Opificio Digitale - Smart Manifacturing Ecosystem (OD-SME)

Within the innovation project "Opificio Digitale - Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem", in the context of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing sector, there are three research activities

1. Smart data acquisition & Analytics
Development of an advanced, fully integrated software and hardware architecture to extract information from operating departments by acquiring data from plants and devices, and then using this data for advanced analysis and machine learning algorithm development. The main reason to carry out these activities is to exploit these data, deriving from machines and operations carried out in the production departments, in order to create a new generation of on-board devices capable of performing complex operations in real time and assisting the processes in progress (edge computing).

2. Platform development & Process and operational development
Development of a supply chain and shopfloor management system. Specifically, the study will lead to the creation of a configurable software platform, structured in modules and microservices for the complete management of production, which will include problem management and management of information and material flows among the different companies in the supply chain. The activity will directly contribute to the creation of an operating system for manufacturing, with an easily scalable and cloud-based open logic, which allows the creation and integration of connectors to the main ERP systems, design, and generally legacy systems. The resource will be part of a heterogeneous team for the development of the platform by defining the architecture, supporting the creation of API azure cloud management, and interfacing with external suppliers. In addition, the resource will be using, managing and taking care of the deployment of the Atlassian suite (Confluence, Jira, Bamboo, Bitbucket) and, working with Agile methodology, will contribute to the creation of the Opificio Digitale ecosystem.

3. AR/VR applications development and integration with autonomous machines
Development of an interoperable hardware/software platform for augmented/virtual reality and its integration with autonomous operations machines. The research activity will allow the interaction and communication between Automate Guided Vehicles (AGV) and the digital production ecosystem, guaranteeing the definition of automatic material handling logics according to the principle of “just in time” operational excellence. Data from production assets, made available through the MES (Manufacturing Execution System), will allow the integration and definition of innovative algorithms for the generation of optimised routings aimed at route efficiency and the handling of production materials.

The research will have an impact on the transformation of the Italian manufacturing sector, contributing to the creation of an industrial ecosystem through the creation of an open source software platform to support production to be shared along the entire production chain, and will also have significant relevance on the international scene, finding direct application within the international collaborations of the scientific partners.

The Opificio Digitale project is based on two pillars: on the one hand, the creation of an innovative industrial ecosystem through the creation of an open source software platform to support production, to be shared along the entire production chain; on the other hand, the creation of a collaborative space, a physical place inside the Wärtsilä Italia plants in Trieste, where the employees of the different participating industries can interact, train and share technologies and knowledge with universities, centres of excellence and companies. The resources will therefore have to pursue the objective of their research in a context of continuous collaboration with personnel from various and complementary sectors and subjects.

In order to be able to carry out their activities in the context of the Opificio Digitale project and therefore of the development linked to the manufacturing sector, candidates will have to be able to integrate in their development work not only the pure activities linked to software and devices (development and code revision, testing of industrial/open source electronic devices), but also what will derive from the study of processes and their potential improvement deriving from the introduction of digital technology. For this reason, it will be important for them to be able to immerse theirself in the day-to-day operations of the relevant offices and departments, interacting with different company areas and people in different roles, transposing into the code the operations and information acquired in the field.

The activities will be carried out mainly in the Wärtsilä Italia plants in Trieste.

Contact: prof. Sergio Carrato (carrato@units.it)