Project description
Remanufacturing using AI and robotics to transform waste into opportunity
Mounting environmental concerns have highlighted the crisis in traditional manufacturing, leading to increased product waste and resource depletion. The EU-funded RENEE project aims to address this by shifting towards circular value chains, emphasising remanufacturing in the household appliances, robotics and mobility sectors. Utilising advanced AI and robotics, RENEE seeks to rejuvenate used products, fostering a sustainable revolution in the EU industry. By implementing digital remanufacturing management tools and flexible production robotics, the project aspires to transform EU industry into a beacon of sustainable and efficient remanufacturing. This effort marks a significant contribution towards the EU's goals for a greener, digitally integrated future.
Objective
RENEE envisions flexible remanufacturing using AI and advanced robotics for circular value chains in EU industry.
The objective of RENEE is to implement human-centric production systems relying on advanced robotics and AI to accommodate the remanufacturing of diverse states of used products. Additionally, RENEE will accelerate the workforce upskilling/reskilling by deploying a remanufacturing educational platform and a set of operator support technologies.
RENEE follows a holistic approach providing product, process and resource-level enablers for remanufacturing applications including:
- Circular value chains configuration toolbox: Including software solutions for product state diagnosis and classification, methods for product ‘design for remanufacturability’, Digital Product Passport, and for remanufacturing value chain configuration and planning.
- Digital infrastructure for remanufacturing management: including a) tools for the planning and orchestration of flexible remanufacturing systems, b) deployment of Digital Twins customized for the remanufacturing process, and c) tools to enable product traceability and efficient management of the remanufacturing supplier network.
- Robot skills & flexible production modules for remanufacturing: Enabling the resource level autonomy for remanufacturing through the deployment of dedicated robot skills libraries, AI methods for decision-support and process optimization as well as advanced robotics integrated in hybrid production specialized in remanufacturing,
- Upskilling/reskilling the workforce for remanufacturing: Supporting operators both during the remanufacturing tasks via inclusive interfaces as well as providing the infrastructure (Educational platform) and required material (courses) for training them to meet the requirements of diversified remanufacturing operations.
The RENEE modules will be validated in 4 pilots from the household appliances (refrigerators), robotics, and mobility (electrical motors and bikes) sectors
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftware
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesremanufacturing
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementemployment
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation ActionsCoordinator
265 04 Rio Patras
Greece