International Center for Networked, Adaptive Production ICNAP

Exciting times at ICNAP! ✨ Our annual “Autumn Meeting” kicked off yesterday, showcasing the third milestone presentations. Online and over two days, #ICNAP members are exploring exclusive insights of the International Centers' activities throughout the year 2024 that refer to the topics of production digitalization. 💻 🔍Multiple ICNAP studies are being presented by our following team members: Maximilian Ortmann, David Wichter, André Gilerson, Ines Groß-Weege, Jan Hellmich, and Liz Annika Leutner.   Today, we had the chance to attend the presentation of Denys Plakhotnik from ModuleWorks on the “Evolution of CAM Systems towards Digital Twin Paradigm." Thank you for the insights! If you like to find out more about #ICNAP and its community, feel free to contact Alexander D. Kies or Henrik Heymann. 🤝

🌟 Our long-term partnership with NRW.Global Business Japan has resulted in close collaboration with Japanese companies and the expansion of our international network. Last week, we were honored to host Dr. Carolina Kawakubo, Head of NRW.Global Business in Tokyo, at Fraunhofer IPT in Aachen. During the visit, we discussed key topics such as #5G technology and advances in #turbomachinery, #hydrogen technologies and #battery production. The exchanges reaffirmed our commitment to fostering collaboration between Japan and the ICNAP network. 🚀 We are excited about the prospect of further innovative projects in collaboration with companies from Japan, in order to drive the future of technology in both countries. #Partnerships #BatteryProduction #Digitalization #JapanNetworking

🤝 This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Mitsubishi Electric at Fraunhofer IPT. We were introduced to Ryouta Koyama (second from the left), the new contact person for Mitsubishi Electric in Germany, by Andreas Pfaff (right). During their visit, we presented an overview of the Fraunhofer IPT and #ICNAP, followed by a demonstration of our #DigitalTwin technology. We also discussed ongoing collaborations in the 5G-COMET and TARGET-X projects, in which Mitsubishi Electric is a valued consortium member. 🚀 In the course of the discussions, we came up with new ideas for future cooperation, including joint research projects in the area of #5G and #6G. We also looked at topics such as new strategies for calculating #CO2 footprints and creating a reference architecture, as well as the next steps for enhancing the Digital Twin Demonstrator with a focus on hardware independence. We look forward to continued collaboration and the innovations to come! #TARGETX #5GCOMET #Industry40

On October 2, ICNAP invites you to Aachen, Germany, to discover the full power of digital technologies in production at the Digital Experience Day at the 5G-Industry Campus Europe. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱? 🌟 Exclusive guided tour: Experience live how #Industrie40 is implemented on the shop floor – up close and hands-on! 🌟 Hands-on workshops: Deepen your knowledge on hot topics like #AI, #ITSecurity and #5G for production. 🌟 Individual consulting: Engage directly with our experts and get answers to your specific questions about digital infrastructure. Who is it for? Industrial companies of all sizes that want to harness the potential of the latest technology and research for their own production. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄: https://lnkd.in/enad4SUW We look forward to seeing you in Aachen! 👉 If you have any questions: Dr. Mario Pothen will be happy to help you. #Digitalization #5G #6G #LowCode #NoCode #Cybersecurity Pierre Emanuel Kehl Fabian Seidel Alexander D. Kies Dr. Jan Wilhelm Maximilian Ortmann Werkzeugmaschinenlabor WZL der RWTH Aachen, Competence Center 5G.NRW FIR an der RWTH Aachen StädteRegion Aachen

What do laser-structured surfaces and fast-growing plant cells have in common? 💡 We've developed a production process optimization system that utilizes multi-objective #Bayesian experimental design. It allows for resource-efficient and rapid identification of optimal parameter settings. For validation purposes, the system was applied in two unique environments: A: Using ultra short laser pulses to structure metallic surfaces 💠. B: Growing plant cells in bioreactors 🌱 In laser structuring, the results show an improvement in surface roughness, structuring depth, and smoothness of edge areas. In plant cell cultivation, the new nutrition medium used 33% fewer resources while improving growth speed by 25%, resulting in higher productivity and cost-effectiveness. In the future, the researchers plan to use their system to improve long-term processes for growing plant and animal cells. 👉 For more details on this and other ICNAP research projects, please visit our ICNAP Explorer: https://lnkd.in/eFRCe39U Project team: Lars Leyendecker, Dr.-Ing. Milena Žurić, Henrik Nausch

💬 Following our working group series, Tim Geerken, the leader of Data Synchronization & Middleware, will give us insights on his group’s work. ❓ Hey Tim, would you first tell us something about yourself, please? “My name is Tim Geerken. I have been working at Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnologie IPT since 2019 as a student research assistant. Now I work in the department of precision machining and automation. In 2022, I took over the leadership of this working group, as it aligns closely with my previous work in digitalization.” ❓ Thank you Tim! So, what is your working group exploring? “The group is focused on transferring data from shopfloor to higher-level systems. As you can imagine, in modern production the variety of machines, sensor systems and additional data sources is constantly growing. To make best use of the data, it is necessary to have a unified understanding of where data comes from and where it has been acquired. Within the work of the group, we try to stay up to date with the current solutions to tackle these problems.” ❓ Can you tell us more about your group's challenges and how you overcame them? “One of the biggest challenges is the variety of use cases. Each manufacturer uses its own hardware and signal composition for data acquisition. Not enough, even the communication protocols differ very strongly. Combining all these requirements into a single solution is often not feasible, so additional middleware solutions must be implemented. ❓ Interesting. Could you highlight some of the progress that you have made so far? "During our work we have investigated different communication standards like OPC UA and evaluated their feasibility for the use in industry, also we aim to update the community regarding top of the notch solutions in the market and research projects which aim to decrease the level of complexity.” ❓ Just one last question: In your opinion, why should a company be an ICNAP member? “The ICNAP community provides an incredibly detailed and multi-layered view of the most popular topics of digitalization. The variety of partners and use cases makes it possible to get an overview of technologies, strategies, and solution approaches from different areas. By actively participating in the community, a company can bring its digitalization to the latest level.” Thank you very much, Tim! 👉 If you are interested in Data Synchronization & Middleware, please contact Tim Geerken. For more information about the community and partnerships, feel free to contact our Community Manager Alexander D. Kies.

🚀 We're thrilled to announce that TARGET-X is opening its doors for the very first Open Day! Join us on September 17, 2024 in Aachen, Germany for a day full of innovation and insights. 📅 Date: September 17, 2024 📍 Location: Aachen, Germany TARGET-X, alongside our consortium partners, cordially invites you to discover the progress of our groundbreaking project. Get up close and personal with the innovative solutions driving the implementation of 5G and 6G in industry and production. 💡 Why Attend? - Gain insights into the development of projects from the first Open Call. - Explore our trial sites with industry-related demos in Aachen. - Experience cutting-edge demonstrators showcasing the potential of 5G technology in manufacturing, energy, automotive, and construction sectors. In TARGET-X, we are pushing the boundaries of digital transformation in key industries through large-scale trials. Discover how 5G and 6G technologies are revolutionizing localization, digital twinning, and data fusion between sensors and networks in diverse test environments. 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eebENZcp This project, funded over 2.5 years by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) JU) within Horizon Europe, aims to secure Europe’s leadership in 5G and 6G. 🔝 Don't miss this opportunity to be at the forefront of technological innovation. Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable day! 🗓️ #5G #6G #DigitalTransformation #Industry40 #Event

Last week, the kick-off of the CSII project took place at the Fraunhofer IPT with partners UNIBERG GmbH and RWTH Aachen University. The goal of the project is the creation of an IT/OT test lab at the 5G-Industry Campus Europe, where companies can simulate various cybersecurity scenarios without risk. 👏 An exciting topic for which more and more laws are being enacted, such as #NIS2, #CRA and the #EU Machinery Directive. 💡

𝗜𝗖𝗡𝗔𝗣 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗥: 𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗖 🌟 We were pleased to welcome Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Kumagai, Taichi Kitao, and Masahiro Hasegawa from #Muratec Murata Machinery, Ltd. at Fraunhofer IPT in Aachen a few days ago. Their visit marked the official announcement of this new partnership. Murata Machinery, LTD is a Japanese company based in Kyoto. They specialize in manufacturing industrial machines, providing factory automation and logistics solutions, as well as automated material handling systems. With our new partner Muratec, we are looking forward to all future exchanges, collaborations and new developments in the area of digitalization. 🤝 Has a cooperation with ICNAP crossed your mind as well? Then please contact Alexander D. Kies to learn more about our community and the benefits of membership. 👁️ Use our ICNAP Explorer to sneak peek into our projects. Link in comments. #ICNAP #Partnership #Technology

🎉 Our annual #hackathon finally took place. We were very happy to welcome all students! The first day started with an engaging introduction by Henrik Heymann, followed by a presentation of the upcoming challenges. Shortly after, the students formed their groups, ready to spend the entire evening and night #hackingforfuture. By 5pm on Saturday, time was up and the students delivered pitch presentations for each project. 🏆 The judges deliberated and we proudly announced our winner. Thank you to everyone who participated! It was an emotionally intense event, witnessing the dedication and passion of the participants for our future. #ICNAP #hackathon #teamspirit