Objectives

The project goal is to design, implement and build white’R by accomplishing a set of scientific and technological objectives clustered in the following topics:

Mechatronic (re)Configuration

It implies the identification, selection, reuse and customization of white’R P-n-P mechatronic modules (e.g. operation units, robotic units, handling units, transportation units, fixturing units, HVAC system, filtering system, ionizers for preventing electrostatic discharge ESD) to be encapsulated in a White-room with a very compact structure. The white’R solution will also include a number of possible reconfigurations optimally matching the production requirements over time along with the coupling of the module degradation pattern to variable families of products, managing the reusability of components and sub-assemblies even in new assemblies.

Automation System

It comprises the design, development, validation and deployment of the overall control logics distributed across the modules as well as the island orchestration policies and coordination with the other resources operating in the shop-floor.

Smart Sensing System

It constitutes the mean for acquiring information about the environment (products, devices and human operators) and adapting the island set points and sensing threshold according to the specific configuration and process.

Intelligent System

It relies on a learning pattern describing the characteristics of the considered products, processes and devices, together with the rules for associating such data in order to achieve the automated production goals and the related interaction dynamics among modules and learning processes. On this basis, it defines the overall communication syntax and infrastructure to accomplish the multi-level and multi-device interoperability.

Process and Production Management

It concerns the design of the process planning by sequencing and coordinating the various operations as well as the planning of the production by coordinating the flows of parts, tools, auxiliaries across the shop-floor while maximizing the overall system efficiency and throughput.

Optimization

It ascertains that the island behavior is persistently tracked and improved with regards to the process, the module performance and the production targets.

Work Plan

The achievement of white’R objectives is structured in a 3 years.

Project Management

Work Package 1 aims at managing the overall project activities.

Scientific and Technical Activities

Work Package 2 contains the reference model for evaluating the product, technologies and equipment lifecycle by focusing to a complete concept of competitive sustainability. The framework will be accomplished from the white’R island Beginning of Life (BoL) across its Middle of Life (MoL) till its End of Life (EoL).

Work Package 3 deals with the design and configuration of island physical (re)configuration and its encapsulation in the White room, thus selecting the island architecture, the P&P modules along with all the auxiliaries.

Work Package 4 concerns the configuration of the automation Hardware and Software infrastructure for white’R consisting of the distributed control function blocks development to be incorporated within P-n-P modules.

Work Package 5 covers the island process planning for the entire family of products.

Work Package 6 deals with the integration of the White room island in the shop-floor and the comprehensive planning of the production.

Work Package 7 regards the dynamic management and optimization activities oriented to process optimization, equipment optimization and production optimization while the island is running.

Demonstration, Dissemination and Exploitation

Work Package 8-9 refer respectively to the development of the 2 physical demonstrators in the field of high power diodes and solar energy systems.

Work Package 10 ascertains an extensive dissemination and exploitation activities with the aim of boosting white’R industrial solutions in future industrial practice.

Status of the Project Activities

Update of Work Packages Progress

  • Work Package 1

    50%
  • Work Package 2

    100%
  • Work Package 3

    100%
  • Work Package 4

    10%
  • Work Package 5

    95%
  • Work Package 6

    10%
  • Work Package 7

    50%
  • Work Package 8

    0%
  • Work Package 9

    0%
  • Work Package 10

    50%