SAM|XL is a composites manufacturing company that develops closed-loop manufacturing
SAM|XL (Delft, Netherlands) is a 2,000-square-meter joint research laboratory on the TU Delft campus (founded in 2018) that develops automation for intelligent manufacturing employing composites and other innovative materials. “There are a lot of centers that do composites with robots,” Kjelt van Rijswijk states, CEO of SAM|XL, “but most are based on offline programming. The industry needed a center for closed-loop manufacturing.”
A cross-faculty and multidisciplinary team from TU Delft is working on SAM|XL, as well as a specialized in-center team of composites, aerospace robotics, software, and mechatronics experts. Fiber placement and winding methods, 3D printer-based additive manufacturing, quality assurance (QA) and inspection, machining, surface finishing, and assembly procedures, such as thermoplastic composite welding, are investigated.
It works on three different sorts of projects:
- Promote adaptive manufacturing infrastructure -equipment that can compensate for changes in the manufacturing process in real-time without manual programming: mechatronics and robotics innovation, new algorithms, software tools.
- Proof of concept-fine-tuning of adaptive manufacturing equipment based on specific use cases in the industry.
- Establish knowledge dissemination and education projects for the future workforce.
SAM|XL is a non-profit organization supported by companies that have officially joined as Participants. They provide recommendations on the center’s strategic direction and technology roadmap, as well as make joint investments in its infrastructure. SAM|XL owns the infrastructure and makes it available, together with relevant expertise, for industrial and scientific projects. Suppliers that support SAM|XL in the creation and development of the infrastructure of the center are technology partners.
Collaborative engineering, open infrastructure
Van Rijswijk supports, “We continue to build our own team of engineers. We see that it is important to bridge contextual fields, such as aerospace and composites, with software, robotics, and mechatronics.” One of the primary goals, he continues, “is to have a toolbox of software that we can share and an open infrastructure, where we can tune these toolboxes and our infrastructure to achieve the special use cases for our projects.”
Source:
https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/samxl-develops-closed-loop-manufacturing-for-composites
Robotics: A key enabler for Thailand’s Industry Digitization
In the last few years, Thailand has made great strides towards Industry 4.0, aiming to become an Asian digital behemoth, according to the country’s Ministry of foreign Affairs. For this reason, the Thai government authorized $15 billion for industries in order to develop domestic economy. This strategic initiative, known as Thailand 4.0, focuses on manufacturing systems’ digitization by integrating novel technologies and systems such as smart machines, robotics and artificial intelligence methodologies. COVID-19 crisis has also strengthened this initiative, since lockdowns in many countries forced industries to utilize robots in their manufacturing process in order to minimize financial loss. In addition, funding has been directed to research and development of automation and robotics (A&R) technology with the aim of specializing a large portion of engineering graduates in this discipline. Some recent robotic systems developed by Thai Universities include:
- Raibo-X: Students from the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang designed Raibo-X, a robot that can map out a room and disinfect surfaces that may be contaminated with COVID-19 or other viruses, by using UVC light. Such a robot can be placed in an industrial warehouse and neutralize aerosolized forms of the coronavirus.
- AutoVacc: Chulalongkorn University researchers developed a robotic arm that can boost the number of vaccine doses in order to increase the pace of vaccinations. The robotic system can draw 12 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in four minutes from a vial. As Juthamas Ratanavaraporn, the lead researcher of the team said:” The machine guarantees with accuracy that we can gain an extra 20% from each vaccine vial – from 10 to 12 doses”. This extra 20% means that if we have AstraZeneca vaccines for 1 million people, this robot can increase the number of doses to 1.2 million people.
It is obvious that A&R can be widely used in various industrial applications, achieving high operational efficiency and increased productivity. For this reason, all industrial producers must implement advanced robotics as part of a comprehensive digital transformation of their operations.
Source: https://futureiot.tech/robotics-reshape-thai-industries/
How much do Countries spend on Education?
Often when dealing with numbers, data and statistics, it happens to come across unexpected results. So, for example, the latest OECD report, which analyzes – among other things – how much each country allocates in economic terms to education, yields a photograph that is worth investigating.
According to the report, Norway is one of the countries that spends the largest share of its GDP on education (6.7%), while one of those that allocates fewer funds is Russia (only 3.4%).
The OECD report stresses: “the willingness of policymakers to broaden access to educational opportunities and to provide high-quality education can translate into higher costs per student and must be balanced with other demands on public spending and the tax burden. Consequently, whether the resources devoted to education produce adequate returns occupies a prominent place in the public debate. Although it is difficult to assess the optimal resources needed to prepare each student for life and work in modern societies, the international comparisons of expenditure on educational institutions per student can provide useful points of reference”.
And what about the parents’ expenditure for the education of their children?
According to a recent HSBC study, Hong Kong parents spend the most money on their children’s education, leading the way with an average spend of $ 132,161. The UAE is second with $ 99,378, while Singapore completes the top three with $ 70,939. The report also reveals that 87% of all parents surveyed support their child with education funds, with the highest percentage (98%) in Indonesia and the lowest in France (76%) and the UK ( 71%).
Source:
- https://www.statista.com/chart/15434/the-countries-spending-the-most-on-education/?utm_source=Statista+Newsletters&utm_campaign=dd1163fe88-All_InfographTicker_daily_COM_AM_KW29_2021_Mo_COPY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_662f7ed75e-dd1163fe88-314857821
- https://www.statista.com/chart/10118/who-spends-the-most-on-their-childs-education/
SEEDA-CECNSM 2021 Conference
The 6th South-East Europe Design Automation, Computer Engineering, Computer Networks and Social Media Conference (SEEDA-CECNSM 2021) took place in Preveza, Greece, from 24th to 26th September 2021. SEEDA-CECNSM 2021 is technically co-sponsored by the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (CIS) and was organized by the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Greece, and the Departments of Informatics & Telecommunications and Accounting & Finance, University of Ioannina, Greece.
On the last day of the conference, our fellow partner Maja Pivec from the FH JOANNEUM, University of Applied Sciences, gave a lecture under the title “Learning 4.0: Innovation Directions driven by Employers Perspective” where they largely explained the mission of the NEW METRO project and they demonstrated the progress we have done so far, alongside with the corresponding findings.
A Robotic ‘Digger Finger’ Senses Buried Items
MIT researchers developed a “Digger Finger” robot that digs through granular material, like sand and gravel, and senses the shapes of buried objects. The research by the MIT team will be presented at the next International Symposium on Experimental Robotics.
The “Digger Finger”, as it was named, implemented by MIT digs through sand and gravel to locate a buried object. Equipped with tactile detection, the slim digit-like device could one day be mounted on a robotic arm and used to detect underground cables or even explosives.
Sources: https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/stories/blog/39348
A new way of training: the experimentation of the NewMetro model, supported by Federmeccanica, in the experience of Ditro srl and Designa srl
The NEW METRO project, co-funded by Erasmus Plus, generated a training model aimed at the profile of Higher Level Technician for Mechatronics, identifying 17 critical competencies that have emerged from the various working tables of the Partners and the consultation with over 100 stakeholders belonging to the seven Countries involved (Italy, Germany, Austria, Latvia, Greece, Spain, Poland).
Federmeccanica, NEW METRO Partner, conducted a training experimentation session focused on the competence of “Robotics Programming” at the Ditro S.r.l. and Designia S.r.l., divided into 2 phases, the first of which ended in July 2021.
With the collaboration of Sistemi Formativi Confindustria and with the support of Confindustria Puglia, Federmeccanica orchestrated the entire session involving
- six students from the two companies,
- two specialized teachers from Assocam Scuola Camerana and
- one robot provided by the company R. Cestaro S.r.l.
for a total of n. 16 hours of blended training (a mix between online and in-classroom, since the teacher was connected remotely but the students could practice on a robot placed in front of them). The second phase will start in September, for a total of n. 40 hours of blended training.
The activity carried out had the aim not only to validate the design and development work of the training model based on WBL (Work-Based Learning) but also to confirm the possibility of delivering this training model in online mode, transforming the imposed limitations from the current crisis we are living into opportunities.
We asked some questions to all the actors involved in this experience (the company that joined the training project, the students, the teachers, Federmeccanica and the Stakeholders) to collect their direct point of view and draw some conclusions before the start of the second phase.
Company (Giuseppe Schiavone – Project Manager Ditro-Designa S.r.l.)
Having concluded the first part of the NEW METRO experiment, co-funded under the Erasmus program, what considerations do you feel you can share?
Ditro-Designia: we are glad to be an active player of the NEW METRO experiment, as we got the opportunity to significantly widen the core skills of our employees in a relevant topic for our business, leveraging on the experience and the competences offered through the project. Employees felt the effectiveness of the training, especially because were able to move from theory to practice in “real-time” mode.
Do you find it a valuable and replicable system for introducing innovative solutions for adult education?
Ditro-Designia: definitely yes, as it links theoretical notions (that can be delivered even remotely) with the opportunity to practice the lessons learned, so optimizing in this way the performance of the training. Considering even the pandemic situation, the organization resulted in a remarkable gain of competences, sincerely recognized by the students, too.
Students
You students have been involved in the whole process, from unboxing to learning how to use the Robot, passing through its programming, which phase was most useful for you? Was the remote teaching method effective? Do you agree to include these teaching and training methods in current programs, even after the pandemic?
Every single phase of the training represented a source of innovation and learning for us. Just to mention one, we can say that the setting phase of the robot was really interesting, as it was a sort of “official kick-off” of the training. We firmly believe this can represent a reference baseline for the training courses even after the pandemic period.
Training Manager (Sigfrido Pilone – Assocam Scuola Camerana Director)
After this NEW METRO experience and in the light of the global economic and employment framework that imposes physical restrictions on the provision of training, how valid do you think it is to use the WBL methodology online?
Work Based Learning is a real opportunity when the teacher supports the student in a structured way and when the training is clear with respect to topics/content and above all clear, defined and measurable objectives.
In order to better explain the reasons for this answer, it is useful to contextualize it with the experience of Scuola Camerana, which organized the course.
In fact, Scuola Camerana has over 60 years of experience in technical and technological training and the Work Based Learning model has always been one of the reference models for training (even if not yet structured as it is today). Training delivered under task conditions to effectively simulate a work environment has always been an element of strength and motivation for the students of our institution.
The drastic limitations imposed by COVID, both in terms of travel and space sharing, have made it necessary to use technologies designed specifically for distance learning, supplemented by materials and equipment complete with technical kits distributed to learners to allow them to carry out practical exercises in distance mode.
In the case of NEW METRO, we use a robot that has been delivered to the company being trained and that is programmed by the trainees on the basis of the teacher’s instructions, who can also interact remotely with the robot itself, in remote control.
In addition, the recording of the lessons allows reviewing and deepening any topics independently and asynchronously by the trainees.
Particular efforts have been necessary for the training of the teacher who had to learn to interact with the students based only on the tone of voice and images of the webcams, which is not easy for everyone.
In conclusion, the WBL, integrated with online tools, is a mode that, with proper attention, can continue to be a valuable training tool.
Lecturer (Alessio Salmin – Technical Sw programmer Robot)
I certainly believe that the WBL model is a very good solution. With the right instruments and an effective organisation, we have seen that distance learning can be just as good as face-to-face training.
Federmeccanica (Sabrina De Santis – Education & Training Director)
After the experimentation experience made with the company Ditro srl and Designia srl, to which entities (for example, ITS and Enterprises) does Federmeccanica intend to propose new experimentation sessions relating to the NEW METRO project?
Federmeccanica is convinced that learning on the job is essential and fundamental for the development of skills. Join the NEW METRO partnership also responds to this mission: promote collaboration between schools and businesses. Taking part in the definition of a European CV of mechatronic skills and testing it through new forms of teaching, seemed an appropriate challenge.
The piloting phase carried out showed us that a serious distance learning could be effective in developing technical skills, if it is co-designed with the company and supported by WBL experiences. The co-design of programs between company and trainer remains the fundamental basis. Indeed, it has been a phase on which we have worked extensively to achieve a good result.
We will certainly disseminate this experience to our whole system: the results achieved with the first phase of experimentation are encouraging and show how much we have to intensify our efforts for the highest quality and effectiveness of training, in order to foster the development of professionalism with skills responding to the ongoing labor market transformation.
Stakeholder (Cesare De Palma – President of the Mechanical, Electrical and Electronics Section of Confindustria Bari Bat)
NEW METRO is based on the philosophy of integrating the voices of the players involved in training for Mechatronics, bringing closer the need for updating expressed by the industrial sector, the training needs of workers and trainers. What actions will allow stakeholders to continue their involvement in updating skills and replicating the NEW METRO model (for example, by transmitting the NEW METRO offer to ITS, in the Fondimpresa catalogues, etc.)?
I believe that the New Metro project deserves a very broad replicability approach. It is not a project with technical content limited to a technology or a specific innovation. It has very broad implications that can involve different company levels: from designers to process or department managers, from supervisors to technical programming specialists. In our opinion, therefore, in addition to ITS, we need to think about school modules – through alternating school-work paths (PCTO) – and university professionalizing modules through which provide this type of training.
Regarding continuous training, collaboration with companies will be fundamental. It should be included in the catalogues of training courses offered by accredited bodies and should refer to calls for proposals linked to interprofessional funds.
Bosch offers Industry 4.0 educational programs
Bosch invests in human capital and develops education campaigns for Industry 4.0 to train anyone interested in cutting-edge technologies, including associates and interested parties from other companies. Rolf Najork, a member of the Bosch board of management responsible for industrial technology, states that “because Industry 4.0 strengthens the competitiveness of manufacturing sites, it helps safeguard jobs”. For more than 5 years, Bosch has invested more than 1 billion euros in qualifying and further training its associates. The company is now introducing newly designed Industry 4.0 roles across its plants.
As the concept of integrated Industry 4.0 is becoming a reality as it gains ground year by year, the training of the workforce to comply with the requirements of the new era is inevitable. “Bosch is a pioneer in Industry 4.0. By sharing our knowledge and experience, we help companies successfully implement this modern form of production,” Najork says.
Apart from the training programs, Bosch is developing full-scale training equipment that covers robot programming, augmented reality, app technology, RFID, and manufacturing execution systems that will be provided at vocational schools and universities disposal, despite the company’s training centers.
Bosch offers around 360 different courses on digitalization and on Industry 4.0. The company aims to establish a permanent Industry 4.0 team consisting of a coordinator plus IT specialists for infrastructure, hardware, and processes, which will be reinforced by data analysts and data scientists. Their task of processing the production results and identifying problems early on with the help of machine learning is pivotal for the overall smooth operation.
“We offer the appropriate courses for each new role. After all, you have to understand the connected world before you can shape it,” says Filiz Albrecht, Bosch board of management member and director of industrial relations at Robert Bosch GmbH.
Source: https://www.aftermarketnews.com/bosch-begins-education-campaign-for-industry-4-0/
Cement-based batteries: an innovation that could transform the storage energy domain
Energy availability is a crucial issue in the world we live in. We, as mankind, are fully dependent on energy-consuming systems.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, made a much promising invention; they created the world-first concept for a rechargeable cement-based battery. Imagine the prospect of such an invention in the direction of great scale storage of energy. In that sense, the numerous cement buildings could function as massive batteries. Although ambitious as an idea, if this concept would become a reality, would revolutionize the construction and energy sector by developing a huge rechargeable system. This concrete-based battery has an energy density of 7 Wh per square meter or 0.8 Wh per liter, a quantity that, according to the team led by Professor Luping Tang. While the battery density is very low compared to commercially available batteries, the advantages of such a technology are without any doubt significant.
Cement-based batteries could also be used to power LEDs, provide 4G connections in remote areas, or cathodic protection against corrosion in concrete infrastructure. It could also be coupled with solar cell panels, for example, to provide electricity and become the energy source for monitoring systems in highways or bridges, where sensors operated by a concrete battery could detect cracking or corrosion, suggests Emma Zhang. “We have a vision that in the future, this technology could allow for whole sections of multi-story buildings made of functional concrete. Considering that any concrete surface could have a layer of this electrode embedded, we are talking about enormous volumes of functional concrete”, Emma Zhang added.
Sources:
https://www.inceptivemind.com/worlds-first-rechargeable-cement-based-battery-concept/19037/
Upskilling as the key to drive the post-COVID recovery
A year and a half ago, no one could have predicted how radically everything would change. But, of course, even before COVID-19, the rise of automation and new technologies was transforming global labour markets.
The pandemic exposed structural weaknesses in institutions and economies and widened inequalities.
We have an urgent social problem: how to equip people with the skills they need to participate in the economy, now and in the future. Half of all employees worldwide will need retraining by 2025, and that number does not include all people who are currently out of work. Acting now is vital.
Crisis events, such as the pandemic, can and should shape economic thinking and represent a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine and restore priorities.
The World Economic Forum used economic models to estimate the amount of GDP growth we can expect from an increase in productivity if countries improve the skills of their citizens in line with the OECD and industry best practices.
Our key economic results include the following:
- Greater public-private collaboration on large-scale retraining initiatives could increase global GDP by $ 6.5 trillion and create 5.3 million new jobs by 2030.
- Economies where skills gaps are most significant may see the largest gains as a percentage of GDP, including China (7.5%) and India (6.8%).
- Half of the GDP globally is expected to be earned in business services, consumer services and manufacturing sectors.
- Industries that have suffered from low wages and production growth for decades could benefit significantly from improved skills. Health and social care could add $ 380 billion in additional GDP through skills upgrades by 2030.
While the data supports the need to improve skills, we also recognize that GDP alone does not provide a complete picture of how an economy is doing.
Preparing people for tomorrow’s jobs is no easy task. But there are tremendous benefits to developing good jobs, including secure work, paid pretty, motivating and emphasizing the uniquely human skills and characteristics of workers, thus offering higher productivity levels.
Here are four ways you can work to start turning this crisis into an opportunity for change:
- Governments, businesses and education providers should work together
- Governments should take an agile approach
- Businesses will need to anchor skills improvement and workforce investment as a business principle
- Educators should reinvent education and embrace lifelong learning
While the challenges are significant, they are not insurmountable.
Because in times of great crisis, we can respond with great determination. It is time to seize the opportunity before us and create lasting change for generations to come.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/calling-global-upskilling-movement/