Patras, Greece, March 2016

Sense&React - The context-aware and user-centric information distribution system for manufacturing

Sense&React  is  a  research  project,  co-funded  by  the  European  Union,  under  the  Seven Research  Framework  Program  (FP7)  and  coordinated  by  the  Laboratory  of  Manufacturing Systems and Automation  (LMS),  located at the University of Patras in Greece.  The project’s main objective was the development of a technology that would be extremely familiar with everything concerning the factory floor.  It  would  also  support  the  people,  working  in  the manufacturing  environment,  namely  the  operators  and  the  team  leaders  in  the  assembly line, by providing them with the right information, at the right time and location.

The project mainly resulted in the Sense&React solution, ready to meet the expectations of Industry 4.0.  The  Sense&React solution  provides  the manufacturing floor  with  information distribution  services  and  applications  that  enable  up-to-date  information  provision  and immediate  reaction  to  issues  and  shortcomings.   This  is  achieved  through  the  intelligent combination of different types of data,  such as  production data,  re  quantities and type of products, engineering data, namely instructions that guide operators during production, and data  from  sensors  such  as  weight,  Near  Field  Communication  (NFC)  and  Radio  Frequency Identification  (RFID).    The  smart,  context-aware  Graphical  User  Interface  (GUI)  solution provides the Sense&React users with web-apps from various sources on a single screen,  so as  to  be  able  to  focus  on  the  most  relevant  information  about  every  situation  that  might arise. This solution optimizes the amount of information received by the user in order to be processed,  thus  rendering  him  less  stressed,  less  distracted  but  more  confident  with  his work  task. Sense&React supports mobile users through smart apps that provide the information directly to the mobile device.

Electrolux,  a  Sense&React  partner,  is  a  world-leader  supplier  of  home  appliances  such  as washing machines.   In the Electrolux plant in Porcia, Italy, the Sense&React system has been installed directly on the assembly line to support operators and team leaders in their daily activities.   The  pilot  installation  and  usage  of  the  Sense&React  solution  has  proven  its capability  to  improve  the  efficiency  of  the  assembly  line.   The operator can now quickly report several types of problems or requirements to his foreman.  With the click of a button, the operator can deliver a message to the correct foreperson, who receives it on his smart phone.    At  manual  and  semi-automatic  workstations,  the  proactive  delivery  of  relevant information  renders  the  assembly  process  easier,  especially  for  unexperienced  employees besides reducing the number of assembly errors.
The  Sense&React  system  can  be  applied  to  various  other  industrial  cases.   It has been successfully demonstrated in  the production line of  Volvo  trucks  cylinder heads  in Skövde, Sweden as well in ENP, a small-sized shipyard, located in Peniche, Portugal.

The Sense&React system turns companies into “smart factories” and makes them fit for Industry 4.0.

For more information on Sense&React, please visit our website (www.sense-react.eu) or contact:
Dr. Kosmas Alexopoulos

Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation (LMS)
Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics
University of Patras, Patras 26500, Greece
Tel.: +30-2610-997262
Email: alexokos@lms.mech.upatras.gr
http://lms.mech.upatras.gr/