthes, German Society for Materials Science (DGM), New Infrared Technologies (NIT), nLIGHT plasmo, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, SurFunctionGmbH, SYLAS, Technische Universität Dresden, Z Prime.

📣 📅 Mark your calendars for HARTU's 1st online #webinar titled "How to pick (almost) anything: soft-grippers revolution", on February 14th 2024.

Take part of #HARTU research progress and learn more about our versatile soft grippers, developed by our partners Omnigrasp and Politecnico di Bari.

👉 Register now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWWdBa3UCW8vbu8HceYymdNW3Es87iztXEK3sCVDcQUaJXFA/viewform

🔗 The agenda is available here: https://www.hartu-project.eu/2024/01/30/1st-hartu-webinar/

#Manufacturing #Robotics #AI #SoftGrippers #Innovation

Our RECLAIM project has officially reached its end and was closed successfully. 

A big thank you to every team member for your hard work, dedication, and collaboration. This success is a result of our collective efforts, and I'm confident that the skills and camaraderie built during this project will launch us to new heights in the future.

After all, our journey doesn't end here. In fact, it's a transition to a new phase where we leverage the insights gained to foster circular economy in manufacturing.

We encourage you to check out the main outcomes here: RECLAIM - Refurbishment and re-manufacturing of large industrial equipment (reclaim-project.eu)

Feel free to reach out to us and connect, to build on the achievements in RECLAIM. 
 

With the growth and improvement of production automation in manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems must be safe, trusted, and secure, even when operating in dynamic, unstructured and unpredictable environments. In this regard, one of the STAR project goals is to research and make available new technologies to enable standard-based, secure, safe, reliable and trusted human-centric AI systems in manufacturing environments.

MARKET by STAR is the entry point where all the interested visitors can consult the information representing the results of the project at one place along with the broad range of additional resources and services related to trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing.

Visit MARKET by STAR: https://www.market.star-ai.eu/  

STAR participated in The Manufacturing Partnership Day, which took place on the 26th of September 2023 in Brussels. The event co-organised by the European Factories of the Future Research Association (EFFRA), and Factories of the Future and Made in Europe projects brought together the Factories of the Future and Made in Europe community and showcased ongoing projects' work.  

It was a rich day full of stimulating presentations and exchanges, where participants had the possibility to learn more about Made in Europe and Factories of the Future projects and network with like-minded manufacturing innovation and research professionals.   

STAR showcased the state of play of the project with a presentation made by the project Technical manager Dr.John Soldatos (Netcompany-Intrasoft) and displayed its new 8-page brochure featuring the project's results and the STAR book at a stand in the event's exhibition. Visitors to the stand had the possibility to discuss with the STAR experts the latest project developments and the general state-of-the-art in the field of AI in manufacturing.

The STAR video shown at the event is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhNB5I6KYjw

More information about the event is available at https://effra.glueup.com/event/the-manufacturing-partnership-day-76855/

During an exciting week in Yokohama, Japan at the triennial IFAC World Congress 2023, STAR partners had the opportunity to present and discuss significant contributions of the project in addressing the pertinent issues of human-centric AI in manufacturing.

- How to assess human centricity of AI-driven industrial systems?
https://lnkd.in/dJUfmRu3
- How can robots in shared human-robot spaces anticipate human movement for safer and efficient co-existence?
https://lnkd.in/d7j7pFEt
- How can we involve the human in the AI loop during visual quality control and what this means for changing job profiles, shifting workers to more cognitively demanding tasks?
https://lnkd.in/dJQaFWCE

These are based on a collaborative work between our partners: the University of Groningen, the Jozef Stefan Institute, QLector, Thales, and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland.

The IFAC World Congress is the largest event in the field of control science and technology, held every three years. It offers the most up-to-date and complete view of control techniques, with the widest coverage of application fields, and is attended by a worldwide audience of scientists and engineers from academia and industry. This year's Congress took place on 9-14 July 2023 in Yokohama, Japan.

More info about the event is available at https://www.ifac2023.org/

Penelope is a new Industry 4.0 solution to further innovation in intelligent, efficient and flexible manufacturing for high-precision large parts.

The project, supported by the European Commission and launched in November 2020, is taking advantage of the new horizons in manufacturing, opened by Industry 4.0, to develop a novel closed-loop digital pipeline based on the development of modular and reconfigurable production approach for the manufacturing of high-precision large-scale parts.

Together and for a period of 48 months, PENELOPE´s extensive and multinational partnership of 31 European organizations, led by AIMEN TECHNOLOGY CENTRE, is developing an end-to-end digital manufacturing solution for a flexible and more precise manufacturing of large-parts in novel connected factories. PENELOPE relies on a modular, flexible and worker-centric approach, targeting key labour-intensive and non-ergonomic tasks while preserving workers’ knowledge and skills. Penelope´s solution will allow factories to release highly customised and value-added products while reducing reconfiguration time.

This booklet is the outcome of three PeneloPe deliverables:

• Safe, modular and flexible robotics technologies showcasing pre-pilot demonstrators for flexible and safe collaborative robots operating in large-part high-precision manufacturing applications led by COMAU with the collaboration of the project partners Airborne, LMS, TECNALIA, JASO, UNIMORE, K-Loops, Fraunhofer IGP, AIMEN, DGH, TNO, TU Delft, SAMXL and the University of Coimbra.

• Intuitive human-robot collaborative solutions showcasing pre-pilot demonstrators featuring HRI/C at both cognitive and physical level led by LMS with the collaboration of the project partners AIMEN, TECNALIA, DGH and the University of Coimbra.

• AR/VR tools showcasing the AR/VR tools assisting in manufacturing, supervision and in-situ repair led by TTPSC, with the collaboration of other project partners LMS, BIBA, CEA List and IPC.

Access the booklet here! 

Access the PeneloPe Community in Zenodo here. 

Access the Newsletter here! 

The jury of the world’s most prestigious design competition, Red Dot, gave the award in the ‘Product Design’ category to the new generation Citea. The electric buses from VDL Bus & Coach are entirely based on an electric drive train and have
trend-setting features. The jury praised the “high design quality and excellent
design”.

The Red Dot Award has been awarded annually in several categories since 1955 by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany. This year, the organisation had a record number of entries. The Red Dot Award for the new Citea generation will be presented on 20 June. “The fact that VDL emerged as the victor from such a strong group of participants is testament to the exceptional quality of the product,” judged Professor Dr Peter Zec, founder and CEO of the Red Dot Award. “In an evaluation process lasting several days, the entries from all over the world were examined in detail and assessed by experts for their design quality and degree of innovation.”

👉 Download here the Press Release: EN—Press-release-Red-Dot-Award-2022-for-design-new-generation-VDL-Citea.pdf

From PeneloPe we couldn’t be prouder! Congratulations to the VDL Bus & Coach Team for this tremendous acomplishment!

This new online platform is the the European Home for Zero Defect Manufacturing. 
The 4ZDM Cluster is a European initative around the Factories of the Future Zero Defect Manufacturing priority that aims to promote the adoption of zero-defect production and quality control systems by the industry. 

This is a initiative launched by the European Projects: PeneloPe, OPTIMAI, i4Q, Data4Zero and InterQ. 

Take a look at the 4ZDM website here: https://zdmanufuture.org/

On 13 April 2022, after the prestigious Red Dot Award, VDL Bus & Coach, PeneloPe’s Partner has won another important design prize: the jury of the iF Design Award has honoured the new generation Citea with an award in the category ‘Product automobiles/vehicles)’.

The iF Design Award was introduced in 1954 and is awarded annually by the iF International Forum Design. This year there was a record number of entrants: 10,776 products and projects were eligible for an award. Winners include big names such
as Porsche, BMW Group and Sony. Red Dot and iF are widely regarded as the most important design awards in the world. From the jury rapport of the iF Design Awards 2022: “A scalable, sustainable solution for cities transitioning to net-zero. Innovations like a single piece of curved composite framing not only cut weight but create a more open, inviting interior. Developed alongside the most important drivers associations, the driver cabin also sets new standards for ergonomics, steering adjustments and dashboard space.”

All the information here!

Penelope Coordinator, AIMEN, and the PeneloPe Parners Fraunhofer IGP, ESI, UNIMORE, Universidade de Coimbra and ATOS have participated in the FAIM2023 International Conference that took place on June 18-22, 2023.

The Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing International Conference series has been run in 26 cities in 14 countries in Europe, America, and Asia, addressing both technology and management aspects. The 32nd FAIM International Conference, FAIM2023, is the milestone of 32 years of continuous presence in the international manufacturing scene. It also signifies a landmark in the Conference’s steering, organizational and scientific standards.

FAIM2023 was hosted by Polytechnic Institute of Porto, together with other Universities of the North of Portugal, whose are the main support for research and development of the industry sector mainly located in the North of Portugal.

The theme of FAIM2023 was establishing bridges for more sustainable manufacturing systems.

PeneloPe was featured through different actions during the event:

• PeneloPe won the best extended paper and presentation! The paper from UNIMORE was titled: ‘A method for the assessment and compensation of positioning errors in industrial robots’. Authors (CONGRATULATIONS!) Sergio Ferranini, Pietro Bilancia, Margherita Peruzzini and Marcello Pellicciari.
• Fraunhofer IGP also presented a paper on ‘Automation of Fitting Pipe Manufacturing in Shipbuilding’ whose authors are Klara Pejić, Konstantin von Haugwitz, Martin-Christoph Wanner and Wilko Flügge.
• Marcello Pellicciari from UNIMORE had the pleasure to present a keynote speech in which he will also talked about penelope.
• And last, but not least, Félix Vidal from Aimen presented a conference paper at the special session managed by Pedro Neto from Universidade de Coimbra on ‘Flexible and modular robotic manufacturing of large component‘. The authors of the paper were Félix Vidal from AIMEN and PeneloPe project coordinator, Lucía Alonso from AIMEN, Patrick de Luca from ESI Group and Roberto Castillo from ATOS Spain.
• Learn more about the event here: https://www.faimconference.org/

Horizon Results Booster (HRB) is an initiative of the European Commission, which aims to bring a continual stream of innovation to the market and maximize the impact of publicly funded research within the EU.

The Horizon Results Booster (HRB), is making waves in the world of innovation and research as it brings forth a continuous stream of groundbreaking technologies to the market while maximizing the impact of public-funded research within the EU. Among the standout participants in this prestigious program are Penelope, Optimai, and I4Q, who have been active members since March 2023 and have been reaping the benefits of various services, particularly in Dissemination and Exploitation Strategy.

One of the crucial services provided to these exceptional projects by the Horizon Results Booster has been strategic Dissemination and Exploitation. This support has allowed Penelope, Optimai, and I4Q to effectively communicate their groundbreaking research, technologies, and cluster initiatives to a wider audience, including potential investors, industry partners, and stakeholders.

Notably, the 4ZDM cluster, championed by the collaborative efforts of Penelope, Optimai, and I4Q, has emerged as a standout project within the Horizon Results Booster program. This transformative cluster initiative is a highly technology intensive and strategic manufacturing approach. The Dissemination services offered by HRB have been instrumental in highlighting the significance and potential of the 4ZDM cluster, garnering attention from industry leaders and reinforcing its position as a game-changer in the manufacturing sector.

The journey of Penelope, Optimai, and I4Q within the Horizon Results Booster is only just beginning and will help these projects develop and achieve great goals.

Are you passionate about cutting-edge advancements in manufacturing? Excited to be part of a dynamic community that’s shaping the future of precision engineering? Look no further! and join the PENELOPE online community!

PENELOPE stands for Precision Engineering for Novel and Enhanced Large Optics Production Ecosystem. The mission is to develop a unique closed-loop digital pipeline that’s founded on modular and reconfigurable production techniques.

As a member of the PENELOPE community, you’ll be at the forefront of manufacturing excellence and can access the following:

• News and Updates: Stay up to date with the latest developments in Industry 4.0, digital manufacturing, cutting-edge technologies and much more.
• Events: Participate in webinars, workshops, and virtual conferences led by industry experts and thought leaders.
• Insightful Articles: Dive deep into articles, research papers, and case studies that showcase the impact of modular production approaches and digital pipelines in the manufacturing realm.
• Discussions: Connect with fellow enthusiasts, professionals, and innovators in the manufacturing industry. Share your insights, learn from others, and engage in meaningful conversations.
• Networking Opportunities: Build valuable relationships with individuals who are shaping the future of precision engineering.

Join today and be part of the manufacturing revolution in Europe!

The ESCAPE ROOM where you will get hands-on experience on Industry 4.0 while playing with your friends. 

In this online escape room, you will be cracking a code to unlock a message from the future by solving puzzles and challenges related to the world of advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0.

You and 2 friends (connected through a common platform e.g. Zoom) must use your knowledge and skills to find clues to crack the code and save humanity. 

Play now here:  👉 http://bit.ly/3IDEcXF

The EU Valorization Week held in 25-28 April 2023 provided professionals with a unique platform to exchange experiences, explore methodologies, and foster peer learning focused on sustainability, intellectual asset management, and industry-academia cooperation. The event aimed to facilitate networking, trend exploration, and the sharing of expertise, ultimately fostering collaboration and shaping the future of sustainable development and collaborative ventures.

PENELOPE is a European project that develops a novel closed-loop digital pipeline based on the development of modular and reconfigurable production approach for the manufacturing of high-precision large-scale parts. The project’s outstanding achievements led to its feature on the EU Valorization Week webpage as a Success Story, symbolizing the acknowledgment of the consortium profound knowledge and expertise in the domains of research and innovation.

The inclusion of PENELOPE in the EU Valorization Week webpage reflects the project’s status as a leading force within this esteemed forum, showcasing it’s remarkable progress in research and innovation. It also underscores its potential for transformative change that lies within the intersection of collaboration, sustainability, and intellectual asset management

To discover this PENELOPE’s Success Story click HERE.

📣 Exciting opportunities await at the upcoming hub.berlin on June 28-29. E2COMATION is proud to invite you to join our masterclass🎓, held on June 28 from 14:00 to 15:30, where we delve into the critical theme: "Optimizing Energy and Resources for Modern Manufacturing".
This interactive session will be led by esteemed speakers from STIIMA-CNR, ACTOR, Kastamonu Entegre, Software AG, and Athens Technology Center, and KU Leuven. They will share their insights and the latest breakthroughs in energy efficiency and sustainable manufacturing processes.

Also, remember to visit our booth on both days of the event for an up-close look at our work towards making manufacturing more sustainable.
Visit https://e2comation.eu for more info, and we look forward to seeing you there!

In order to review the status and future plans for the 5G-TIMBER project, a group of top academic universities and industrial partners met in Espoo, Finland, from January 18 to 20, hosted by VTT. The meeting sought to give participants a forum to discuss ideas and best practices while also evaluating the general state of the project's activities.

Muhammad Mahtab Alam, the project coordinator for 5G-TIMBER, provided a status report at the beginning of the meeting, outlining the deliverables that had been submitted and upcoming, as well as milestones and overall thoughts on how the project was progressing. A rich discussion regarding the project's use cases followed, with the goal of ensuring that all pertinent partners were on the same page and that the necessary technological resources were assembled to put them into practice.

The project use cases:

• UC1 - Data-driven sawmill and woodworking machine setup

This category addresses the first part of the value chain of the wood after forestry, starting from the cutting of the logs to their processing in sawmills to obtain lumber.

The focus of this category is on the equipment used in sawmills, specifically on the development, modernisation, setup, monitoring, remote operation and maintenance.

• UC2 - Modular wood-house factory

This category addresses the use of wood parts in constructing modular pre-assembled modules of wooden buildings. The focus is on both the production site where the modules are assembled (i.e. the factory) and the module components. Modern technologies will be integrated into the production process to improve assembly efficiency, safety and integration with the product lifecycle management tools.

• UC3 - Construction and renovation with wooden elements, valorisation of composite waste

This category covers the remaining part of the life cycle of a wooden house, namely the building at the specific site and the monitoring during the use phase. The end-of-life is focused on wooden composites wastes generated during the service life of the modules. 

The project partners also had the opportunity to tour VTT's facilities in the afternoon, specifically the materials performance labs.

The second day was devoted to talking about various technological aspects. The project partners made sure that the technology solutions to be used in the use cases are appropriate and knew how to deploy them based on the individual partners' varying types and levels of competence and the unique characteristics of each pilot site. The consortium concentrated on commercialization and communication issues in the late afternoon; to find the people who can contribute to the project or are interested in its outcomes, a stakeholder mapping workshop was held.

On the third day of the meeting, the consortium started getting ready for the technical review meeting that will take place in May 2023. Most attendees left the meeting after that, and the Project Management Board members held a last meeting to go over next tasks and deliverables.

This project consortium meeting was a crucial turning point and a great chance to assess the project's overall development. Exciting activities and project work will occupy the upcoming months. To stay up to date with everything 5G-TIMBER, subscribe to our channels. 

Discover trusted Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions in Manufacturing Lines at MARKET by STAR (https://www.market.star-ai.eu).

Register to access all available content (Success Stories, Assets, Training, and External AI Resources):

1) Visit the Success Stories of three Pilots sites focused on different areas of production and research:

• PHILIPS (Netherlands): Human-cobot collaboration for robust quality inspections;
• DFKI (Germany): Human behaviour prediction and safe zone detection;
• IBER OLEFF (Portugal): Human-centred AI for agile manufacturing 4.0.

The Success Stories are Experiences in real-world scenarios. Each one was characterised according to Value Propositions and ICT Problems. In addition, more information is provided, such as where and how it happened. The Value Propositions and ICT Problems were mapped with the Technologies (Assets) developed in the Project, allowing to perceive which Assets were used in the solutions and which ICT Problems they helped to solve.

2) Discover the Assets that support the implementation of trusted AI solutions in production lines. The Assets address different dimensions and elements of trust, security and safety in the operation of Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPS).

3) Explore the Training Resources, courses, and workshops in the AI domain, as well as External AI Resources and external platforms with AI resources.

During the Project, new content will be added and other evolved.

As the ConnectedFactories project has come to an end in November 2022, we are pleased to present you the final newsletter, where you can find information and resources about the latest events.

• Business and Legal Online Workshop
• AI Pathway Workshop
• Foresight Workshop
• Connected Factories Final Event

A crucial factor in innovation and collaborative work is an agreement on understandable and implementable standards.

On 20 July, you will learn about this in an exciting, free webinar organised by the European initiative ForeSEE and UNI. The main objective of the cluster is to create a roadmap for predictive maintenance, which may serve as a guideline for companies that want to adapt and adopt predictive maintenance solutions in the future.

Register now! Register here!

As part of the cluster, our H2020 project RECLAIM intends to demonstrate strategies and technologies that enable the re-use of industrial equipment in old, renewed and new factories alike. Learn more in our website and get in touch with us! RECLAIM - Refurbishment and re-manufacturing of large industrial equipment

Welcome to the 3rd edition of the COALA Newsletter. A key milestone has been reached with the release of the second prototype of the COALA main components. These trustworthy AI components with a voice-enabled Digital Intelligent Assistant as an interface have been integrated and will be evaluated within the coming months in the three business cases. This achievement was recently presented at the project‘s mid-term review, which took place  successfully in the beginning of May 2022.

This newsletter edition will highlight the implementation of one of COALA's AI components, Cognitive Advisor Service, within the DIVERSEY business case in order to support line operators and managers towards optimum configuration of the production line.

COALA partners have been active also in dissemination and community management activities. COALA has organised its first webinar on 20th of May 2022, where we introduced some benefits of application of Digital Intelligent Assistants in the quality testing of white good use case and showed a demo on the current prototype of the Augmented Manufacturing Analytics feature. A recording of the webinar is available here.

In the community and event sections of this newsletter, you will find some of the past and upcoming event highlights. We hope that you will find our newsletter interesting and useful. If you have suggestions for future topics this newsletter should cover, do not hesitate to contact us.

Enjoy reading our newsletter!

REGISTER: https://cutt.ly/ShareworkHRCImplementation

10.00 – 12.15h CEST

Human-Robot Collaboration is a key factor in the field of industrial robotics for the development of the factories of the future and advance towards the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

In this last training session of the Sharework project we will introduce some basic concepts of the implementation of Human-Robot Collaborative systems and the advantages of its wide deployment into the industry. In addition, four use cases implemented in four companies in the transport, capital goods and metal sector will be presented, highlighting the potential of collaborative robotics in operators’ ergonomics and wellbeing, as well as the benefits from the production side.

REGISTER: https://cutt.ly/ShareworkMotionPlanning 

20/06/2022

14.00 - 16:00 PM

Robot and human path planning is essential for the implementation of accurate, safe and effective Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) systems, making sure to avoid incidents in the workplace, as well as increase productivity and work quality thanks to the collaboration between workers and robots.

In this training session on motion planning in Human-Robot Collaboration of the Sharework project, we will review state-of-the-art approaches for robot planning and scheduling, and present advances in the field with great potential to contribute to a widespread uptake of high-payload collaborative industrial robots in assembly shopfloors. As part of the training activity, a hierarchical motion planning framework to plan and execute human-aware movements and research on human motion prediction applicable into robot motion planning will be presented.

REGISTRATION - https://www.tfaforms.com/4975826

AGENDA AND MORE INFORMATION - https://sharework-project.eu/events/sharework-training-activity-2-human-factors/

In recent years, manufacturing aimed at increasing flexibility while maintaining productivity for satisfying emerging market needs for higher product customization. Human Robot Collaboration (HRC) is a promising way of achieving this balance by combining the improvisation and dexterity of humans with robots’ tireless precision and repeatability.

However, collaborative robotics developments have focused primarily on the technology and, until recently, little research has been geared to understand the key human factors that need to be considered to enable successful implementation of industrial HRC.

This training session, the second of a series of training workshops organized by the Sharework project, will be focused on Human Factor approaches in collaborative robotics from several perspectives. Contents of this session respond to how to develop a more human-centered design for the factory of the future, including ergonomic and posture assessments, methodologies to ensure adaptability and acceptance of collaborative robotics solutions in the workplace, the use of Augmented Reality for operator training and technology for a seamless interaction between humans and cobots.

It was an incredible journey of 42 months with a lot of challenges. Fortunately, we managed to get through and we are proud to integrate our novel technologies in four use-cases that range from the electric apliance-, to the automotive-, and the aerospace- industries. 

06/04/2022 - ONLINE - 14.00 - 16.45PM

Registration: https://www.tfaforms.com/4969763 

More information: https://sharework-project.eu/manufacturing-and-environment-perception-for-an-effective-human-robot-collaboration/

Autonomous and hybrid plants require a high level of automation and understanding of the processes within where collaborative robots have a high potential. The development of collaborative robotics as a research area is based on the study of computer vision, machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide robots with high vision skills and knowledge to interact safely and effectively in the workplace and assist humans in arduous or repetitive tasks.

In this training session, the first of a series of training workshops, several perception techniques to increase collaborative robots’ knowledge and skills to perceive, comprehend and reason about the surrounding environment will be presented. The concepts presented will include several technologies and methodologies to enhance the robot ability for the detection of the objects and humans in the environment, identify humans’ posture and activities and understand the human behavior or model desired motions for our robots.

During the session, showcasing basic concepts on methods to enrich collaborative robotics recognition and perception capabilities, Sharework researchers aim to contribute to training the next generation of Human-Robot Collaboration investigators and disseminating project advancements to the scientific and education community. The session content comprises basic concepts and techniques used to perform an environmental analysis and provide robots with the necessary intelligence to recognise their surroundings and act accordingly. The concepts presented are going to be exemplified with comprehensive case studies developed under the framework of the Sharework project.

The final Open Webinar of the ROSSINI project will focus on the results achieved by the implementation of innovative solutions within the Collaborative Robotics field, in the 3 industrial Use Cases (IMA, WHIRLPOOL, SCHINDLER).

The webinar will be online, on March 23rd at 3 pm.

Please click on the link below and register!

https://www.crit-research.it/it/eventi/rossini-platform-integration-in-use-cases/

• EU funded project introduces new Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods for improved quality in manufacturing
• The OPTIMAI project presents intelligent approach to zero-defect manufacturing through its breakthrough AI powered toolkit
• 16 partner organisations from 8 countries across Europe join forces to optimise production processes through a mix of AI, augmented reality, virtualisation and smart sensors

20th January 2022

Manufacturing industries are constantly looking for new ways to improve quality control for both manufactured products and manufacturing processes. The OPTIMAI project is spearheading innovation in this area. Introducing new technologies designed to reduce scrap, eliminate defects, maximise productivity and improve quality of shop floor processes, the project is set to make a tangible impact on European industry and environmental sustainability.

“We are effectively looking to create a new industry ecosystem. We are optimising production processes through a unique mix of Smart Instrumentation, Metrology, Artificial Intelligence, Virtualisation and Augmented Reality”, says OPTIMAI Project Coordinator, Dr. Nikolaos Dimitriou from the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH-ITI).

The three-year project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, is shaping the factories of the future thanks to its unique set of smart technology designed for the manufacturing arena.  OPTIMAI was launched in January 2021 and has just entered its second year.

The manufacturing industry has spent the last few decades in a continuous state of technological revolution with the progressive introduction of ICT, robotics, and automation technologies and most recently the introduction of digitalisation technologies on the shop floor. OPTIMAI is now revolutionising current industry practices further by bringing together and advancing several enabling technologies that strengthen the collaboration between humans and machines.

Dr. Dimitriou and his team have designed the OPTIMAI toolkit, which will initially be tested and validated in factories focusing on the manufacturing of lifts and antennas and on the assembly of microelectronics in Greece, Spain and the UK respectively. The highly adaptable solutions will then be applied in a wide range of industrial settings and brought to market across Europe.

“We aim to strike an optimal balance between fast, cheap and reliable production choices that have a significant impact on industrial competitiveness.”, Dr. Dimitriou explains. 

Core parts of the toolkit developed by contributing organisations include a decision support system that detects and issues early notifications of defects, a continuous production, monitoring and quality inspection system powered by smart sensors, an intelligent marketplace for recycling of scrap, digital twins for simulation and forecasting of industrial processes, and, of course, a comprehensive ethics and regulatory framework surrounding the technologies.

Feeding into the current transformative phase in the Industrial Revolution known as Industry 4.0., the project’s innovations go beyond the state of the art and pave the way for a smarter, digitalised European manufacturing domain.

Help us understand if and how you perform remanufacturing/refurbishment!

RECLAIM – RE-manufaCturing and Refurbishment LArge Industrial equipment (EU H2020) – is conducting a survey with machine / equipment / tools manufacturers and service providers to analyse the elements of greatest relevance in remanufacturing/refurbishment strategies for companies of the electromechanical sector.

Take a few minutes to fill in our questionnaire here.

The collected data will be aggregated and used for a public report on how to support RECLAIM strategies for refurbishment and remanufacturing that enable the reuse of industrial equipment in old, renewed and new factories alike, addressing also themes such as valuable materials and the interaction with services and after sales functions.

Should you have any questions, or wish a digital copy of the public report once available, do not hesitate to contact Lucrezia Quarato, Project Manager at RECLAIM project partner SCM group.

Thanks a lot in advance for your support!

Remanufacturing or second-life production implies using parts of discarded products in a new product with the same function. Remanufactured products guarantee the same quality like original products, as they are brought at least to original equipment manufacturer performance specification.

Refurbishment means restoring an old product and bringing it up to date, in order to maintain reliability or extend service life. In general, refurbished products are upgraded and brought back to specified quality standards or satisfactory working and/or cosmetic conditions and have to fulfil extensive testing. Occasionally, refurbishment is combined with technology upgrading by replacing outdated modules and parts with technologically superior ones.

Dear Reader,

After 15 months, COALA is close to reaching its third milestone. It will have a second prototype and its components will be ready for integration into the three industrial business cases. This issue will present COALA's solution and its underlying components, as well as the introduction of the textile business case. This case focusses on training and development of textile worker's AI competencies.

COALA partners have been active also in dissemination and community management activities. The next event co-organised by COALA is the 4th International Workshop on Key Enabling Technologies for Digital Factories (Ket4DF) in conjunction with CAiSE 2022, which will be held on 6 – 10 June 2022 in Leuven, Belgium. More detailed information on the paper submission date is available on the Ket4DF 2022 website. In the community and event sections of this newsletter, you will find some of the past and upcoming event highlights.

We hope that you will find our newsletter interesting and useful. If you have suggestions for future topics this newsletter should cover, do not hesitate to contact us.

Enjoy reading our newsletter!

H2020 DIGITbrain project, funded by EC under the Grant Agreement number 952071, includes Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) under two Open Calls. DIGITbrain has the ambition to transform the CloudiFacturing Solution and ecosystem (developed in the H2020 CloudiFacturing Project) towards the requirements of Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS), utilising the Digital Brain and its underlying technology components as the main innovation of the project.   

This Open Call is focused on attracting Third Parties (especially manufacturing and ISV SMEs and mid-caps) to perform experiments to validate the DIGITbrain solution and to make SMEs more competitive by transferring innovative solutions into the wider manufacturing community.  Experiments will be implemented in close collaboration with Digital Innovation Hubs and technical partners of Competence Centers. This interaction should start during proposal preparation, with DIHs and technical partners of competence centers acting as business and technical supporters for applicants. This collaboration will then continue during the experiments’ deployment and execution.

Key Call Details

Project full name: Digital twins bringing agility and innovation to manufacturing SMEs, by empowering a network of DIHs with an integrated digital platform that enables Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS)

Project acronym: DIGITbrain 

Call identifier: DIGITbrain – OC2

Project grant agreement number: 952071

Call opening:  28th February 2022, 10:00h (CET Time)

Submission Deadline:  31st May 2022, 17:00h (CEST Time)

Expected duration of participation in experiments: 12 months 

Total EC funding available for Third Parties in DIGITbrain-OC2: up to 684.600 EUR financial support for Third Parties is available to support 7 experiments. DIGITbrain considers that proposals requesting a contribution up to 97,800 EUR per experiment would allow the specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Maximum amount of financial support for each Third Party: 60,000 EUR

Language in which proposal should be submitted: English 

Weblink for further information (full call text/proposal guidelines/call results) on the official project website: https://digitbrain.eu

Email address for further information: opencall@digitbrain.eu

Expectations for Experiments

Grounding on the Digital Twin concept, experiments will be focused on enabling the customization of Industrial Products (intended as systems operated by manufacturing companies to support the production of the final consumer products) and facilitating cost-effective distributed and localised production for manufacturing SMEs or mid-caps, by leveraging edge, cloud and HPC-based modelling, simulation, optimisation, analysis, and machine learning tools. Experiments can cover any segments in the manufacturing sector at large, including (but not limited to) discrete manufacturing, continuous production, or construction.

Experiments should aim at covering the development and uptake of digital technologies especially in segments where these are underexploited. 

An experiment consortium has to meet the following requirements:

1. The minimum number of partners in an experiment consortium must include:
   • One End User (mainly SMEs); and
   • One Technical partner acting as Independent Software Vendor (ISV), engineering or software consultant.
2. All Third Parties must come from European Member States, Associated Countries or the United Kingdom [1].
3. According to the EC rules, no Third Party is allowed to have received more than 100,000 EUR from Horizon 2020 I4MS and SAE Open Calls [2].

Submission Deadline:  30 November 2021

IEEE Access invites manuscript submissions in the area of Metal Additive Manufacturing.   

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a main driver of the Industry 4.0 paradigm. While the additive manufacturing of plastics is common, metal additive manufacturing processes still face several research challenges. The high cost and unpredictable defects in final parts and products are preventing complete deployment and adoption of additive manufacturing in the metalworking industries. Several aspects need improvement, including robustness, stability, repeatability, speed and right-first-time manufacturing. Nevertheless, its potential to the production of structural parts is significant, from the medical to the aeronautics industry.

This Special Section in IEEE Access will bring together academia and industry to discuss technical challenges and recent results related to additive manufacturing. Theoretical, numerical and experimental development in this domain are welcome. The articles are expected to report original findings or innovative concepts featuring different topics related to metal additive manufacturing. Industry-related studies are welcome, especially the ones demonstrating advanced applications of metal additive manufacturing in challenging scenarios.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Data interoperability
• Data analytics
• Digitalization and data security
• Topologic optimization
• Additive manufacturing building strategy
• Multi-physics process simulation and modeling
• Product engineering optimization
• Testing and characterization
• Zero defect manufacturing and process control
• Quality assurance
• From CAD design to real part production
• Advanced industry applications

We also highly recommend the submission of multimedia with each article as it significantly increases the visibility and downloads of articles.

Associate Editor:  Pedro Neto, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Guest Editors:

1. Mustafa Megahed, ESI Group, Germany
2. Matthew Gilbert, The University of Sheffield, UK
3. Kaixiang Peng, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China
4. Felix Vidal, AIMEN Technology Centre, Spain
5. Leroy Gardner, Imperial College London, UK
6. Xuemin Chen, Texas Southern University, USA
7. Stasha Lauria, Brunel University London, UK

 Relevant IEEE Access Special Sections:

1. Advanced Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Smart Manufacturing
2. Key Technologies for Smart Factory of Industry 4.0
3. Advances in Machine Learning and Cognitive Computing for Industry Applications

IEEE Access Editor-in-Chief:  Prof. Derek Abbott, University of Adelaide

Article submission: Contact Associate Editor and submit manuscript to:
http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ieee-access

 For inquiries regarding this Special Section, please contact: pedro.neto@dem.uc.pt.

During the annual conference Meeting Materials, organized by M2i, the Grade2XL project will organize an open Additive Manufacturing Design Contest for young engineers as part of the Grade2XL project.

GOT WHAT IT TAKES?

• Are you enrolled in a Bachelor, Master or PhD degree program at a European university? Or are you a young professional who is still under the age of 35 years on 14 December 2021?

• Do you have an idea for a 3D printed component that can be made with the wire arc additive manufacturing technology?

• Are you passionate about technology and want to see your ideas take shape?

GRADE2XL

The Design Contest is part of the Horizon 2020 project Grade2XL. This project will demonstrate the potential of multi-material wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for large structures. Grade2XL will deliver multi-material products of superior quality and performance, cut lead times by up to 96% and enable massive savings for the maritime, energy and industrial machinery sectors. The Grade2XL consortium is led by M2i and gathers 21 partners from eight European countries, top innovators in the field of wire arc additive manufacturing.

CRITERIA

The following criteria will shape the selection process:

1. Novelty: new geometry, impossible to manufacture with conventional processes;

2. Functionally graded: showing added value of multi-material composition, i.e. different properties at different locations;

3. Purpose: the design should be intended for a real engineering application.

SCORING CRITERIA

There is a maximum score of 10 points:

1. Novelty: The extent to which the proposed design is a new geometry impossible to manufacture with conventional processes. Score 0-3

2. Functionally graded: The extent to which the proposed gains (material or financial savings) when a multi-material approach is used, i.e. different properties at different locations. Score 0-3

3. Purpose: The extent to which the design is suitable for an existing engineering application. Score 0-3

4. Bonus point: Potential to impact the industry i.e. transferability of the approach towards other applications and sectors. Score 1

JURY

The Jury consist of five experts working in the field of WAAM, in academic and industrial organisations which are at the forefront of WAAM.

THE PRIZE

One winner/winning team will have their part manufactured at RAMLAB in Rotterdam. If the designed part is heavier than 20 kg, a representative component of up to 20 kg will be printed. The winner/winning team will be selected via a blind procedure.

DEADLINE

The submission deadline is 19 November 2021. The winner will be announced during the M2i "Meeting Materials" Conference on 14 December 2021.

APPLICATION

Make sure you download one of the application forms on the Grade2XL website available here. In the form you will find all information necessary for submitting your design.

On the 28th of September, the DENiM team will lead a virtual cross project collaboration involving four H2020 projects funded under the FoF-09-2020 programme (DENiM, EnerMan, Ecofact & ECO2MATION) as part of the sustainable places conference taking place between 28th Sept – Oct 1st in Rome (Physical & Virtually)

The virtual workshop will take place on the 28th Sept 15:30 CET, please attend to join the community and share your views and experience through interactive sessions to help industry define clear pathways to achieve energy efficient manufacturing. 

The workshop is free but registration is required, here is the invitation link, this will require you to create a profile on the conference platform (how to article here) 

AGENDA

• Introduction
• Project Overview & Challenge Perspective
  • DENiM
  • ENERMAN
  • ECOFACT
  • E2COMATION
• Interactive/Virtual White Boarding session
  • Review/capture synergies across projects (Miro activity)
  • Round table discussion on barriers, challenges and opportunities covering (Miro activity)
  • Pathway Setting: Rank opportunities/next steps as to where industry needs to go to continue to address the energy efficiency (Miro activity)

This video shows how the Integradde´s Digital Thread for Additive Manufacturing works step by step and how it has been validated in 4 Pilot Lines across Europe in real manufacturing conditions!

> Watch the Integradde´s video here!

Would you like to implement Additive Manufacturing in your production processes at no cost? Apply to Integradde´s Expression of Interest!

European SMEs and MidCaps willing to implement Additive Manufacturing in their production processes are called to participate in the Integradde´s Expression of Interest (EOI). The selected winners will access the expertise and services (valued in 20K/service) provided by Integradde´s Open Pilot Network AT NO COST!

Make sure to submit your application before September 30th: https://expression-of-interest-integradde.fundingbox.com/

Learn how to build a winning application: Join us on September 8th at 11:00 for the Integradde´s EOI Infoday!
We have some tips for you to help you build a winning application! Join us at the Integradde´s EOI Infoday that will take place on September 8th at 11:00 CEST where we will address some frequently asked questions about the process and useful guidelines to make an outstanding application also, if you have some other questions or doubts this is the time for you to take the stage and get answers!

Save your seat and register for the EOI Infoday here!

i4Trust  launched the first of two open calls to select up to 16 Bottom-up Experiments that seek to implement experiments that demonstrate how already existing processes can be improved or new innovative services can be created by means of sharing data among multiple companies using i4Trust.

Deadline for submission: 6th September 2021 (14:00, CEST). 

APPLY NOW!

We are looking for consortia composed of SMEs/slightly bigger companies (minimum 3) and 1 DIH registered in any of the following countries: 

• the Member States of the European Union and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or
• Associated Countries to H2020  
• The United Kingdom

Selected beneficiaries will become part of a customized 9-month i4Trust Data Sharing Mentoring Program, which includes:

• Refinement of the proposed Use-Case definition
• Mentoring support for workforce re/up-skilling
• Mentoring support on legal, operational, technical and business matters
• Support on i4Trust technologies (building blocks)
• Funding as a lump sum, ranging from €72,000 to €120,000 per consortium

Visit our website to find more info i4Trust Open Call site  and  join i4Trust community

The INTEGRADDE project launched today (June 1st) an Expression of Interest (EOI) Call, oriented to European SMEs and Midcaps willing to implement Advanced Manufacturing solutions in their production process. 

The call will be open from June 1st until September 30th and will select 5 companies to receive selected services (such as Free-Trials) from the ‘Network of Open Pilots Lines’ Catalogue of Services. 

The Expression of Interest will choose 5 beneficiaries which will receive services from the ‘Network of Open Pilots Lines’ catalogue of services. The open pilot line network is made of four RTOs, each of them providing different schemes and AM processes:

• AIMEN Technology Centre: owning different robot-based cells for LMD-powder (LMD-p).
• WEST: owning different robot-based cells for WAAM and LMD-wire (LMD-w).
• CEA: provides access to robot-based workstation for WAAM and different equipment for inspection of AM components.
• IREPA: owning CNC-based cells for LMD-p and robot-based LMD-w with capability to process Titanium.

One additional beneficiary will receive these services from MX3D, the innovation leader in 3D metal printing and partner of INTEGRADDE.

The entire application process is carried out through the open call management site hosted at Fundingbox, while the information about the EOI is published in the Integradde community (make sure to join!)

Check the Guide For Applicants for information on the requirements for participation and the detailed free services the winners will get in the link below and APPLY NOW!

GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND START YOUR APPLICATION HERE! 

ROS, which stands for Robotic Operating System, is an open-source robotics middleware. Nowadays, it is increasingly being used in research as well as industrial applications due to the flexibility it offers. ROS provides peer-to-peer communication among various devices, is lightweight and supports multiple programming languages.

SHERLOCK consists of 19 hardware and software modules. Following a versatile approach, communication among the modules is being achieved via ROS, either using existing ROS interfaces or building them from scratch.

In this context, LMS developed the necessary drivers that provide ROS support for the COMAU AURA and Racer5L cobots, enabling their communication with the rest of the SHERLOCK ecosystem.

The developed “ROS drivers suite” offers the following main features:

1. Asynchronous robot control
2. I/O control
3. Fieldbus control
4. Synchronous robot control (sensor tracking)

Asynchronous robot control: The robot publishes its state to the ROS driver with a frequency of 100Hz. During this operation, two ROS action servers are responsible for moving the robot, one for joint space trajectories and one for cartesian space trajectories. The desired trajectory is sent from the ROS application (e.g., MoveIt) as a goal for the robot. Functionalities such as validation that the goal is inside the robot limits and that it is ready to receive a new goal are also implemented.

I/O control: This part of the “ROS drivers suite” is responsible to enable/disable the hard-wired I/Os of the robot. A dedicated ROS service offers control over the physical of virtual GPIO pins of the controller while providing feedback regarding their state.

Fieldbus control: This part of the “ROS drivers suite” is responsible to control devices connected to the robot controller via Fieldbus (PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Ethernet IP), as well as monitor their state.

Synchronous robot control (sensor tracking): The difference of the synchronous robot control compared to the asynchronous one is that in the synchronous control, the robot is correcting its trajectory in real-time based on feedback received from dedicated sensors (force/torque sensors, vision systems etc.) The control loop frequency can be as high as 500 Hz, ensuring quick and smooth corrections. The user (ROS application) can move from asynchronous to synchronous robot control mode at any time.

“ROS drivers suite” includes two more applications. The “COMAU robot simulator” which allows the user to perform a simulation for a given application without the need of a physical robot, and the “MoveIt interface” which enables the on-the-fly trajectory planning (either in physical or virtual application).

It is worth noting that, apart from the AURA and the Racer5L robots, this “ROS drivers suite” supports a variety of COMAU robots that use the C5G controller, such as NJ4 110-2.2, NJ4 170-2.9, NJ 220-2.7, Racer 5-0.80, Racer 7-1.4.

For more information, you may visit the website of the project.

Photos --> link 1

Have a look at the first edition of the ConnectedFactories digital information pack - here!

It is a short sum-up of the last public events, deliverables and call for cases. Feel free to share it among your community!

RECLAIM presents a new idea on refurbishment and remanufacturing based on big data analytics, machine learning, predictive analytics, and optimisation models using deep learning techniques and digital twin models with the aim of enabling the stakeholders to make informed decisions about whether to remanufacture, upgrade, or repair heavy machinery that is toward its end-of-life.

This publication in the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence shows how the integration of RECLAIM technological solutions into industrial environments can lead to industries having an extra economic income from the extended lifetime of manufacturing systems and their components, which can be achieved by adopting refurbishment and remanufacturing solutions.

Get more details about the content and download the paper in our project website here!

Welcome to the 8th edition of the UPTIME Newsletter.

Join the INTEGRADDE training sessions: Additive Manufacturing for Manufacturers and Final Users

The INTEGRADDE consortia has come together to offer you a 2-part online training session on June 25th and July 2nd on Additive Manufacturing.

This is an optimal way of transferring the knowledge and know-how obtained through the development of the project activities to the entire sector, including academia, professionals and public authorities.

The main objectives of these trainings are, on one hand, present the benefits for the industry of the technologies developed within project and, on the other hand, boost the acceptance and integration of the project results in the Advanced Manufacturing value chain.

This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for entities and professionals in the sector to get first-hand information on how to apply these technologies, gain confidence about their use and stay at the forefront of the industry´s future. 

On the agenda: 

The first session will take place on June 25th and will be oriented to manufacturers. The main topics covered will be:

• Design for Additive Manufacturing
• Material procurement
• Process with focus on WAAM and Laser
• Post processing

The second session will take place on July 2nd and will be oriented to final users. The main topics covered will be:

• General introduction to Additive Manufacturing
• Market of Additive Manufacturing and expectations 
• Modelling 
• HSE (Health, safety and environmental protection in the manufacturing sector)
• Standardization 
• Quality and Certification 

Both sessions, organised by Bureau Veritas, will be taught by experts from top-level organisations and companies, among them:

• ESI Group 
• MX3D 
• German Institute for Standardization (DIN)
• AIMEN Technology Centre
• Bureau Veritas Group
• Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation at University of Patras

Do not miss this opportuniy and BOOK YOUR TICKET here!

Join the INTEGRADDE community for more events and opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing. 

The RECLAIM special session at ETFA, the 26th International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (7-10 September 2021 in Sweden) provides researchers and practitioners from the industry with a platform to report on recent advances and developments as technological enablers supporting value retention throughout the industrial equipment lifecycle.

Call for proposals | Submit your paper

• Submission deadline: (regular papers) extended to 7 May! | (Work-in-progress/Industry practice papers) 13 May
• Acceptance notification: June 10
• Deadline for final manuscripts: June 17

Topics include (but not limited to):

• Big data analytics, predictive analytics, and optimisation models using deep learning techniques, and digital twin models.
• Models for informed decision about whether refurbish, remanufacture, upgrade, or repair machinery that is towards its end-of-life.
• Technologies and strategies to support a new paradigm for refurbishment and remanufacturing of industrial equipment in factories.
• New concepts and strategies for repair and equipment upgrade and factory layouts’ redesign.
• Optimal refurbishment and re-manufacturing of electromechanical machines and robotics systems.
• IoT sensors, novel prediction, and process optimisation techniques to offer machine lifetime extension.
• Innovative fog computing and augmented reality techniques combined with enhanced health monitoring and failure inspection and diagnosis.
• Approaches for the servicing and upgrading of legacy equipment evaluation and demonstration of approaches in real industrial environments.

More info: Refurbishment and re-manufacturing of machinery in Cyber-Physical Production Systems 

About the EU project RECLAIM (H2020): RE-manufaCturing and Refurbishment LArge Industrial equipment: Manufacturing is a pillar of innovation and growth for Europe, but outdated machinery and unplanned downtime can cause significant losses for companies and employees. RECLAIM provides techniques, strategies, and decision-making tools to reduce machine obsolescence, improve predictive maintenance and upgrade legacy machines. The project partners will demonstrate the advantages of high-tech refurbishment and reuse of large production equipment and lines in 5 industrial sites across sectors – welding, woodwork, textiles, robotics/white goods and footwear, and initiate replication in further sectors. Don't hesitate to get in touch!

DIGITbrain Project, which is funded by the EU Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020, aims to enable small and medium-sized European manufacturing companies (SMEs & mid-caps) to benefit from AI-based Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS). In its first Open Call from March 2021 to June 2021 the project will accept new applicants and support the implementation of seven industrial use cases in the field of manufacturing with up to 100K Euros.

DIGITbrain in a nutshell

The Digital Brain is a completely novel concept that extends the Digital Twin to cover the full lifecycle of industrial products and thereby expands it to a smart entity having analysis and decision support capabilities. By having access to on-demand data, models, algorithms, and resources for industrial products the "Digital Product Brain" will, enable their customisation and adaptation according to very individual conditions and thus, facilitate the implementation of Manufacturing as a Service for SMEs. This will not only accelerate adaptation of manufacturing and products to changing conditions, and enable personalized manufacturing in an affordable way, but also facilitate cost-effective distributed and localised production, allowing them to access advanced manufacturing facilities within their regions or to distribute their orders across different ones.

Apply for the project until the end of June 2021 with your industrial use case and join a Pan-European Team that helps solving it!

In its lifetime the project will implement 21 highly innovative experiments, each bringing together suitable manufacturing end-users, technology providers, research organisations, High Performance Computing providers or Digital Innovation Hubs, in order to implement an individual use case-based Digital Twin.

Who can apply?

Companies from the above mentioned groups, located in the EU, a Horizon 2020 associated country or the UK, can apply in one of the two Open Calls, with their specific use case. Experiments can cover all segments of the entire manufacturing sector, e.g. discrete manufacturing, continuous production or construction. In its first Open Call, open from 31st March 2021 to 30th June 2021, it will add 7 new experiments, eligible by up to 100K Euros each. The experiments will be integrated to a Digital Marketplace, which provides the necessary graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in view of configuring and monitoring the Digital Brain for an industrial-product instance and will handle the access rights to the Digital Brain’s instances.

The Project is funded by the EU Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020 under grant agreement number 952071 and currently composed of a consortium of 36 partners.

DIGITbrain Open Call Details:

• DIGITbrain will be running 2 Open Calls for experiments all over Europe with a budget of: 1 400 000 € which you can apply to
  • 1st Open Call: From March 2021 to June 2021
  • 2nd Open Call: From March 2022 to June 2022
• 7 application experiments will be accepted in every Open Call and receive
  • up to 100K Euros per experiment
  • up to 60K Euros (possible) per third party

DIGITbrain Open Call timeline

• Opening date: March 31st, 2021 - 10:00h (CEST Time)
• Proposal submission deadline: June 30th, 2021 - 17:00h (CEST Time)
• Proposal evaluation phase: from June 30th to the end of September 2021
• Announcement of accepted proposals: September 2021
• Support throughout the process (application, design and implementation of the experiment) by the participating Digital Innovation Hubs.
• Begin of implementation phase: October 2021

Today we bring together an exclusive group of experienced research and innovation project partners to get first-hand insight into the key exploitable results from projects including ECSEL Industry4.E and Horizon 2020 as we prepare for the Horizon Europe, Cluster 4, Digital Industry and Space, September call deadlines and future R&I collaboration opportunities together.

Time: 1200 – 1400 CET

Date: Thursday 11th of March 2021

Location: Microsoft Teams

The presentation and recording will be available here shorlty for further innovation and collaboration opportunities. 

The ConnectedFactories Cybersecurity workshop took place on the 20 January 2020.  Presentation and recordings are available here: https://www.connectedfactories.eu/events/cybersecurity-workshoppresentations-and-recordings

IREPA LASER is an industrial research and development company specialized in laser processes and materials, with a laser machine base including over 20 devices to support all companies in their needs.

The main service is to offer customers tailored industrial solutions to support them in their product development and manufacturing engineering projects. This service is focused on three main skill areas: Additive Manufacturing, surface functionalization and welding. IREPA LASER is also a laser training centre and can train individuals in the use of laser technology.

IREPA LASER is involved within INTEGRADDE project for the development of a new manufacturing methodology capable of ensuring the manufacturability, reliability and quality of a target metal component from initial product design via Direct Energy Deposition (DED) technologies. An open-pilot line will be implemented at IREPA LASER, which will allow a continuous validation and deployment of specific developments towards industrialization.

The general INTEGRADDE concept and end-to-end the solution is being deployed at IREPA facilities to test and review as early adopter of this manufacturing methodology. Data collected from different steps are implemented through the digital thread with the final aim to improve the quality of the parts manufactured.

The development of this concept uses of the equipment features of IREPA LASER.

A machine is dedicated to DED-powder (MAGIC system) with 2 lasers (IPG YLR500, and IPG DLR2000), the original MacroCLAD head from IREPA LASER, and a powder feeder from MEDICOAT.

A new hardware has been recently implemented at IREPA LASER. This new robotic system consists of 2 robots, one of which is installed on a linear 5m axis, a rotary table able to support 3T. 2 fibre lasers (IPG laser YLS) bring their laser beam to the DED-powder and DED-wire heads. Profinet network is used to connect and control all this equipment. This novel machine has been designed in order to work on a large scale parts (up to 5m long), with the selected two processes: DED-powder and DED-wire.

Using previous existing LMD-p infrastructure, several developments on process window development, monitoring and control have been carried out. Particularly, efforts have been focused on data collection from CNC and image-based process monitoring information. Data are collected from process sensors (such as image-based data from an NIT camera, temperature) and CNC positions synchronously during the additive manufacturing process. These datasets have been processed, in collaboration with AIMEN, NIT, ATOS and CEA, to generate a 3D representation of the parts being built.

Concerning the digital thread, IREPA has recently migrated on a new CAD-CAM software: SIEMENS NX with the ‘multiaxis deposition module’ for DED machine programming. In collaboration with the partner ‘University of Coimbra’, the use of the AML format in development.

Process development is carried out by using the two DED processes: DED-p and DED-w.

Concerning the DED-w, the PRECITEC Head named ‘Coax Printer’ is used. The upgraded version of this head has been recently received and implemented. It allows recording the interaction between beam-wire-substrate during the deposition with a coaxial vision in order to get more data for the control process.