The first German-Dutch Fieldlab for Smart Industry has been opened. It is about the 'Artificial Intelligence for Digital Twins' (AI4DT). The lab should promote the formation of a network for the exchange of and applications in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins, also known as digital twins, between European regions.
The potential of AI is huge for both companies and value chains. However, the embrace poses challenges, including around the design, application and use of digital twins and artificial intelligence. Obstacles include issues and ambiguity around business models, technologies, security, software, integration, employee competences and access to objective information. In practice, these obstacles make it difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to benefit from the potential of digital twins.
Develop, test and implement solutions
The Dutch-German Fieldlab AI4DT aims to overcome these challenges. In the fieldlab, companies and research institutes can develop, test and implement intelligent industrial solutions. Experts and entrepreneurs can meet physically or virtually in the fieldlab.
AI4DT has the following objectives:
- Networking between companies active in Digital Twin and AI, and support B2B matchmaking;
- Demonstrating potential benefits through demonstrations in regional field labs;
- Companies - especially SMEs - easy access to solutions, experts and knowledge;
- The dissemination and making available of scientific results;
- Initiating the use of economic benefits by SMEs by initiating projects and implementing them through existing funding resources for applied science;
- Stimulate the development of cooperatives (companies, research institutions, transfer centres) in the B2B sector.
The AI4DT network comprises companies, experts and technology providers. They can demonstrate their solutions at two physical locations: the Brainport Industry Campus Eindhoven and Werk150, a factory on the campus of the University of Reutlingen.
The lab was opened by Katrin Schütz, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Provincial Executive member for Economic Affairs, Education and Knowledge Development of the province of North Brabant.
Harness the potential of digitalisation
"Digital twins are the key technology of the future to exploit the potential of digitisation in companies," says Ineke Dezentjé, chairman of the Dutch Smart Industry Programme.
Prof Daniel Palm, project manager on the Baden-Württemberg side, adds: "A digital twin represents the connection of the real and digital worlds. It is a digital image of real machines, products or systems such as factories or organisations with their properties, conditions and behaviour. A digital twin can be used for faster detection of system states, for predicting future behaviour and for more efficient planning. Especially in planning, machine learning and artificial intelligence play a big role in making the right decisions."
Besides the Ministry of Economics, Labour and Housing of the German state of Baden-Württemberg and the Dutch province of North Brabant, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation, IPA, the Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum also supports the network. So do regional networks such as the Dutch Smart Industry programme and the Alliance Industrie 4.0 from Baden-Württemberg, and advisory bodies such as the Steinbeis Europa Zentrum.
Opportunities for the economy
"The connection between two of the most innovative regions in Europe allows us to better exploit the potential of digital twin technology and artificial intelligence with combined forces. The network of companies and innovation partners from Baden-Württemberg and Brabant opens a range of opportunities for our economy," said Katrin Schütz, state secretary of Baden-Württemberg's Ministry of Economics, Labour and Housing, in a comment on the cross-border activity.
Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, deputy for Economic Affairs, Education and Knowledge Development of the Dutch province of North Brabant: "There are a large number of very successful partnerships between the two regions. The successful cooperation in the production of chip equipment between ASML - the Dutch supplier of lithography systems, Trumpf and Zeiss is simply the best known. Trumpf supplies the lasers and Zeiss the optics for ASML's EUV systems. We need more examples like this - especially in the SME sector."
Further information on AI4DT is available here.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
