Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PENELOPE (Closed-loop digital pipeline for a flexible and modular manufacturing of large components)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-09-30
PENELOPE Project (Closed-loop digital pipeline for a flexible and modular manufacturing of large components) is a European H2020 flagship project, involving 31 partners from 9 countries with a budget allocation of almost 21 million €. PENELOPE aims to develop a novel methodology linking product-centric data management and production planning and scheduling in a closed-loop digital pipeline. PENELOPE is applied for the manufacturing of large components in real manufacturing conditions in four different pilot lines, by increasing accuracy, quality and manufacturability from the initial product design.
Also, advances beyond the state of the art in i) Product-centric data management; ii) Digital Thread for aggregating the digital replica status of the component being processed; iii) Digital Twins supported by Artificial Intelligence; iv) Zero-defect manufacturing strategies; v) flexible and worker-centric solutions are being promoted.
Manufacturing of large-scale components is facing important challenges because current manufacturing methodologies rely on complex, highly manual, time-consuming and inaccurate processes characterised by i) increasing complexity in design and manufacturing setup; ii) Limited production efficiency and product quality; iii) Recurrent reconfiguration and rework with subsequent longer operations; iv) Raw materials scarcity; v) Preservation of the industry-specific knowledge and skills. As a result, the production of large-scale parts has achieved a relatively low level of automation, usually linked with issues in the quality of the component and repeatability on the manufacturing process involved. In this regard, one of fundamental goals of the PENELOPE project is to boost digital technologies applied for the manufacturing of large components, being validated in 4 key European strategic sectors (4 end-user companies) in the Oil&Gas, Shipbuilding, Aeronautics and Bus&Coach through the implementation of industrial-driven pilot lines. Moreover, a network of Didactic Factories, as well as the implementation of multisectoral showrooms, will boost the adoption of digital technologies by European industry.
Also, advances beyond the state of the art in i) Product-centric data management; ii) Digital Thread for aggregating the digital replica status of the component being processed; iii) Digital Twins supported by Artificial Intelligence; iv) Zero-defect manufacturing strategies; v) flexible and worker-centric solutions are being promoted.
Manufacturing of large-scale components is facing important challenges because current manufacturing methodologies rely on complex, highly manual, time-consuming and inaccurate processes characterised by i) increasing complexity in design and manufacturing setup; ii) Limited production efficiency and product quality; iii) Recurrent reconfiguration and rework with subsequent longer operations; iv) Raw materials scarcity; v) Preservation of the industry-specific knowledge and skills. As a result, the production of large-scale parts has achieved a relatively low level of automation, usually linked with issues in the quality of the component and repeatability on the manufacturing process involved. In this regard, one of fundamental goals of the PENELOPE project is to boost digital technologies applied for the manufacturing of large components, being validated in 4 key European strategic sectors (4 end-user companies) in the Oil&Gas, Shipbuilding, Aeronautics and Bus&Coach through the implementation of industrial-driven pilot lines. Moreover, a network of Didactic Factories, as well as the implementation of multisectoral showrooms, will boost the adoption of digital technologies by European industry.
In this second period PENELOPE has innovated through:
- Data-exchange protocols for implementing a digital platform allowing interoperability and connectivity in the product life cycle.
- Product and process simulation and modelling applied in i) robot-based assembly processes; ii) squeezing gluing simulation; iii) Manufacturing of fitting pipes through WAAM; iv) induction welding of thermoplastic composites; v) Rolling of metal sheets; vi) SAW welding process.
- Optimisation loops applied to i) forming of metal sheets; ii) bonding processes for reducing exceed of glue as well as dry zones; iii) induction welding for adjusting process parameters based on a parametric solution of the heat source; iv) assembly of fitting pipes considering constraints and manufacturing rules by incorporating the onsite measurement of the flanges.
- Production planning and plant simulator tools.
- Booklet describing the portfolio of worker-centric tools assisting in the execution of labor-intensive-tasks: https://penelope-project.eu/worker-centric-tools-assisting-in-the-execution-of-the-labour-intensive-tasks-booklet/
- Online control algorithms for zero defect manufacturing applied to: i) closed-loop control of SAW; ii) closed-loop control of gluing; iii) closed-loop control of WAAM; iv) inline process control of induction welding.
- Inline quality assurance providing both multimodal inspection based on shearography, termography, non-contact ultrasound inspection and visual inspection.
- Data analytics and artificial intelligence
- Didactic Factories to raise awareness and interest of potential companies external to the consortium on the technologies addressed in PENELOPE.
- Data-exchange protocols for implementing a digital platform allowing interoperability and connectivity in the product life cycle.
- Product and process simulation and modelling applied in i) robot-based assembly processes; ii) squeezing gluing simulation; iii) Manufacturing of fitting pipes through WAAM; iv) induction welding of thermoplastic composites; v) Rolling of metal sheets; vi) SAW welding process.
- Optimisation loops applied to i) forming of metal sheets; ii) bonding processes for reducing exceed of glue as well as dry zones; iii) induction welding for adjusting process parameters based on a parametric solution of the heat source; iv) assembly of fitting pipes considering constraints and manufacturing rules by incorporating the onsite measurement of the flanges.
- Production planning and plant simulator tools.
- Booklet describing the portfolio of worker-centric tools assisting in the execution of labor-intensive-tasks: https://penelope-project.eu/worker-centric-tools-assisting-in-the-execution-of-the-labour-intensive-tasks-booklet/
- Online control algorithms for zero defect manufacturing applied to: i) closed-loop control of SAW; ii) closed-loop control of gluing; iii) closed-loop control of WAAM; iv) inline process control of induction welding.
- Inline quality assurance providing both multimodal inspection based on shearography, termography, non-contact ultrasound inspection and visual inspection.
- Data analytics and artificial intelligence
- Didactic Factories to raise awareness and interest of potential companies external to the consortium on the technologies addressed in PENELOPE.
Potential expected impacts. In general, for society:
• Innovation: tools, knowledge and know-how developed along PENELOPE will certainly enhance the innovation capacity through a deep reassessment and breakthrough in the manufacturing of large components with increased accuracy and quality. Technology transfer and outreach activities will ensure impact availability of the project results to EU industry and academia.
• Competitiveness: project results will strengthen the competitiveness of the industrial partners. PENELOPE developments, focused on a digital, flexible, efficient and worker-centric factory approach, enable new market opportunities for the EU technology developers/providers as well as targeted end-users (and their overall production value-chain, SMEs, mainly) within European manufacturing industry in very diverse applications (energy, transport, construction...). The cost-, time- and resource-efficiency, high productivity, reliability and flexibility attained in PENELOPE allows manufacturing companies in Europe to compete globally through breakthrough technologies in manufacturing while still benefiting from its highly experienced and skilled workforce.
• Growth and “more and better” jobs: Highly repetitive tasks, non-ergonomic postures and handling of heavy materials and tools lead to fatigue, work-related disorders and illnesses, beyond the impact on the lack of quality and productivity. PENELOPE worker-centric approach guarantees to preserve workers ́ skills and knowledge while improving workers physical and cognitive stress, performance and ensure quality through the implementation of safe robot-based solutions sharing workspace and User Experience and ergonomics optimization solutions.
• Environmental: PENELOPE greatly improves resources efficiency (energy and materials) and emissions reduction. PENELOPE enables the introduction of digital, advanced and modular manufacturing processes into key resources-demanding EU sectors, resulting in significant energy and material savings due to the higher precision and the adoption of the zero-defect manufacturing techniques.
• Contribution to EU Policies and Initiatives. PENELOPE as flagship H2020 project aims an intelligent, sustainable, and inclusive growth and will became a leveraging effect on other sources of funding.
PENELOPE will enhance the quality of life of European citizens: changing how buses, ships, planes, or capital goods, are built. Or even the tools with which all these things are made, triggering a paradigm shift in the society.
More explicitly, in figures below, is the impact expected for the industry:
• To decrease the production costs by 15%.
• To improve the production time by 20%.
• To reduce the scrap by 20%.
• The reduce the environmental impact and the safety hazards.
• To increase the precision and quality of the components being manufactured.
SMEs can also benefit from PENELOPE contemplates thanks to the Didactic Factories network which will offer onsite training services, for re-shaping the EU manufacturing workforce, and deploying showrooms for spreading new technology across the EU industry.
• Innovation: tools, knowledge and know-how developed along PENELOPE will certainly enhance the innovation capacity through a deep reassessment and breakthrough in the manufacturing of large components with increased accuracy and quality. Technology transfer and outreach activities will ensure impact availability of the project results to EU industry and academia.
• Competitiveness: project results will strengthen the competitiveness of the industrial partners. PENELOPE developments, focused on a digital, flexible, efficient and worker-centric factory approach, enable new market opportunities for the EU technology developers/providers as well as targeted end-users (and their overall production value-chain, SMEs, mainly) within European manufacturing industry in very diverse applications (energy, transport, construction...). The cost-, time- and resource-efficiency, high productivity, reliability and flexibility attained in PENELOPE allows manufacturing companies in Europe to compete globally through breakthrough technologies in manufacturing while still benefiting from its highly experienced and skilled workforce.
• Growth and “more and better” jobs: Highly repetitive tasks, non-ergonomic postures and handling of heavy materials and tools lead to fatigue, work-related disorders and illnesses, beyond the impact on the lack of quality and productivity. PENELOPE worker-centric approach guarantees to preserve workers ́ skills and knowledge while improving workers physical and cognitive stress, performance and ensure quality through the implementation of safe robot-based solutions sharing workspace and User Experience and ergonomics optimization solutions.
• Environmental: PENELOPE greatly improves resources efficiency (energy and materials) and emissions reduction. PENELOPE enables the introduction of digital, advanced and modular manufacturing processes into key resources-demanding EU sectors, resulting in significant energy and material savings due to the higher precision and the adoption of the zero-defect manufacturing techniques.
• Contribution to EU Policies and Initiatives. PENELOPE as flagship H2020 project aims an intelligent, sustainable, and inclusive growth and will became a leveraging effect on other sources of funding.
PENELOPE will enhance the quality of life of European citizens: changing how buses, ships, planes, or capital goods, are built. Or even the tools with which all these things are made, triggering a paradigm shift in the society.
More explicitly, in figures below, is the impact expected for the industry:
• To decrease the production costs by 15%.
• To improve the production time by 20%.
• To reduce the scrap by 20%.
• The reduce the environmental impact and the safety hazards.
• To increase the precision and quality of the components being manufactured.
SMEs can also benefit from PENELOPE contemplates thanks to the Didactic Factories network which will offer onsite training services, for re-shaping the EU manufacturing workforce, and deploying showrooms for spreading new technology across the EU industry.