Under the leadership of the ELKH Institute for Computer Science & Control (SZTAKI), a unique cyber-physical manufacturing and logistics model system has been established at the Institute's premises on the Széchenyi University campus in Győr, within the framework of the five-year project called Industry 4.0 Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation, which ended this year.
The I4.0 demonstration manufacturing and logistics sample system was implemented under the leadership of SZTAKI in cooperation with Széchenyi University, the Department of Manufacturing Science and Engineering at the BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Material Handling and Logistics Systems at the BME Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering. The research project, considered by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) to be an important element of the Hungarian research infrastructures of excellence, provides an experimental, testing and demonstration environment for Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the Győr region. In future, it will also provide research infrastructure, using the results of the project, for several industrial research and European R&D projects, as well as for the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems, which was launched in summer 2020. The cyber-physical manufacturing and logistics sample system has already made a significant contribution to the research and infrastructure of the Centre of Excellence in Production Informatics and Control (EPIC), established in 2017 under the EU Horizon 2020 Widening Teaming program.
In addition to creating a sustainable and competitive manufacturing ecosystem, the 'Industry 4.0 Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation' project aimed to accelerate the innovation process, create a variety of industrial solutions and develop new generations of highly qualified experts. As part of the project, experts have developed situation-aware, resource-efficient and robust production planning and management systems, developed models for cooperative and adaptive logistics networks, and introduced various cloud-based computational production information services. In line with international research and development trends related to the digitalisation of industry, a high-tech infrastructure has been developed, integrating high-level basic research with relevant practical industrial needs in an unparalleled way.
The project has also resulted in the creation of a joint venture with the Fraunhofer Society which has been successful ever since. EPIC InnoLabs Ltd draws on decades of cooperation and experience of SZTAKI and the Fraunhofer Research Network in Germany to offer world-class solutions in production informatics.
The scientific results of the project were presented in international journals, books, at international and national conferences, public forums and meet-up events.
A brief summary of the results can be found on the project website, where you can take a virtual tour of the laboratory itself.