Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OPENZDM (OPEN PLATFORM FOR REALIZING ZERO DEFECTS IN CYBER PHYSICAL MANUFACTURING)
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2023-11-30
Zero Defects Manufacturing (ZDM) is aiming at going beyond traditional lean management and six-sigma approaches with the use of artificial intelligence, IoT and Big Data for reaching the new quality paradigm in the Industry 4.0 era of Cyber-Physical Production Systems. ZDM approaches target zero defects in a production environment. Manufacturing processes in Europe and ZDM strategies considered for their optimization, so far have focused on the reduction of production defects by integrating in-line and off-line quality monitoring solutions at the shopfloor level . In the last years, research on quality control and AI-driven tools for smart manufacturing based on Industry 4.0 paradigm has provided a reliable framework for minimizing rework and promoting first-time-right schemes. However, these strategies lack a clear focus on promoting production sustainability together with product quality control, hindering the EU industry's capability for adapting to the upcoming challenges reflected in the 2030 Agenda for the UN SDGs. The most beneficial way for future zero-defect practices will be applied is through the ability to integrate value chains in the product/production lifecycle with feedback and feedforward loops.
Following the above, the main objective of openZDM is to provide an open platform to support production networks’ zero-defect processes, bringing together existing R&D solutions and creating an innovative state-of-the-art integrated solution. openZDM is focusing on the “grand challenge” of Sustainable Manufacturing, with the gravity of enabling zero-defect processes. openZDM is aiming to develop a digital platform that builds on the state-of-the-art Reference Architecture Model for Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) and Asset Administration Shell (AAS) that is basically to implement intra-factory quality management practices. Apart from the RAMI4.0 and AAS based solutions for interoperability, this project considers several non-destructive inspection (NDI) methods and data-driven quality assessment techniques for online defect identification and quality assessment. In addition, the Digital Twin is one of the project’s key enabling technologies for online process adaptation and wastes reduction. The openZDM aims to enable digital twin or reduced order model services, such as simulation and co-simulation, virtual commissioning/reconfiguration, and as-designed and as-implemented data services, aiming to significantly improve the production sustainability of cyber-physical production systems. The openZDM innovative concept for providing an integrated platform for continuous quality assessment and control towards a ZDM and enabling sustainable manufacturing in Europe, includes the openZDM platform, the digital twin for process online adaptation, NDI systems for defects identification using different technologies and data analytics for quality assessment. Finally, a decision-making module will evaluate alternative process reconfigurations via the digital twin. The novelty of the proposed system is that rather than treating quality assessment and control as unknowns of a cyber-physical production system, they are implemented as an integral part of these. In addition, to enable classic CPS functions such as real-time monitoring, deviation control, process optimization, and life-cycle transparency, this enables supporting a sustainable production’s needs and requirements through the main digital infrastructure of CPPSs as well as holistic and continuous quality control and online adaptation of the manufacturing processes. Regarding the EU regulation 2020/852, the proposed openZDM methodology encourages investment for sustainable manufacturing, preventing wastes via increased production flexibility and adaptive control, thus, encouraging objectives 4) Transition to a circular economy, waste prevention and recycling, addressing primarily the prevention of wastes through its innovative solutions for ZDM, and 5) Pollution prevention and control.
The openZDM framework, is expected to increase the business value in the following key aspects:
• Increase the flexibility of an organisation and its capacity to continuously control its quality and innovate.
• Increase the capacity for cost savings through wastes reduction.
• Promote production sustainability through online process control and adaptation.
• Improve production quality with the capacity to perform data analytics, on-demand decision support and hence increased efficiency.
• Increase productivity and competitive leverage.
Apart from the “hard” research and innovation objectives stated above openZDM targets additional “soft” cross-cutting objectives such as a) contribution to standards for ZDM and b) skills development for ZDM.
Following the above, the main objective of openZDM is to provide an open platform to support production networks’ zero-defect processes, bringing together existing R&D solutions and creating an innovative state-of-the-art integrated solution. openZDM is focusing on the “grand challenge” of Sustainable Manufacturing, with the gravity of enabling zero-defect processes. openZDM is aiming to develop a digital platform that builds on the state-of-the-art Reference Architecture Model for Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) and Asset Administration Shell (AAS) that is basically to implement intra-factory quality management practices. Apart from the RAMI4.0 and AAS based solutions for interoperability, this project considers several non-destructive inspection (NDI) methods and data-driven quality assessment techniques for online defect identification and quality assessment. In addition, the Digital Twin is one of the project’s key enabling technologies for online process adaptation and wastes reduction. The openZDM aims to enable digital twin or reduced order model services, such as simulation and co-simulation, virtual commissioning/reconfiguration, and as-designed and as-implemented data services, aiming to significantly improve the production sustainability of cyber-physical production systems. The openZDM innovative concept for providing an integrated platform for continuous quality assessment and control towards a ZDM and enabling sustainable manufacturing in Europe, includes the openZDM platform, the digital twin for process online adaptation, NDI systems for defects identification using different technologies and data analytics for quality assessment. Finally, a decision-making module will evaluate alternative process reconfigurations via the digital twin. The novelty of the proposed system is that rather than treating quality assessment and control as unknowns of a cyber-physical production system, they are implemented as an integral part of these. In addition, to enable classic CPS functions such as real-time monitoring, deviation control, process optimization, and life-cycle transparency, this enables supporting a sustainable production’s needs and requirements through the main digital infrastructure of CPPSs as well as holistic and continuous quality control and online adaptation of the manufacturing processes. Regarding the EU regulation 2020/852, the proposed openZDM methodology encourages investment for sustainable manufacturing, preventing wastes via increased production flexibility and adaptive control, thus, encouraging objectives 4) Transition to a circular economy, waste prevention and recycling, addressing primarily the prevention of wastes through its innovative solutions for ZDM, and 5) Pollution prevention and control.
The openZDM framework, is expected to increase the business value in the following key aspects:
• Increase the flexibility of an organisation and its capacity to continuously control its quality and innovate.
• Increase the capacity for cost savings through wastes reduction.
• Promote production sustainability through online process control and adaptation.
• Improve production quality with the capacity to perform data analytics, on-demand decision support and hence increased efficiency.
• Increase productivity and competitive leverage.
Apart from the “hard” research and innovation objectives stated above openZDM targets additional “soft” cross-cutting objectives such as a) contribution to standards for ZDM and b) skills development for ZDM.
The work carried out within the reporting period, from M01 (June 1st, 2022) to M18 (November 30th, 2023), can be summarized as follows:
- 13 NDIs have been defined and are under development; one of them, NDI#3, is already installed and has been continuously monitored since M12. All other NDIs are in an advanced stage of development in the laboratory, prototypes have already been realized, prototypes have been subject to preliminary tests in-line, calibration procedures are defined and partially completed and final installation in-line of all NDIs is expected to be completed by M24 if no specific and unexpected problem arises.
- Most AAS models have been developed with the expectation of two NDIs where details are still lacking for the completion of the respective AAS models.
- The DIMOFAC components that delivered an AAS repository along with its API and asset integration using MQTT have been configured and deployed.
- A prototype version of the digital twin toolset application capable of creating and loading a digital twin has been realized.
- Several data-driven AI modules for quality assessment have been developed and some are available through the openZDM platform.
- A prototype implementation of the decision support tool based on an existing tool developed by LMS has been extended to support integration with openZDM tools such as the Digital Twin Toolkit, as well as the quality assessment modules and the LCA.
- By M18, an approach for integration, testing, and deployment of the platform has been defined. In addition, parts of the infrastructure for hosting developed components have been acquired from Hetzner and are available.
- Industrial testbeds have been defined and set up with the early solutions being integrated to support the proof-of-concept (end-to-end pipeline) validation by M18.
- 13 NDIs have been defined and are under development; one of them, NDI#3, is already installed and has been continuously monitored since M12. All other NDIs are in an advanced stage of development in the laboratory, prototypes have already been realized, prototypes have been subject to preliminary tests in-line, calibration procedures are defined and partially completed and final installation in-line of all NDIs is expected to be completed by M24 if no specific and unexpected problem arises.
- Most AAS models have been developed with the expectation of two NDIs where details are still lacking for the completion of the respective AAS models.
- The DIMOFAC components that delivered an AAS repository along with its API and asset integration using MQTT have been configured and deployed.
- A prototype version of the digital twin toolset application capable of creating and loading a digital twin has been realized.
- Several data-driven AI modules for quality assessment have been developed and some are available through the openZDM platform.
- A prototype implementation of the decision support tool based on an existing tool developed by LMS has been extended to support integration with openZDM tools such as the Digital Twin Toolkit, as well as the quality assessment modules and the LCA.
- By M18, an approach for integration, testing, and deployment of the platform has been defined. In addition, parts of the infrastructure for hosting developed components have been acquired from Hetzner and are available.
- Industrial testbeds have been defined and set up with the early solutions being integrated to support the proof-of-concept (end-to-end pipeline) validation by M18.
The main outputs implemented in the reporting period that could deliver impact are as follows:
1. Methodology to compare alternative circular economy strategies based on a process-level LCA toward improved sustainability
2. Development of a new Smart, portable, IIoT laser triangulation sensor
3. Design, development and realisation of 5 innovative non-destructive inspection systems (hardware + software)
4. hybrid digital twin implementation approach
5. Integrated open platform based on RAMI 4.0 and AAS
6. Decision-making tool for process alternative configuration considering sustainability and zero-defects criteria together with productivity and cost
7. Digital twin toolkit for zero-defect engineering and control
1. Methodology to compare alternative circular economy strategies based on a process-level LCA toward improved sustainability
2. Development of a new Smart, portable, IIoT laser triangulation sensor
3. Design, development and realisation of 5 innovative non-destructive inspection systems (hardware + software)
4. hybrid digital twin implementation approach
5. Integrated open platform based on RAMI 4.0 and AAS
6. Decision-making tool for process alternative configuration considering sustainability and zero-defects criteria together with productivity and cost
7. Digital twin toolkit for zero-defect engineering and control