O1. Establish an end-to-end digital pipeline linking the production steps vertically and horizontally, by adopting the DIMOFAC platform, tailored for reconfigurability-fostering developments, under the RAMI 4.0 framework. Ιncorporate provisions for interoperability with legacy systems and existing data spaces reference architectures, building blocks and common toolboxes to support secure B2B data exchange and exploitation. Interfacing with machines will be supported by standardized protocols.
Platform extended & adapted. Initial version release on M26 with subsequent release on M29. On M40 a new release is planned adopting all findings and changes (performance enhancements and bug fixing) introduced by the usage of the platform on the pilots.Platform is installed on all PLs (5/5), debugging, testing and monitoring activities are ongoing.AAS models elaborated (90% completion) deployed on site and used for the integration of R3GROUP components but also for the integration with legacy systems.
O2. Develop digital tools fostering reconfigurability. Digital Twins (DTs) of production processes will be developed, by using an integrated machine-process-workpiece modelling concept to enable rapid exploration of design space and quantification of the impact of the reconfiguration in the production. Dedicated, in-line monitoring and control systems will close the loop with the manufacturing processes, providing corrective actions when a process drifts away from optimal and mitigating the impact of reconfiguration in process quality, thereby reducing ramp-up time.
DTs defined at different levels, DTs fully developed, deployed and validated in lab scale, Reported in D3.2 Integration and validation at PL level ongoing (part of WP4), Monitoring & control architectures defined & agreed, Control deployment and validation at PL level ongoing
O3. Implement tools to support rapid production requalification, by deploying in-line quality assurance modules, linked with the Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) of the part, through standardized interfaces that can support the automated requalification of the production.
New reconfigurable QA system for GLN designed, integrated and tested. Implementation of QA machine at GLN site enable reconfiguration, defects control, modularity and interface control. QA interface created and communication through standard protocol (Ethernet TCP/IP) to AAS
Connection with eddy current testing legacy equipment for HAL completed. Development of QA algorithms using eddy current data completed.
A new algorithm for melt pool outlier detection on laser-based processes for the GESTAMP PL has been generated that classifies different types of errors in the images captured by the IR camera during the laser processing. The crosslink between the IR data and the Xray inspection will be used to train the algorithm with real data, improving its accuracy.
O4. Integrate user experience in the reconfiguration process through bespoke UX developments that will interface with the DTs and QA modules and thus will reduce the respective skills barrier, enhance acceptance of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies and enable them to be used by operators, apart from experienced engineers. Adaptive digital work instruction tools to the shop floor will be deployed.
Surveys and interviews were conducted to assess users’ prior knowledge, expectations, and their ability to interact effectively with digital twin and mobile interfaces. User experience (UX) principles have been systematically integrated into the development of the digital twin interfaces for injection moulding and copper tube coiling. A VR environment was developed to simulate monitoring interfaces and evaluate the delivery of digital work instructions directly on the shopfloor, enabling intuitive operator guidance, allowing assessment of UX without disrupting the real workstation.
O5. Integrate knowledge from the whole value chain to support strategic reconfiguration choices, by developing tools that can extract knowledge from the downstream and upstream levels of the production process within the value chain.
Co-creation tools have been deployed in 3 use-cases. Market monitoring and forecasting tools have been deployed in 3 use-cases. Supply chain digital twins have been deployed in 3 use cases.
O6. Integrate flexible intra-process logistic modules, supported by reconfiguration tools. Dedicated tools for automatic task (re)scheduling and (re)allocation will be developed and integrated, linked with the adaptive digital work instructions to the operators, as well as automatic, real-time material/product (re)routing algorithms, ensuring seamless transition of the intra-logistics steps, according to the reconfiguration actions.
Under T2.4 a tool for automatic tasks (re)scheduling and (re)allocation has been developed, enabling the assessment of what-if scenarios and make strategic decisions on the production level, when a reconfiguration needs to occur. Under T3.4 a classification algorithm (ABCD) has been developed, allowing material re-routing towards different orders/product types based on quality. Automated intra-logistics not implemented as no PL is implementing such steps.
O7. Demonstrate the project approach in 5 industrial pilot lines at a TRL7 maturity level and validate through specific reconfigurability metrics
A reconfigurability assessment framework has been defined and updated after user feedback. It was subsequently used to gather data through a survey, and will be used to compare before/after status for each PL
