Vision of the ReBORN project

A piece of manufacturing equipment goes through different stages during its lifetime, starting with the initial installation and continuing through operation and maintenance. Finally, dismantling takes place. During this time, there are some critical parts where time-consuming, labour-intensive and very costly shutdowns can occur. Even complete production stoppages can occur.

ReBORN's vision is to demonstrate manufacturing strategies and technologies that support the paradigm of reusability of manufacturing tools. In this way, tools and machines that have already been decommissioned can be "reborn" on new production lines. This new strategy will contribute to less costly, but more sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. It will also provide an economic and competitive advantage for the manufacturing industry. ReBORN is a demonstration-oriented project aiming at creating a prototype, already tested in an industrial environment, which can be integrated in a modular or complete way into a production process. Moreover, in view of the growing importance of the knowledge economy, an approach based on reuse and refurbishment could also boost the development of new business models.

ReBORN - from idea to implementation

ReBORN is a major step towards making assets 100% reusable. The project will first target 3 main areas:

Modular Plug&Produce equipment

Imagine that the machines on the production line are not just capable of performing separate tasks, but are dynamic, multi-purpose, yet individual parts of an ensemble of intelligent cells. The intelligent components of such flexible (Plug&Produce) production systems are able to communicate with each other on the network, and are able to detect their own state, evaluate their performance and changes in these properties over time. In ReBORN, these intelligent components are logically closed units (so-called VERSONs) that collect, store and analyse data of the production process.

Innovative factory layout techniques and adaptive (re)configuration

By building on autonomous and knowledge-based equipment, a novel concept for the entire manufacturing process can be developed that allows reuse and reconfiguration in existing plants - following rapidly changing customer needs. Re-use takes into account both local, product-oriented recycling and recycling after production has been stopped and the device dismantled. ReBORN creates a collaborative environment that allows for an optimal allocation of resources and tasks depending on the state of the machines - already at the design level.

Quick and easy to assemble and disassemble, flexible and low-cost mechanical systems

Nowadays, mechanical systems such as robotic arms are very specific, tailored to the hardware product. The system of the future is flexible and modular, built from standard components so that it can be easily reconfigured and extended. A further strategic objective to achieve flexible and resource-optimised production is based on Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies. AM also allows the three-dimensional printing of the desired product from production plans (CAD files). The ReBORN team aims to produce a flexible, multi-purpose and low-cost unit that meets these requirements.

The main advantages that ReBORN provides are:

Smart devices combine the ability to monitor status and self-analysis.
Intelligent monitoring and control combines the combined advantages of condition monitoring and intelligent monitoring.
Rapid response to changing production needs resulting in time savings.
Reduced costs and investment risk.
It helps human work in planning the production process.
Plug&Produce, easy and modular integration of tools in the "smart" factory.
Use of the latest information and communication technology (ICT) in operational production systems.
Flexible collaboration between component suppliers, system integrators and end users through new business models.

What are the expected results?

Strengthening the competitiveness of European SMEs by using cutting-edge technology and new business models.
Full economic sustainability in production systems through innovative reusability of modular equipment.
Strengthen economic processes at European level by taking into account international standards and norms. At the same time, it contributes to the completion of standards and norms.

Resources, materials, tools and machinery can be fully re-deployed, irrespective of the previous use of the equipment.
Contributing to a growing social awareness of efficient and ecologically sustainable resource use to meet the current challenges of global climate change and resource scarcity.

Project duration: 2013 – 2016

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