Intelligent Systems Research Group
Overview
The project Innovative Reuse of modular knowledge Based devices and technologies for Old, Renewed and New factories (ReBorn) started in 2013. It is co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program.
During its lifetime manufacturing equipment passes several stages starting at initial incorporation into the production line, operation, maintenance to end-of-use and disassembly. On that way there is a number of critical intersections, which potentially come along with time and resource costly downtimes of a machine or even of the entire production system. On of such “cracks” in the production efficiency is found when equipment is to be abandoned and substituted (graph), which usually implies a considerable drop in production efficiency for days or weeks.
This is where the ReBorn concept kicks in: ReBorn intends to demonstrate strategies and technologies that enable the re-use of production equipment in old, renewed and new factories. The idea is to save valuable resources by re-using equipment in another constellation instead of discarding it: re-cycling vs on way use. This requires new concepts and strategies for repair and upgrade of equipment, the (re-) design of factory layouts and flexible, adaptable and ready to plug-in modules. Such new strategies will contribute to sustainable, resource-friendly and greener manufacturing and, at the same time, deliver economic and competitive advantages for the manufacturing sector.
Partners & Funding
