End of adventure: Today, MODUL4R formally completes its 3.5-year runtime. 🏁 In our last newsletter, we look back on some highlights that capture all the details of our journey. A warm thanks goes to the MODUL4R team for their great collaboration and incredible work and to all of you for being part of our extended community. Relive some of our special moments as we bid farewell to this remarkable chapter → mailchi.mp/845261a7b8d8/9th-…

Modern distributed manufacturing is here. Production is becoming increasingly decentralised with micro-factories in a variety of locations. But machines and software still operate in silos, sabotaging real-time integration, while sensitive production data often can't be sent to the cloud. That's why we are so excited by CORE Innovation Centre's 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 (𝗠𝗖𝗖𝗣) developed in our project. MCCP uses an orchestrator to intelligently provide communication, monitoring, analytics, and backup capabilities, by deploying bespoke applications as containerized services across the edge, fog and cloud, placing each service on the most suitable computing layer. This way industrial sites gain: ⚡ Local, secure processing of sensitive data ⚡ Interoperability between older & modern systems ⚡ Reduced latency ⚡ Scalable services ⚡ Rapid reconfiguration ⚡ Flexible deployment Blast over to the video for the full details: youtube.com/watch?v=aUf44Etx…

Last week was quite a week! After flying to Lisbon, we headed over to Costa da Caparica for our team's final gathering, hosted by @unparallel_pt. Over two days, we looked back at the solutions we developed during the past 3.5 years in MODUL4R along with their performance in our use-cases. Solutions that reframe the future of #manufacturing through the lens of modularity, automation, and flexibility to adapt to production changes. And, we also discussed them together with the @EU_Commission 's project officer and assigned expert, showcasing the value we created throughout our research project. Huge congrats to our whole team for their great work and dedication. 💙 With our hope for more research solutions to come in this strategic sector for Europe.

Flexibility has become one of the most valuable assets on the factory floor. Yet, in highly specialized processes such as automated Through-Hole Technology (#THT) soldering, adapting production to constant changes is where things get complicated. In MODUL4R we help to make this simple. Our proposed solutions, were applied in Swiss Smart Factory on a THT soldering machine for #PCBs. What we saw? Rapid reconfiguration of the machine’s capabilities. Production changes made simple with minimal human involvement. Discover all the details: modular-project.eu/news/high…

🔵 Greater customization, shorter product life cycles, and smaller productions are in rising demand in today's electronics manufacturing. For Printed Circuit Board (#PCB) assembly, this means frequent changeovers, different board sizes, component diversity and, small and medium-sized batches. Existing solutions for automated assembly excel in high-volume production. But they are too costly for small series production, so manual assembly is often used. In MODUL4R, we have developed a self controlled process with a digital twin for automated PCB assembly. This technology allows shorter set up times, higher quality and greater efficiency, especially in small series production with a high number of electrical component variants. Head over to our 2-min read for all the details: modular-project.eu/news/tran… #ElectronicsManufacturing #PCBAssembly #DigitalTwin

Last week, our MODUL4R experts at @EngAtlantis had the pleasure of participating in the 13th @technforum. 💡 Between presentations and inspiring discussions, they offered a glimpse into our world of innovation to interested stakeholders who wanted to learn more about the issues our MODUL4R research project addresses and the tools which we have developed such as our digital assistant for optimising process production planning in #manufacturing. Always exciting to see genuine interest around the work we do. Are you also interested? Click here to find out the latest updates on our solutions: modular-project.eu/news-pres…

In cutting tools manufacturing: ✔️ traceability during each step of manufacturing ✔️ detecting deficiencies today to prevent failures tomorrow ✔️ a high-performing overall manufacturing process Are all crucial, not just desirable. We spoke with Dr. Eng. Harry Yasir Otálora Ortega, our MODUL4R expert from @MU_gep, about how MODUL4R's solutions help TIVOLY Group tackle these challenges. Especially in a wide variety and low volume production environment of such tools where existing #automation and process optimization solutions are often hard to apply. Watch the video: youtube.com/watch?v=zZj9i5VV… #cuttingtools #tappingtools #smartmanufacturing

When life gives you WebGL, you make virtual factories! Our MODUL4R experts at TTS developed a new simulation framework that changes how we model, visualise and commission industrial environments. The system renders a full 3D virtual factory inside any standard web browser, powered by @webgl_webgpu . From a remote site, an engineer can open a browser, and navigate to the simulation endpoint to have a live, interactive 3D view of the production line in seconds. If others want to join the same #simulation, they can now do so simultaneously from any device! The best part? No software installation is needed. In a few words, it brings: Simulation ➝ remote monitoring ➝ automation code execution, all rendered in the same virtual environment. 🤓 With modular, reusable architecture and models. Our solution has been validated under real-life conditions via our use-cases. Discover the full story here: modular-project.eu/news/new-…

The modular manufacturing concept explained in less than 1.5 minute? Yes, please! 🙋 Turn the sound on and learn more about the concept that will transform #manufacturing, recapped directly by our MODUL4R experts working on this!

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. In high-complexity manufacturing environments, frequent and costly changes are major production bottlenecks. Our MODUL4R experts, at DESIGNO and @aimenct, have developed data-driven design solutions to help manufacturers: Redesign, reconfigure, and optimize production processes in a faster, more customizable way. 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Rather than solving just one part of the problem, our approach integrates: Design changes → simulation → process planning → execution→ monitoring→ decision support into one traceable workflow. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 A work-flow oriented solution that embeds expert knowledge into everyday engineering decisions. Dig into the details: #manufacturing #reconfiguration #datadriventools

For the manufacturing industry, is fast adaptation to changes on the shop floor with minimal engineering effort a distant vision? We would say it's a tangible shift already underway. MODUL4R has developed a smart Hardware Plug‑and‑Produce solution that allows exactly this. Our approach is based on a #modular, reusable #automation system in which software mirrors the factory structure and connects machines to the cloud for monitoring and data exchange. Kudos to our MODUL4R experts at nxtControl GmbH, @HolonixSRL and TTS -Technology Transfer System for piecing this work together. Head over here to read how we did it: modular-project.eu/news/vd27… #Manufacturing #PlugAndProduce #SmartManufacturing

Not sure how to stay up on the manufacturing sector’s #digitaltransformation? How about some modular #manufacturing best research solutions? Read our most recent newsletter and share it with your team to close the day strong → mailchi.mp/ce48aaef990e/7th-… Subscribe to MODUL4R so you never miss a new research filled edition → gmail.us21.list-manage.com/s…

Can organisations train their employees in the #IndustrialMetaverse? Think of professionals stepping inside virtual replicas of #manufacturing cells, testing and reviewing system behaviors before they perform any physical changes. And, yes, we made this possible in MODUL4R. Instead of manuals or dashboards, we used extended reality (#XR) for training professionals and: → test procedures interactively → explore failure scenarios → understand systems before touching them Alongside that, they receive AI feedback for → pointing out errors → improving their decisions. For example. We applied this to one of our pilots that focuses on automated capacitor placement on #PCBs. Our solution, equipped the working team with the potential to: ✔️ Study different component geometries. ✔️ Identify potential malfunctions. ✔️ Instantly receive optimisation suggestions. So, no guesswork, no risk on the shop floor. Head over here for all the details: static1.squarespace.com/stat…

Unpredictable disruptions or simple shifts in market demand force manufacturers to change their process chains. And, to do it fast. But, reconfiguring production processes unexpectedly isn’t simple. Multiple objectives need to be aligned all at once: quality, timing, cost, coordination. This is exactly the problem the 𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗟𝟰𝗥 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, by @EngAtlantis, was meant to solve. It helps teams to 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 on the fly and streamline 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 without relying on trial and error. That's what our tool is built for: 1️⃣ Adopts to different #manufacturing processes, not a fixed setup. 2️⃣ Modular & extensible, not a one-off #processchain tool. 3️⃣ Lets users define modules, process paths, and scenario settings. 4️⃣ Integrates risk evaluation module (e.g. information on failure probabilities) What we saw in practice? → Reduced manufacturing time → Lower hashtag#energy consumption Having the right tool makes the difference between: reacting late vs. adapting early. 😉 Want to see how we did it? Read here: modular-project.eu/news/digi… #digitalassistant

In the world of #electronicsmanufacturing, automating through-hole technology soldering (THT) can make a true difference in #PCB assembly. It improves efficiency. It strengthens quality and reliability. That is exactly what we explore in one of the MODUL4R use cases, the Swiss Smart Factory use case. The setup is based on a modular cell architecture, where multiple interconnected devices work together dynamically. Why does that matter? Because our modular approach makes the system easier to adapt in production changes. It allows us to: ✔️ Integrate new components, such as a secondary soldering station, more easily. ✔️ Validate different transport layouts quickly. But what actually moves the needle for the system's flexibility is the 𝟯𝗗 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 by TTS. It plays a dual role: 1️⃣ Working as a 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹, it helps the team to assess performance, compare different configurations, and extract useful statistics. 2️⃣ Working as a real-time 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, it synchronizes with data streams from the robot and transport system to monitor operations in real time. This is what modular #manufacturing looks like in practice. 😉 Greater flexibility. Faster validation. Better visibility into the production process. 🔗 modular-project.eu/ #DigitalShadow #Automation

At MODUL4R, we have built in-house digital twins for a robot, a quality inspection station and a gantry system. All of which are used for the automated assembly of PCB components. Their digitised replicas allow us to test the entire working cell despite the fact that: 📍 The robot and quality inspection station are in Fulda 🇩🇪 📍 The gantry system is located in Chemnitz 🇩🇪 But there is more 😎 The system is highly flexible, as the gantry’s digital twin can connect directly to the automation logic via an IEC-61499 bridge. In practice, this means the 3D model functions as a surrogate for the physical hardware, allowing for real-time interaction within the control architecture! 🔗 modular-project.eu/

What does it take to run manufacturing in a truly modular way? Not just components. Not just #software. But a full portfolio of new solutions! MODUL4R has pushed the boundaries and delivers unique solutions that bring #modular #manufacturing to real life, ready to transform the industry. Get a taste below. And head over to our website to discover how our developments can support manufacturing companies, system integrators, OEMs, and much more 👉 modular-project.eu/exploitab…

Modular approach in manufacturing. Challenging and exciting. 3 whole years of astounding research flew by, yet delivered truly rewarding results. Zoom in on the solutions our passionate team of experts brings. From a digital assistant that helps users decide the most suitable process chain design to data-driven digital tools, hybrid #digitaltwins for #simulations and much more. All to help #manufacturing industry transition to being more digital, robust and agile. Come with us on the journey 👇modular-project.eu/exploitab…

Stay tuned! 🤩 🔗 modular-project.eu/ #digitaltransformation #manufacturing #industry40