Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ZDZW (Non-Destructive Inspection Services for Digitally Enhanced Zero Waste Manufacturing)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-03-01 bis 2025-08-31
ZDZW offers a catalogue of IoT based non-destructive inspection technologies, providing an accurate inline evaluation of key product parameters that have an effect in quality requirements within different technical areas, such as: Part Integrity, Visual Requirements and Thermal Process efficiency. The ZDZW Inspection Solutions follow the concept of Inspection as a service, guaranteeing its cost effectiveness and improved return of investment, offering different types of subscription and pay-per-use models depending on the offered functionalities. To pursue the main goal of reducing defects and the waste generated in manufacturing processes, ZDZW addresses defects and waste reduction in three key areas that cover the entire manufacturing process and product lifecycle: (i) Monitoring and control improvement for process quality assurance, where first-time-right manufacturing rate can be increased, including improved durability properties and reduced waste generation; (ii) digitally enhanced Rework & Repair procedures for necessary part recovery and scrap reduction; and (iii) Continuous Sustainability evaluation to ensure the efficient use of materials and components across the full production line. ZDZW is strongly supported by collaboration with relevant EU initiatives such as ZDMP and i4Q, providing components and services that enhance key ICT aspects such as interoperability, interlinking, security, data reliability and digital platforms. ZDZW demonstrates its ZD and ZW approach in 6 Pilots involving production processes with an important waste reduction potential, such as injection moulding, thermoforming, welding and coating, induction hardening, lithography and packaging, involving key industrial sectors as automotive, home appliances, renewable energy, e-health, and food and beverages.
Work on the Integrity Inspection tools progressed with the first version of the Mechanical Hardness Inspector (MHI) app and initial lab tests on the induction hardening bench. Samples treated under varying heating and cooling conditions were analyzed for hardness and microstructure. The supercontinuum laser was completed, and the Phased Array ultrasonic inspection solution advanced with 12 weld samples tested.
For the Visual Inspection tools, the main focus was consolidating requirements and defining architectures, mock-ups, and datasets for each application. A set of support services was also defined, including feasibility analysis, hardware setup, and model training.
In the Thermal Inspection tools, work established the Thermal Inspection Suite through defining requirements, architecture, mock-ups, and dataset features. Functional and Pilot Requirement Diagrams were prepared, and a common roadmap with other technical WPs ensured alignment in designing the suite’s applications.
Additionally, the preparatory works for interoperability and integration of the developed solutions has been carried out. In general, a big part of the activity in this period, has been related to define the initial set of documents for the software: mockups, requirements, software specification, top ten features, etc. A significant amount of time has also been dedicated to prepare plenaries and meetings, presentations, demos and the deliverables including the on-line documentation.
To conclude, piloting and demonstration works also started. Work is divided in 4 phases. Phase 1 'Pilot Implementation definition, planning and KPI validation Criteria' made the detailed definition of the Pilot and plan its development and implementation. In addition, this phase also collected the users’ requirements and validation criteria to be assessed in terms of univocally determined real values of defined KPIs. In phase 2 'Pilot industrial scenario establishment', a clear overview of the industrial sector of the pilot’s cases was translated into common constraints and criteria. Environmental barriers and possible obstacles were identified to be tackled during the development phases. These first two phases are already completed.
During the second reporting period, ZDZW (Zero Defect Zero Waste Manufacturing) reached full technological maturity, validating and demonstrating its suite of Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) solutions across six industrial pilots in five strategic sectors — automotive, home appliances, renewable energy, e-health, and food & beverages. The project successfully developed, integrated, and validated 18 digital inspection applications, grouped into three technological suites: Integrity, Visual, and Thermal Inspection, all interoperable through a common ZDZW digital platform that provides traceability, data management, and “Inspection-as-a-Service” functionalities.
Main Scientific and Technical Achievements
- Development of three complete inspection suites (Integrity, Visual, Thermal) integrating AI, Digital Twins, and advanced sensing.
- Creation of a fully interoperable digital platform connecting all solutions under a unified Inspection-as-a-Service ecosystem.
- Demonstrated defect reduction, energy and material savings, and increased process reliability across six pilots.
- Established European leadership in ZDM/ZWM, contributing to the CEN Workshop Agreement 18230:2025 and multiple scientific publications.
- Validated industrial scalability and exploitation readiness through the Beta Testing Campaign and Viability Plan.
In conclusion, ZDZW has achieved its scientific and technical objectives, delivering a validated and market-ready ecosystem of interoperable NDI tools and digital services that enable European industries to transition toward zero-defect, zero-waste, and fully sustainable manufacturing.
For the Visual Inspection tools, the main focus was consolidating requirements and defining architectures, mock-ups, and datasets for each application. A set of support services was also defined, including feasibility analysis, hardware setup, and model training.
In the Thermal Inspection tools, work established the Thermal Inspection Suite through defining requirements, architecture, mock-ups, and dataset features. Functional and Pilot Requirement Diagrams were prepared, and a common roadmap with other technical WPs ensured alignment in designing the suite’s applications.
Additionally, the preparatory works for interoperability and integration of the developed solutions has been carried out. In general, a big part of the activity in this period, has been related to define the initial set of documents for the software: mockups, requirements, software specification, top ten features, etc. A significant amount of time has also been dedicated to prepare plenaries and meetings, presentations, demos and the deliverables including the on-line documentation.
To conclude, piloting and demonstration works also started. Work is divided in 4 phases. Phase 1 'Pilot Implementation definition, planning and KPI validation Criteria' made the detailed definition of the Pilot and plan its development and implementation. In addition, this phase also collected the users’ requirements and validation criteria to be assessed in terms of univocally determined real values of defined KPIs. In phase 2 'Pilot industrial scenario establishment', a clear overview of the industrial sector of the pilot’s cases was translated into common constraints and criteria. Environmental barriers and possible obstacles were identified to be tackled during the development phases. These first two phases are already completed.
During the second reporting period, ZDZW (Zero Defect Zero Waste Manufacturing) reached full technological maturity, validating and demonstrating its suite of Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) solutions across six industrial pilots in five strategic sectors — automotive, home appliances, renewable energy, e-health, and food & beverages. The project successfully developed, integrated, and validated 18 digital inspection applications, grouped into three technological suites: Integrity, Visual, and Thermal Inspection, all interoperable through a common ZDZW digital platform that provides traceability, data management, and “Inspection-as-a-Service” functionalities.
Main Scientific and Technical Achievements
- Development of three complete inspection suites (Integrity, Visual, Thermal) integrating AI, Digital Twins, and advanced sensing.
- Creation of a fully interoperable digital platform connecting all solutions under a unified Inspection-as-a-Service ecosystem.
- Demonstrated defect reduction, energy and material savings, and increased process reliability across six pilots.
- Established European leadership in ZDM/ZWM, contributing to the CEN Workshop Agreement 18230:2025 and multiple scientific publications.
- Validated industrial scalability and exploitation readiness through the Beta Testing Campaign and Viability Plan.
In conclusion, ZDZW has achieved its scientific and technical objectives, delivering a validated and market-ready ecosystem of interoperable NDI tools and digital services that enable European industries to transition toward zero-defect, zero-waste, and fully sustainable manufacturing.
The project targets types of waste or discarded material from identified defective products or components that cannot be easily reworked or recycled without significant effort, addressing the full production line or system, with the aim of reducing defects and manufacturing waste.
The application of ZDZW Integrity Inspection solutions contributes to prevent the generation of defects and consequently increase process efficiency and sustainability.
The application of ZDZW Visual Inspection Suite contributes to prevent the generation of defects and consequently increase process efficiency and sustainability.
The application of ZDZW Thermal Inspection Suite contributes to detect prevent the generation of defects and while reducing avoiding the usage of excess of material.
The integration ZDZW solutions in a cloud computing platform ensure services interoperability and interlinking, thus, allowing large data sets stemming from all sorts of production process and material to be analysed and shared between sites. Research has built on existing standards or contribute to standardisation
The application of ZDZW Integrity Inspection solutions contributes to prevent the generation of defects and consequently increase process efficiency and sustainability.
The application of ZDZW Visual Inspection Suite contributes to prevent the generation of defects and consequently increase process efficiency and sustainability.
The application of ZDZW Thermal Inspection Suite contributes to detect prevent the generation of defects and while reducing avoiding the usage of excess of material.
The integration ZDZW solutions in a cloud computing platform ensure services interoperability and interlinking, thus, allowing large data sets stemming from all sorts of production process and material to be analysed and shared between sites. Research has built on existing standards or contribute to standardisation