Current projects
AUTOWARE
Wireless Autonomous, Reliable and Resilient Production Operation Architecture for Cognitive Manufacturing
(EU-Projekt: H2020)
The project AUTOWARE works towards implementing cognitive autonomous production systems. Its goals are to advance production technology with the help of robotics, smart machines and cloud services. In addition, a business development framework as a service for automation will be developed.
Relevance for SmartFactoryKL and scope of work:
- Development of a manufacturer-independent pilot plant
- Development of a new digital product memory
Further information: www.autoware-eu.org
DIGITBRAIN
This EU project launched in July 2020 with a term of 3.5 years. In total, 36 partners are cooperating to provide SMEs with simple access to digital twins. A digital twin is the virtual representation of a product, system, or process that simulates real physical characteristics in real time. A digital simulation enables optimization of the production processes as well as predictions of machine failure or service requirements. In this respect, there is some overlap with the content of the InCoRAP project. The research findings flow into the predictive maintenance use-case planned for the demonstrator at the Hannover Messe 2021.
Further information: digitbrain.eu
DIMOFAC
The name of this EU project is an acronym for Digital Intelligent MOdular FACtories. The aim is to integrate plug-and-produce components in a closed-loop life cycle management system to facilitate the continuous adaptation, improvement, and optimization of fast and flexible production. Reconfigurability is achieved by implementing a digital twin and a digital thread link for the product and process data flow for each module. This also provide the connection with the management systems in accordance with RAMI4.0 and ensures seamless, secure communications over the entire product life cycle in the plant. The technology based on a common information model will be integrated and tested in the Production Level 4 demonstrator environment at SmartFactoryKL.
Further Information: www.dfki.de
FAR-EDGE
Factory Automation Edge Computing Operating System Reference Implementation (EU-Projekt: EU – FoF-11-2016)
The project FAREDGE tackles the implementation of an edge computing architecture for factory automation, especially the virtualization of the automation pyramide. The aim of the project is to implement a highly scalable, flexible and reconfigurable solution as well as a reference operation system for future factory automation with open and safe standards. Furthermore, the solution is to be validated in mass customization and reshoring use cases.
Relevance for SmartFactoryKL and scope of work:
- SmartFactoryKL as a test bed for prodcution with CPS and the application of the developed architecture and components
- Development of a reference architecture and an operation system with a decentralized control.
- Development of an edge server, that can make decisions about production itself without a central server (e.g. Predictive Maintenance, Real-Time Communication and Calculation)
Further information: www.faredge.eu
HyProCell
Development and validation of integrated multiprocess HYbrid PROduction CELLs for rapid individualized laser-based production (EU-Projekt: H2020 – FoF13)
The project HyProCell proposes the combination of available cutting-edge LBAM machines and ICT innovations within an integrated multiprocess production cell, which will include at least LBAM and subtractive manufacturing machine/s, in order to ensure a fully finished product from the incoming raw materials. The general objective of HyProCell is to implement and validate this concept in real settings, manufacturing real parts and measuring obtained benefits.
Relevance for SmartFactoryKL and scope of work:
- Definition of the modular system architecture for the two pilot facilities
- Prototypical implementation of the architecture elements in the SmartFactoryKL
- Test and validation of the system architecture
Further Information: www.hyprocell-project.eu
InCoRAP
Intentionsbasierte kooperative Roboterhandlungsplanung und Werkerunterstützung in Fabrikumgebungen
Ongoing since Jan. 1, 2020, this project studies human-robot interaction in factory environments. The robot is able to consider expected human intentions and uses these in determining its upcoming actions. InCoRAP uses not only the operator’s movements to recognize intent as in previous approaches, but also other information such as the current task being performed. This requires a comprehensive model of the environment, which includes information from a large number of sensors as well as process data, e.g., from an integrated ERP system.
InCoRAP is the foundation for our development of the worker assistance with MS Hololens, which we plan to present as a use case for our newest demonstrator in 2021.
Further information: www.dfki.de
PERFoRM
Production harmonized Reconfiguration of Flexible Robots and Machinery (EU-Projekt: H2020 – FoF11)
The project PERFoRM is targeting the current need for increasing flexibility and reconfigurability in the manufacturing domain. This trend is caused by the increasing demand for more customised, but cheaper and higher quality products by the customer, as well as the necessity for the manufacturer to produce without delays or breakdowns to reduce production costs.
Relevance for SmartFactoryKL and scope of work:
- SmartFactoryKL as a test lab for the de-risking of the developed concepts and technologies
- Development of a reference architecture to implement various ”Plug & Produce“ application scenarios
- Focus on the development of the architecture, generic information modelling, middleware solutions, realization at Siemens
- Integration of I4.0 technologies and concepts at large industry partners (Siemens, Whirlpool, GKN, eDistrict)
Further information: www.horizon2020-perform.eu
Project participation
SmartFactoryKL functions as a test bed or demonstration and competence center in the following projects:
BeInCPPS
(FoF-EU-H2020)
Urban Production Scenario (Vertical and horizontal integration)
Further information: www.beincpps.eu
CAxMan
(FoF-EU-H2020)
Computational Cloud Services and Workflows for Agile Manufacturing
Further information: www.caxman.eu
CloudFlow
(EU-FP7)
Computational Cloud Services and Workflows for Agile Engineering
Further information:
www.eu-cloudflow.eu
CloudiFacturing
(Project ID: 768892)
Cloudification of Production Engineering for Predictive Digital Manufacturing.
Further information: www.cloudifacturing.eu
Industrie 4.0 in a global context
(BMWi / acatech)
Empirical study on the opportunities and risks of international collaboration in R&D, norming, and standardization for Industrie 4.0
Further information: www.acatech.de
MAYA
(FoF-EU-H2020)
Digital Continuity between PLM and Shopfloor through CPS
Further information:
www.maya-euproject.com
Recently terminated projects and project particpations
AmbiWise
Qualification at the Work Place
As product diversity increases, the complexity of production processes is also rising. The consequence: employees, too, must be re-qualified. The “AmbiWise” assistance and collaboration system stands for mobile, context-sensitive user interfaces for an optimized knowledge transfer for everyday use. It permits a mobile and cross-site knowledge exchange at the company. It allows for qualification measures to be integrated directly into work processes.
The “AmbiWise” system was tested in the production setting at five sites of two application partners. The pilot application also included the creation of learning videos by means of smart glasses. The learning videos at Daimler AG showed the execution of the work including supplementing information from the perspective of an experienced assembly staff member. Employees at Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG additionally had the chance to evaluate the recorded videos, add contents and give feedback. ork with the system productively.
Project partners:
Infoman, the Research Department for Innovative Factory Systems of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Beuth University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, Semantic Edge and the Institute for Technology and Labor (ITA).
The project was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research with a total of 3.1 million Euro over three years, from 2014 to 2016. „AmbiWise“ was demonstrated at the Demo-Center of SmartFactoryKL.
DigiRes
Digital transformation und resource efficiency
Participation in the study “Resource efficiency as a result of digital transformation of industry in SMEs” – This project was completed in June 2017 with the publication of the results. For the first time, a systemic study examined the relationships between digital transformation and resource efficiency in manufacturing. According to self-assessments provided by the companies surveyed, material und energy savings of up to 25 % can be achieved through the use of Industrie 4.0 technologies. The “DigiRes– Digital Transformation and Resource Efficiency” project studied resource efficiency in Industrie 4.0 and the potential for small and medium sized companies (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector.
The study was commissioned by the VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz GmbH (VDI ZRE) in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg, the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection, the Hessian Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection as well as the Ministry of the Environment, Energy, Alimentation and Forestry Rhineland-Palatinate.
Project partners:
Three departments of TU Darmstadt from the Faculties for Environmental Studies and Mechanical Engineering, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation as well as the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) completed this study thanks to their interdisciplinary cooperation. The results of the study are used in the work of SmartFactoryKL and the SME 4.0 Competence Center Kaiserslautern.
Further information: Project website