REED

Motivation

The demand for large, complex parts in sectors like energy generation and railway transport highlights challenges in manufacturing. Bulky parts’ production often relies on labour?intensive handling and manual assembly, leading to low precision, inefficiency and high physical strain on workers. This creates a shortage of qualified manufacturers, as establishing trust-based relationships for subcontracting is cumbersome. Additionally, manufacturers face barriers in accessing auxiliary equipment, resulting in rigid supply chains. In this context, the EU-funded REED project aims to develop a Manufacturing as a Service, or MaaS, platform. Specifically, it will provide the necessary technologies, equipment and services to enhance production efficiency while minimising environmental impact and transforming traditional business-to-business relationships into dynamic, networked models.

Objectives

The REED project aims to develop a Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS) platform to enable flexible, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing of bulky parts in the capital goods sector. The platform will enhance B2B relationships through a networked digital production model, leveraging the Market 4.0 platform

Key Objectives:

1. Digital Twins for Sustainable ProductionAI-powered digital twins will be integrated to optimize production management and execution, anticipate process issues, evaluate environmental impact, and enhance supply chain efficiency.

2. Servitisation of Manufacturing Assets Advanced vision systems, intelligent fixtures, and sensor-enabled machining tools will be provided as services on the platform. Secure data exchange will facilitate collaboration among users.

3. Visual Monitoring & Decision Support AI-powered scoreboards will provide real-time production insights and predictive analytics, while 3D visual monitoring will enhance process control and worker decision-making.

4. Digital Product Passport (DPP) & Manufacturing Data Space (MDS) These will ensure traceability, sustainability tracking, and secure data access for manufacturing transparency.

5. Demonstration & Validation The platform's reconfigurability will be tested with real-world bulky part production across different sectors, benefiting large companies and SMEs alike

By embracing digitalization and collaboration, REED will maximize productivity, reduce environmental impact, and support European industrial competitiveness.

Approaches

The REED project, building on the Market4.0 platform, will develop a first-of-its-kind marketplace for Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS), creating a distributed, responsive production network for bulky components.

Key Features and Functionalities:

1. Cloud-Based, Decentralized Production Hosted in a public cloud, the platform will be managed via a cloud operator and linked to users' ERP and MES systems through a main API. Service providers, technology providers, and suppliers (including OEMs) will collaborate seamlessly.

2. Service-Oriented Manufacturing Ecosystem

• Service providers will offer simulation, modeling, CAx, and process monitoring tools.
• Technology providers will supply production equipment (e.g., fixtures).
• Suppliers/OEMs will provide manufacturing capacity.
• Users can request services, forming dynamic supply chain networks through automated Request for Quotation (RFQ) workflows.

3. Automated Planning & Environmental Integration The platform will analyze feasibility, costs, and environmental impact, generating optimized alternatives before finalizing orders. Scheduling, production planning, and logistics will be fully automated.

4. Real-Time Monitoring & AI-Driven Learning

• Supply chain tracking and environmental impact digital twins will feed real-time data into the Digital Product Passport (DPP).
• Insights will refine future orders through AI-driven learning in the Manufacturing Data Space (MDS). By enhancing automation and intelligence, REED will streamline bulky part manufacturing, improving efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

By enhancing automation and intelligence, REED will streamline bulky part manufacturing, improving efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.

Acknowledgement

This project is funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe funding programme under project number 101178405. We would like to thank the EU for the opportunity to work on this project.

Funding Source

Consortium Partners