WebWeb--based Software Platform for based Software Platform for Intelligent Management of Intelligent Management of

Network Distributed Network Distributed HeHeterogeneous Industrial terogeneous Industrial

RoRobotboticic SSystems ystems RoRobotboticic SSystems ystems

Acronym: HEROICS

Initiator: prof.dr.-ing. Stelian Brad(stelian.brad@staff.utcluj.ro)

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

EU FP7; ICT: Theme 3

Challenge 7: ICT for the Enterprise and Manufacturing

Objective: FoF-ICT-2011.7.3 Virtual Factories and Enterprises

Funding scheme: STREP (small and medium-scale focused research projects)

Project financing opportunity

projects)

Deadline of the call: December 2nd, 2011

This objective focuses on end-to-end integrated ICT solutions that enable innovation and higher management efficiency in networked enterprise operations

Target outcomesa) Distributed, adaptive, and interoperable virtual enterprise environments for business innovation, extensive monitoring, evaluation, forecasting, risk assessment and prevention, e.g. through collaborative business intelligence, productivity, knowledge management and/or mixed reality tools. R&D should aim at integrating novel management methods and ICT to help virtual factories and enterprises move beyond existing operational capability.b) Real-time management of volatile manufacturing assets: ICT tools and applications to support end-to-end management of tangible and intangible assets (e.g.

Objective of this FP7 call

applications to support end-to-end management of tangible and intangible assets (e.g. inventories, stakeholder relationships, product configurations, production knowledge, skills) across the entire value chain. Proposed solutions should be validated for scalability, interoperability, reliability, and security.c) Component-based tools and architectures enabling the innovative dynamic composition of services for product operation (maintenance, reliability, upgrades), and end-of-life use (re-manufacturing, recycling, disposal). The proposed solutions should help achieve efficient and sustainable lifecycle management of products and services.d) Internet-based, user-centric collaboration, sharing and/or mixed reality tools supporting the emerging networked enterprise concepts. They should enable new manufacturing business models and practices that enhance and sustain the value ofproducts and services (including value-added, service-enhanced products) by involving all relevant stakeholders in the innovation process, from R&D and design phases to after-sales.

Projects are expected to be industry-driven and to contain a strong validation element with quantifiable targets.

Expected impactHigher management efficiency of networked and sustainable business operations.ICT tools enabling the participation of SMEs in virtual factory environments.

Basics

environments.New business models and innovation scenarios for a low-carbon economy.

Funding schemes: IPs/STREPsIndicative budget distribution: EUR 45 million, with a minimum of 50% to IPs and 30% to STREPsCalls: FP7-2011-NMP-ICT-FoF

Need: -SMEs using industrial robotic systems need fast (in real-time, if possible) and cost-affordable support for various issues occurring during the usage phase of the implemented robots (e.g. service, maintenance, task change, etc.), possibility to remote monitoring and analysis of the robotized production facilities for optimizing work, for preventive actions, etc., as well as possibility to ensure cooperation of the implemented robotic technologies originated from various producers (when this occurs)-Robot producers need information over the life-cycle of the units implemented in production to use this information for improving future designs and services

Background

production to use this information for improving future designs and services

EUROP SRA highlights:a) Creation of a generic, flexible framework to allow easy design of robotic solutions using technologies from various producers b) Remote management of the robotized production capacities from different locations c) Stimulation of cooperation between those which produce, exploit and maintain robotic systems

Gap:-Lack of product-service solutions to facilitate the networked, cooperative, integrated intelligent management of robotic systems originated from various producers, of different generations and different configurations

To define and develop a web-based communication, cooperation and management platform

... to relate various stakeholders involved in the production, operation and maintenance of industrial robotic systems,

…. to support the communication between various heterogeneous robotic systems for cooperative work,

Scope

heterogeneous robotic systems for cooperative work,

…. to support the remote intelligent management of robotized production capacities.

1) To set-up a methodology for optimal formulation of the rules and premises in building and implementing a community of stakeholders in the field of robotized production

2) To set-up a platform for exchanging data and information from the process towards various actors involved in the realization, integration, usage, maintenance and adaptation of robotized production systems

Objectives

production systems

3) To develop business and production intelligence modules able to monitor robots implemented in production by means of customized interfaces

4) To develop a specialized module for remote diagnosis and service of various robotic technologies

The platform: main characteristics

Service Front

Service

Engineering

Verification

HEROICS platformHEROICS platform

Future Internet for Services

Service Front

Ends

Virtualization

Architecture &

components

Open Source

Solutions

HighlyInnovative

HighlyInnovative

HighlyInnovative

-A web-based platform for accessing information from various industrial robotic technologies

-The platform support definition of services, access rights and members in the cooperative network

-The major roles in the platforms are: user, consultant, producer, integrator, researcher, etc.

-The platform is seen as a generic framework where the actors in the

Vision (1/3)

-The platform is seen as a generic framework where the actors in the network define business processes supported by virtual environments and dynamically customized – on demand (no more-no less)

-The platform allows reconfiguration of the business processes for providing data and information (e.g. towards users, for tele-assistance and monitoring, for remote optimization of production, etc.)

-Communication, cooperation and service provision between various entity-actors in the system will be done via internet

Continuation

-Data and information management is done through expert modules (customized by the user)

-Data are collected directly from the robotic systems using specialized protocols, differentiated on various technologies

-Information is processed and displayed according to the specific need of each user

-The platform allows integration in an extended business model of

Vision (2/3)

-The platform allows integration in an extended business model of operators, users, producers, integrators, advisers, as well as researchers

-The platform allows integration of various robotic technologies (from various producers, from various generations) and provides a unitary user-interface

-The user-interface allows development of various tele-applications (e.g. off-line application development, tele-service, tele-monitoring in real time)

Continuation

-For each robotic system (and for a network of homogeneous or heterogeneous robotic systems), can be created “virtual rooms” for intelligent management of various input, state and output parameters

-The platform is used to select parameters for being monitored and analyzed, as well as the way of structuring and displaying information (business intelligence)

-Monitoring of production is enhanced with analysis modules

Vision (3/3)

-Monitoring of production is enhanced with analysis modules (production intelligence)

-Data and information are used by each stakeholder for various purposes (e.g. producers will collect data over the robot lifetime/lifecycle and will use them for designing better next generation systems)

Actors and relationships

Life-cycle monitoring and analysis

industrial robot

manufacturers

integrators

consultants

programmers

users

universities

Industrial Robot Life CycleIndustrial Robot Life CycleIndustrial Robot Life CycleIndustrial Robot Life Cycle

HEROICS platform

Tele-applications (servicing)

integrators

consultants

programmers

users

HEROICS

Internet

robots parameters (data)

video, conference data

code, settings

tele-services

services

Business & production intelligence

integrators

consultants

programmers

users

Internet

industrial robots

manufacturers

HHEERROOIICCSS

Internet

robots parameters (data)

data objects

customizable reports business intelligence

production intelligence

services

Virtual rooms

Innosteel – project coordinator

RTD performers:

Technical University of Cluj-NapocaHamk University of Applied Sciences+ min. 2 ….

Potential partners

Industrial partners:

Companies using industrial robotic systems:Innosteel (Finland)RAAL (Romania) [or IPEC, Comelf, etc.]+ min. 3 ….

Integrators and/or producers of industrial robotic systems:ABB Romania (Romania) [or RobotsNet, Sam-Robotics, etc.]+ min. 2 …

Web-programming and software engineering:Distributed architectures, hybrid architecturesDistributed programming: Java, open enterprise platforms for Java: SpringDatabase: MySQL, Oracle, etc.(Additional) programming: C++, .Net, etc.(Additional) … for setting up communication protocols over network: CORBA, SOAP, JRMI, etc.

Robot programming (focus on server applications):

Technical skills required for RTDs

Robot programming (focus on server applications):One or more of the following robot programming languages ….RAPID, KAREL, INFORM, KRL/SimPro, PDL, etc.

Other skills:E-content: content management systems, data warehouses, business intelligence, monitoring data from robotic capabilities, internet of services Data management: e.g. Statistics, Data modeling - information objects - IT services as support for industrial capabilities management

WP1: Project management

WP2: Technical coordination, knowledge management, networking

WP3: Stakeholder and technology analysis

WP4: Knowledge domain analysis and definition

WP5: Specialized modules development

WP6: Platform development, module interfacing and integration

Work packages

WP7: Deployment, testing, evaluation and validation

WP8: Dissemination and exploitation

A web-based software platform which allows cooperation between actors involved in the usage, manufacturing and maintenance of robotic technologies

A framework which allows connection and cooperation using a common platform for various robotic technologies

Implementation of services which allow exchange of information

Results at the end of the project

Implementation of services which allow exchange of information between actors and robotic systems for monitoring, analysis, servicing, planning, enhancement and innovation over the life-cycle phases of the robotic technologies

Implementation of services which facilitate tele-diagnosis and tele-service of robotic technologies

Business intelligence and production intelligence units for supply chain value added

Major benefits on:

-Reducing the set up period of robotic systems into production

-Reducing the redefinition and rump-up of the robot tasks

-Reducing time and costs for remediation of failures and incidents

Benefits on medium term

-Increasing reliability by preventive maintenance

-Increasing user confidence in implementing robotic technologies (especially the case of SMEs)

Impacts on longer termImpacts on longer term

Value added innovations for intelligent management of network distributed robotic systems

Development of customized product-service systems of robotic technologies

… SMEs will easier access and more confidently implement complex robotic technologies to increase the flexibility/agility of their production capacities

… Foundation and consolidation of reliable and highly effective next-generation (virtual) business models between robot users-producers-integrators (… and researchers) – see future internet for service development

Beneficiaries:Companies that implement robots and manufacturing automation systems;Vendors/integrators of robotic solutions and manufacturing automation systems;Producers of industrial robotic solutions.

Target groups / Lead users

Lead users:All industrial partners within the project;All RTD partners within the project;Integrators of robotic solutions;Robot producers;Universities that are going to promote research, consultancy and training programs in industrial robotics.

1. A critical mass of industrial partners (e.g. at least 4, from 4 different eligible countries) will agree to be actively involved in the project and to share some of their resources (equipment, staff) with the RTD partners.

Active involvement of the industrial partners means:

1st year -Provide specifications for the web-platform

Assumptions

-Provide specifications for the web-platform-Provide real case applications for testing the web-platform(e.g. robot applications on the server side)-Perform preliminary tests on the web-platform-Initiate at least one real business project using the web-platform

2nd year-Final test of the web-platform on a real case application-Consolidate the business project to proof the utility of the web-platform

2. A balanced involvement (man-hours, budget) of all partners will be

realized.

FoF.NMP.2011-2: Cooperative machines and open-architecture control systems… easier integration and networking of the control systems ofequipment modules

… life cycle of the production systems… cooperative production systems

FoF.NMP.2011-3: Robots for automation of post-production and other auxiliary processes

… inspection, repair, maintenance

Correlation with other themes

… inspection, repair, maintenance… man-machine cooperative approaches

FoF.NMP.2011-5: Towards zero-defect manufacturing… data collection, data presentation, continuous monitoring of the performance

ICT-2011.1.4: Trustworthy ICT… heterogeneous networked, service and computing environments

ICT-2011.1.6: Future Internet Research and Experimentation (FIRE)… FIRE for services