In recent years, the advent of the Industry 4.0 concept has led to the supplementation of quality control methods with digital technologies like AI, machine learning, and advanced data analytics. Beyond these advances in software, great progress has also been made in hardware such as intelligent sensors and embedded IoT systems. These advances have allowed a new quality control paradigm to emerge that emphasises preventing defects before they occur. This zero-defect, right-first-time approach is integral to modern manufacturing strategies for improving efficiency and reducing waste.
Inside this latest edition of Projects Magazine is an overview of some of the most cutting-edge research being done around the concept of zero-defect manufacturing. Aside from these projects, all of which have been funded through the European Factories of the Future Research Association (EFFRA), we have interviews and thought pieces with some key figures involved in industrial transformation in Europe, including Rainer Brehm of Siemens, Gerd Leonhard of The Futures Agency and EFFRA’s very own Chris Decubber.
When putting together this publication and talking to the people who made these projects possible, it was striking to hear how important the march towards carbon-zero and sustainability was to them. Although these kinds of targets are embedded in the framework of European funding, it is inspiring to know that this generation of researchers have taken this attitude to heart. The climate and our planet are the responsibility of us all, and improving industry in line with these principles will help create a better future for everyone.
Another thread running through much of this edition of Projects Magazine is the paradigm shift towards human-centric innovation – a broadening of perspective that considers the holistic effect of the new wave of technologies coming through, beyond impacts such as increased efficiency and profitability to include the wellbeing of people working in industry as well as the rest of society. This human-centric approach is apparent in every single one of the projects featured in this publication, and it is hard not to agree that this is a positive step in the right direction.
Insight Media will be at the EFFRA Manufacturing Partnership Days in Brussels on May 7-8th 2024, promoting the publication, talking with industry specialists and researchers, and supporting our own ZDM project FLASH-COMP.
This special edition of Projects Magazine will be available to read in full here on our website next week – watch this space!