This chapter explains in brief what is needed to achieve more sustainable manufacturing processes. It develops both aspects of sustainable, economic, and technical feasibility with most focus on the latter. Remanufacturing processes are described together with relevant factors that enhance their effectivity and efficiency. An overview is given of what kind of shopfloor innovations are required in the near future and some suggestions on how digital and other Industry 4.0 technologies could help to move toward circular manufacturing.
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Author supplied: Abstract—The growing importance and impact of new technologies are changing many industries. This effect is especially noticeable in the manufacturing industry. This paper explores a practical implementation of a hybrid architecture for the newest generation of manufacturing systems. The papers starts with a proposition that envisions reconfigurable systems that work together autonomously to create Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS). It introduces a number of problems in this area and shows the requirements for an architecture that can be the main research platform to solve a number of these problems, including the need for safe and flexible system behaviour and the ability to reconfigure with limited interference to other systems within the manufacturing environment. The paper highlights the infrastructure and architecture itself that can support the requirements to solve the mentioned problems in the future. A concept system named Grid Manufacturing is then introduced that shows both the hardware and software systems to handle the challenges. The paper then moves towards the design of the architecture and introduces all systems involved, including the specific hardware platforms that will be controlled by the software platform called REXOS (Reconfigurable EQuipletS Operating System). The design choices are provided that show why it has become a hybrid platform that uses Java Agent Development Framework (JADE) and Robot Operating System (ROS). Finally, to validate REXOS, the performance is measured and discussed, which shows that REXOS can be used as a practical basis for more specific research for robust autonomous reconfigurable systems and application in industry 4.0. This paper shows practical examples of how to successfully combine several technologies that are meant to lead to a faster adoption and a better business case for autonomous and reconfigurable systems in industry.
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Sustainable and Agile manufacturing is expected of future generation manufacturing systems. The goal is to create scalable, reconfigurable and adaptable manufacturing systems which are able to produce a range of products without new investments into new manufacturing equipment. This requires a new approach with a combination of high performance software and intelligent systems. Other case studies have used hybrid and intelligent systems in software before. However, they were mainly used to improve the logistic processes and are not commonly used within the hardware control loop. This paper introduces a case study on flexible and hybrid software architecture, which uses prototype manufacturing machines called equiplets. These systems should be applicable for the industry and are able to dynamically adapt to changes in the product as well as changes in the manufacturing systems. This is done by creating self-configurable machines which use intelligent control software, based on agent technology and computer vision. The requirements and resulting technologies are discussed using simple reasoning and analysis, leading to a basic design of a software control system, which is based on a hybrid distributed control system
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Dit document geeft een overzicht van de bevindingen over het Factory-as-a service concept. Gedurende het SMITZH project heeft het lectoraat Smart Sustainable Manufacturing gezocht naar antwoorden op een aantal vragen: Welke initiatieven bestaan er, waar ondernemers elkaar helpen via het beschikbaar stellen en delen van productiecapaciteit? Wat zijn de randvoorwaarden om zo’n initiatief te laten slagen? Wat kan bijdragen om belemmeringen voor de toekomst weg te nemen? De voordelen zijn zeker aanwezig, maar obstakels ook. Met name dat laatste kan de voortgang en innovatief denken over de inrichting van flexibele en ‘Smart Manufacturing’ in de weg zitten. Het verhogen van de flexibiliteit om de maakindustrie concurrerender en veerkrachtiger te maken is een van de doelstellingen van het Smart Industry Programma, SMITZH en het lectoraat.
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Relatief kleine, gespecialiseerde bedrijven in de maakindustrie hebben behoefte aan flexibele assemblageprocessen en productielogistiek. Digitalisering biedt veel mogelijkheden om productieprocessen efficiënter en duurzamer te maken, innovatieve producten te fabriceren en over te schakelen op andere businessmodellen. Dit moet dan wel werken voor kleine series en enkelstuks. ‘Kunnen wij het maken?’ verwijst naar onderliggende vragen over: ‘Hoe beheersen we risico’s in complexe maakprocessen?’, ‘Hoe werken we samen in de keten?’ en ‘Wat moeten huidige en toekomstige engineers weten over ‘Industry 4.0’ en circulaire maakindustrie?’. Bijgaand essay, in verkorte vorm uitgesproken als Intreerede, legt uit hoe de onderzoekers van Smart Sustainable Manufacturing aan de slag gaan om een antwoord te vinden op deze vragen, door middel van cocreatie met de beroepspraktijk en het onderwijs in het Re/manufacturing lab.
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Author supplied: A manufacturing process can be described by a sequence or combination of production steps. Based on this approach a manufacturing system has been developed that is capable to produce several different products in parallel. A batch size of one unit is possible and the production is pull-driven. The manufacturing system is based on agent technology and a special so-called product agent collects information about the assembly process. This agent will be connected to the actual product and can guide the disassembly process at the end of the products life. The agent will show the inverse steps to be taken to take a product apart. This approach can be used in the agent based manufacturing process described in this paper but the concept can also be used for other manufacturing systems. The paper discusses the possibilities as well as the restrictions of the method proposed here.
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PURPOSE: The aim of this research is to link sustainability strategies with risk management. DESIGN/METHOD: 33 unique cases were used for the data analysis. Using the cases, the researchers built a database to operationalise the theoretical framework. This database contains data on general characteristics of an organisation, strategic characteristics (mission, vision, value proposition, core values from the Balanced Score Card categories, strategic goals), strategy characteristics of the sustainability strategies, the 17 sustainability goals of the UN, risks (strategic, financial, operational) and control measures appropriate to the risks. RESULTS/FINDINGS: The first sub-question: Which risks at a strategic, financial, and operational level differ in organisations that pursue SDG 3 Good health and wellbeing, SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth and/or SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production, or do not pursue sustainability goals? It can be answered that sustainable values lead to different risks at strategic and financial levels, but not on an operational level. The second sub-question: Which risks on a strategic, financial, and operational level differ in organisations that pursue the sustainability strategy (Retain product ownership, Product life extension and/or Design for recycling) or do not pursue a sustainability strategy? It can be answered in a similar way as the first research question: that apparently sustainable strategies lead to different risks at strategic and financial levels, but not on an operational level. Operational risks were found but did not change in case of the sustainable strategy. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Researchers have investigated whether pursuing the sustainability strategy (part 1) or contributing to the achievement of SDGs (part 2) by an organisation causes a change in strategic, financial and/or operational risks. Patterns were sought, not the magnitude of a change, because of the number of cases examined.
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Author supplied: The production system described in this paper in an implementation of an agile agent-based production system. This system is designed to meet the requirements of modern production, where short time to market, requirementdriven production and low cost small quantity production are important issues. The production is done on special devices called equiplets. A grid of these equiplets connected by a fast network is capable of producing a variety of different products in parallel. The multi-agent-based software infrastructure is responsible for the agile manufacturing. A product agent is responsible for the production of a single product and equiplet agents will perform the production steps to assemble the product. This paper describes this multiagent-based production system with the focus on the product agent. Presented at EUMAS 2013 ( 11th European Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems) , At Toulouse.
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Author supplied: The production system described in this paper in an im- plementation of an agile agent-based production system. This system is designed to meet the requirements of modern production, where short time to market, requirement-driven production and low cost small quan- tity production are important issues. The production is done on special devices called equiplets. A grid of these equiplets connected by a fast network is capable of producing a variety of diverent products in parallel. The multi-agent-based software infrastructure is responsible for the agile manufacturing. A product agent is responsible for the production of a single product and equiplet agents will perform the production steps to assemble the product. This paper describes this multiagent-based production system with the focus on the product agent.
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Food and the city has never been a more urgent theme than today, and The European Union’s priority to commit to innovation in this field will certainly enhance its economic and external strength and improve its competitive position in the world of food and life sciences. Europea Netherlands held a seminar on this topic in May 2016, during the Dutch EU presidency.To be part of this international endeavour, the Netherlands need to strengthen the digital market, support innovation in the internal market, boost domestic policy reforms, and embed their knowledge and skills in a European society that challenges itself and continues to innovate. The Netherlands is a global player in the agro, food and horticultural sector and a major player in the export market of agricultural products. This sector is one of its main economic pillars. New knowledge is being developed as we speak, which is also an export product in high demand, providing sizeable employment. This is only possible because the sector is innovative and remains up-to-date. The peri-urban areas in the Netherlands (both urban and rural areas) are characterized by high population density. This necessitates thinking about manufacturing, food, logistics and water management(circular economy). Land-based education and life sciences in the Netherlands may appear to be specific, yet it is broad too: the primary sectors are included, as well as the manufacturing businesses and services associated with it. Participants learn to work in an innovative sector in a society in transition, bringing together multiple disciplines (cross-overs) and stakeholders. This education is practical and has a strong connection to the industry. During the Europea seminar five professorships, installed by the ministry of Economic Affairs, focused on transitions in the agro and food sector. The five professorships are posted at the Dutch Agricultural Universities of applied sciences, including teacher education for sustainable connected learning and development for professional education and business communities.
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Food and the city has never been a more urgent theme than today, and The European Union’s priority to commit to innovation in this field will certainly enhance its economic and external strength and improve its competitive position in the world of food and life sciences. Europea Netherlands held a seminar on this topic in May 2016, during the Dutch EU presidency.To be part of this international endeavour, the Netherlands need to strengthen the digital market, support innovation in the internal market, boost domestic policy reforms, and embed their knowledge and skills in a European society that challenges itself and continues to innovate. The Netherlands is a global player in the agro, food and horticultural sector and a major player in the export market of agricultural products. This sector is one of its main economic pillars. New knowledge is being developed as we speak, which is also an export product in high demand, providing sizeable employment. This is only possible because the sector is innovative and remains up-to-date. The peri-urban areas in the Netherlands (both urban and rural areas) are characterized by high population density. This necessitates thinking about manufacturing, food, logistics and water management(circular economy). Land-based education and life sciences in the Netherlands may appear to be specific, yet it is broad too: the primary sectors are included, as well as the manufacturing businesses and services associated with it. Participants learn to work in an innovative sector in a society in transition, bringing together multiple disciplines (cross-overs) and stakeholders. This education is practical and has a strong connection to the industry. During the Europea seminar five professorships, installed by the ministry of Economic Affairs, focused on transitions in the agro and food sector. The five professorships are posted at the Dutch Agricultural Universities of applied sciences, including teacher education for sustainable connected learning and development for professional education and business communities.
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Food and the city has never been a more urgent theme than today, and The European Union’s priority to commit to innovation in this field will certainly enhance its economic and external strength and improve its competitive position in the world of food and life sciences. Europea Netherlands held a seminar on this topic in May 2016, during the Dutch EU presidency.To be part of this international endeavour, the Netherlands need to strengthen the digital market, support innovation in the internal market, boost domestic policy reforms, and embed their knowledge and skills in a European society that challenges itself and continues to innovate. The Netherlands is a global player in the agro, food and horticultural sector and a major player in the export market of agricultural products. This sector is one of its main economic pillars. New knowledge is being developed as we speak, which is also an export product in high demand, providing sizeable employment. This is only possible because the sector is innovative and remains up-to-date. The peri-urban areas in the Netherlands (both urban and rural areas) are characterized by high population density. This necessitates thinking about manufacturing, food, logistics and water management(circular economy). Land-based education and life sciences in the Netherlands may appear to be specific, yet it is broad too: the primary sectors are included, as well as the manufacturing businesses and services associated with it. Participants learn to work in an innovative sector in a society in transition, bringing together multiple disciplines (cross-overs) and stakeholders. This education is practical and has a strong connection to the industry. During the Europea seminar five professorships, installed by the ministry of Economic Affairs, focused on transitions in the agro and food sector. The five professorships are posted at the Dutch Agricultural Universities of applied sciences, including teacher education for sustainable connected learning and development for professional education and business communities.
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