Manufacturing knowledge and automation engineering
The Manufacturing Knowledge and Automation Engineering domain focuses on advancing manufacturing systems through innovative integration of automation.
Our primary aim is to develop intelligent, efficient, and secure manufacturing processes that adapt seamlessly to human needs and industrial demands. By leveraging standardization and knowledge representation, we develop tools to facilitate all kind of workers in an assembly context by offering personalized cognitive support.
We also specialize in digital twin-enabled technologies, creating virtual replicas of manufacturing systems to optimize performance, speed up the commissioning time and predict maintenance needs, and facilitate real-time decision-making. This approach enhances system transparency and operational efficiency, driving a new era of adaptive manufacturing solutions. Also the interoperability of systems through standardization is a central aspect of our research.
Challenges of Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) are researched to ensure seamless, real-time information flow across interconnected devices and systems. We primarily target key application domains, including (i) Industry 4.0 for advanced automation on the factory floors, and (ii) Tactile Internet for teleoperation and telemanipulation of remote environments. Within this scope, our scientific activities cover a broad range of communication technologies, including 5G and Beyond 5G, Wi-Fi 6/7, and wired communication systems.
Use of Simulation & Emulation during automation engineering
As manufacturing processes become more complex, industries are leveraging simulation and emulation to streamline operations, improve quality, and optimize efficiency. Simulation provides a virtual environment to test, validate, and refine production workflows without the need for physical prototypes, saving time and resources. Emulation extends this capability by allowing real-time testing of digital twins in concert with actual manufacturing equipment, providing valuable insights into potential system bottlenecks or integration issues.
Improved digital model creation via standardized information exchange
Empowering multi-disciplinary teams to co-develop, validate, and refine models within a unified environment enhances the effectiveness of digital tools and the quality of simulation outcomes. Standardized model exchange promotes consistency, minimizes redundant efforts, and increases accuracy in predicting system behaviours. By fostering a flexible, collaborative approach to model sharing, manufacturers can accelerate innovation, improve system design, and ensure digital twins and emulated processes closely mirror real-world operations. This interconnected approach drives a more agile, resilient manufacturing landscape that is better equipped to adapt to dynamic production demands.
State-enabled manufacturing model
Extensions on top of the ISA95 standard of MESA were developed to support reconfigurable assembly systems, and operator support systems for the production of product families & variants. These models are leveraged in a toolchain allowing a structured definition of product types, system design & configuration. Which enables what-if scenarios to be created, simulated and executed on digital or physical assets. Let's meet and see how you can gain insights!
Experience, explore and improve operator support (systems)
As a result of our research on operator support systems, we obtained a lot of expertise in this field. We help end users finding the right solution for optimal cognitive operator support systems. Either a comparative study, a practical workshop or a combination of both can be provided to give insights in off-the-shelf solutions. Furthermore, we also assist technology providers in optimizing their solution by developing generic features and facilitate their integration or in a more academic fashion on specific research questions.