Projects overview
FAR-EDGE | Factory Automation Edge Computing Operating System Reference Implementation
01-10-2016
-30-10-2019
Adoption of new and disruptive technology is not an easy task for SME, due to lack of budget and of internal skills. To mitigate this problem, FAR-EDGE defines speficic migration strategies that may help SMEs plan their Industry 4.0 journey, with the support of FAR-EDGE assets.
In FAR-EDGE, the value of DLT is in distributed consensus: enabling the intelligent edge nodes of a system to agree - or disagree - on state transitions, to the effect that any change in global state (e.g., the assignment of a task to a specific node) must be approved collectively; moreover, individual nodes may fail or go offline without compromising the system as a whole. However, standard DLT platforms also maintain an immutable log of transactions (the Blockchain) that is replicated on all nodes, which may represent a significant performance bottleneck in many real-world applications. What we learned from the FAR-EDGE experimentation is that, in most factory automation scenarios, the historical memory of any transaction may be cleared once consensus is safely reached on it - something that is not supported by any current DLT implementation. This form of short-lived state persistency is something that is probably worth experimenting with in the future.
COROMA | Cognitively enhanced robot for flexible manufacturing of metal and composite parts
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
The COROMA modular platform is an innovative approach that has developed seven fuctional modules to improve the performance of already existing robotic systems:
- CORO-OPTIP: this module equips the robot with process awareness to detect, for example, vibrations during drilling that will trigger a reaction, or check tool wear if a sanding operation is being carried out.
- CORO-MOB provides the robot with mobility, so it can move autonomously through the workshop.
- CORO-SAFE offers artificial vision so that the robots can detect the presence of humans and make way.
- CORO-COOP focuses on providing developments for a communication platform so that the robot can interact with other machines and robots.
- CORO-SENSE is a vision module implemented by means of camera systems and laser technology, so that it can understand the environment and find the part on which they must work.
- CORO-PROG minimum programming module allows the robot to respond to operator’s instructions, and to respond to visual instructions in a simple way.
- CORO-HAND allows the robot to pick up tools and provide the system with dexterity.
COROMA provides the flexibility that European metalworking and advanced material manufacturing companies require to compete in the rapidly evolving global market.
COROMA will have a positive impact on employment in the European industry, as:
- companies using this new robot concept will require new, different professional profiles.
- European market share in robot production could go down if great innovation efforts are not made in this field.
- the effective collaboration between humans and robots will alleviate the most arduous manual tasks entailing repetitive joint and muscular movements. The automation of these operations will help to create highly specialized jobs in European industry, and to avoid the relocation of jobs that would otherwise be manual in countries with a lower hourly rate.
In this way, the overall results of the project are:
- The creation of collaborative robot-machine environments
- A positive impact for robot manufacturers
- Boosting the implementation of robotics in component manufacturers
- Industry has a good disposition to integrate the techologies developed and applied in COROMA: we must continue approaching final applications of robots in manufacturing environment.
- Even though we've not reached TRL 9, it is clear from our industrial prototypes, that the results are good compared with those of manual operations.
- Even though the final system application substitutes manual operations, new high level tasks are created, so job loss is not a direct outcome from robotisation.
- In fact, high level Robotics and automation in European industry is a must in order to avoid manufacturing operations to migrate to low cost countries.
- There is a need of standards (safety/ risk assessment) for mobile robots in industrial environments.
DIGICOR | Decentralised Agile Coordination Across Supply Chains
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
MUSIC | MUlti-layers control&cognitive System to drive metal and plastic production line for Injected Components
01-09-2012
-31-08-2016
The data-driven digital twin in production line is a solution to measure, analyze and react oriented to zero defect manufacturing and to the maximization of the OEE improving the sustainability and profit of factory of future.
The application of Smart Prod ACTIVE system has been demonstrated and validated at foundry level. In the frame of HPDC production process, Operator and Process manager take advantage by adopting a centralized remote control system supporting process monitoring and quality prediction in real time. The decision is supported by cause-effect correlations, and proper reactions suggested by a continuously updated meta-model. Re-usability and flexibility of the Smart Prod ACTIVE system also allow agile re-start in case of small batches production
The same aproach is valid of any multi-stages production chain to produce part for all industrial sectors.
The first successuful testing and applications are referred to SMEs
The challenge is the sensorization and data acquisition in the existing equipment not properly designed.
The data miming, real-time alerting and cognitive predictive meta-modelling is not a chimera.
AUTOWARE | Wireless Autonomous, Reliable and Resilient ProductIon Operation ARchitecture for Cognitive Manufacturing
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
Daedalus | Distributed control and simulAtion platform to support an Ecosystem of DigitAL aUtomation developerS
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
BEinCPPS | Business Experiments in Cyber Physical Production Systems
11-01-2015
-31-10-2018
A4BLUE | Adaptive Automation in Assembly For BLUE collar workers satisfaction in Evolvable context
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
The assembly collaborative robot considers both the operation being performed and operator’s anthropometric characteristics for control program selection and part positioning. Besides, the workplace includes multimodal interactions with both the dual arm assembly and logistic robots as well as with the Manufacturing Execution System. Verbal interaction includes natural speaking (i.e. Spanish language) and voice-based feedback messages, while nonverbal interaction is based on gesture commands considering both left and right-handed workers and multichannel notifications (e.g. push notifications, emails, etc.). Furthermore, the maintenance technician is assisted by on event Intervention request alerts, maintenance decision support dashboard and AR/VR based step by step on the job guidance.
The proposed solution comprises an adaptive smart tool and an AR instruction application using HoloLens wearable devices and a framework for ensuring digital continuity starting from the data recorded in the system for manufacturing engineering up to the execution and analysis phase
An AR based solution is proposed for instructions visualization enabling also on-job training activities and guidance. Regarding the ergonomics, an autonomous tool-trolley has been integrated including voice command and AR based gesture steering.
A collaborative robotic cell has been implemented for the deburring operation where the robot executes the most exhausting phases, while the worker focuses on final quality inspection. Regarding the assembly process, an AR solution, using ultra-real animations has been implemented to guide operators through tasks. Additional AR functionalities include the visualization of textual information (tips, best practices…), access to technical documents and voice recording
Trust is identified as a key indicator in the pilot. Trust experiments are critical when introducing automation mechanisms that co-operate with workers.
Workers’ opinion is key, especially for decision and acceptance, during the design and development of adaptive automation solutions.
Adaptation within automation mechanisms is reported to be an enhancement at the workplace, according to workers.
The introduction of the is perceived by workers as helpful, especially when productive tasks are exhausting and may provoke health issues. They are not received with reluctance but as supportive in workers’ tasks at the workplace. Regarding AR, it is generally considered as very useful, although the HMD (HoloLens) are too heavy for long time tasks.
FLEXICAST | Robust, and FLEXible CAST iron manufacturing
01-11-2012
-31-10-2016
SOFTMANBOT | Advanced RoBOTic Technology for Handling SOFT Materials in MANufacturing Sectors
01-10-2019
-31-03-2023
SCOTT | Secure COnnected Trustable Things
01-05-2017
-31-10-2020
FORSAL | Robotic foundry for the health of workers
07-11-2017
-06-05-2020
JOIN-EM | JOINing of copper to aluminium by ElectroMagnetic fields
01-09-2015
-31-08-2018
GO0D MAN | aGent Oriented Zero Defect Multi-stage mANufacturing
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
BOOST 4.0 | Big Data Value Spaces for COmpetitiveness of European COnnected Smart FacTories 4.0
01-01-2018
-31-12-2020
LASIMM | Large Additive Subtractive Integrated Modular Machine
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
FEMTOPRINT | Femtosecond Laser Printer for Glass Microsystems with Nanoscale Features
01-05-2010
-30-04-2013
Grade2XL | Application of Functionally Graded Materials to Extra-Large Structures
01-03-2020
-29-02-2024
OPEN_NEXT | Company-Community Collaboration for Open Source Development of products and services
01-09-2019
-30-11-2022
ConnectedFactories | Industrial scenarios for connected factories
01-09-2016
-31-08-2019
SESAME | Secure and Safe Multi-Robot Systems
01-01-2021
-31-12-2023
R-ACES | fRamework for Actual Cooperation on Energy on Sites and Parks
01-06-2020
-31-03-2023
AVANGARD | Advanced manufacturing solutions tightly aligned with business needs
15-10-2019
-14-10-2022
MANUELA | Additive Manufacturing using Metal Pilot Line
01-10-2018
-31-03-2023
I-RAMP3 | Intelligent Reconfigurable Machines for Smart Plug&Produce Production
01-10-2012
-31-12-2022
INCLUSIVE | Smart and adaptive interfaces for INCLUSIVE work environment
01-10-2016
-30-09-2019
The smart HMI was tested in E80, with expert and nonexpert operators working on an AGV in real working environment. The availability of such a tool to guide the use and maintenance of complex vehicles was strongly appreciated by workers, since it simplifies the interaction with the vehicle proprietary user interface and enable structured access to knowledge of specific procedures that have been carried out empirically. Moreover, expert operators are now able to take advantage of their experience and plan ad hoc maintenance plan, customized on the current status of the fleet.
Further studies are being carried out to employ the virtual training in order to train the customers’ operators without having to wait for the delivery of a newly bought machine, or without having to block a productive machine for training purposes. The ADAPT module will be further developed in order to evaluate integration with the recently released MAESTRO Active HMI, which already incorporates personalization features such as language settings. Finally, discussions are underway with the commercial area in order to verify whether the use of wearables by customer’s workers can be promoted in order to improve their well-being at home.
Even if robots are well known in Europe there is a lack of knowledge on their real potential and on the existence of tools able to simplify their programming and reconfiguration. Most Industries need to be supported in the process of introducing such tools in the plants. Advanced tools for training, are essential
FAR-EDGE demostrates the feasibility and business value of Edge Computing (EC) applied to manufacturing, using Distributing Ledger Technology (DLT) as the key enabler. DLT allows several autonomous local processes to cooperate as peers in the scope of the same global process, the required state synchronization and common business loging being implemented by Smart Contracts. This approach, if applied correctly, results in totally decentralized and fail-safe CPS that are still easily monitored, controlled and managed centrally.