The assembly of RIR IMPROVENET, which saw the participation of several companies and universities at Villa Borromeo on 16th December 2021, was an opportunity to present the projects carried out to date and present the new activities scheduled for 2022.
After a first presentation of the projects already realized (project PREMANI, project ADMIN 4D) and those in progress (project VIR2EM), it was possible to discover the operation of the new 4.0 plant of Susegana Electrolux and the ICE Lab laboratory of the University of Verona to simulate the factory 4.0 (as already seen in thisarticle).
Subsequently, all the training opportunities reserved for members for the year 2022 were presented, where companies will have the opportunity to increase their skills in technology and management. Finally, funding opportunities were introduced at regional, national and European level with a focus on the importance of promoting active networking processes between different ecosystems at different levels.
Find outhere the agenda and all the interventions made.
On December 17th, 2021, at Confindustria Veneto SIAV, the experiences of companies that participated in the project Industrial Ecology “Symbiosis” production and services will be presented.
It will be an opportunity to hear testimonies of some significant experiences in terms of adaptation of processes or products and/or revision of services in compliance with the principles of social responsibility and industrial ecology.
For Confindustria Veneto SIAV, the experience of the 100 Places of Innovation and Sustainability will be recounted with videos and films related to cases considered Best Practices in Veneto and to a good practice at European level will be illustrated.
The meeting is free and open to all those who are interested in getting to know some of the companies in the area and create possible networks.
Uqido was born in 2010 from the algorithm to manage the flows of users, patented by Pier Mattia Avesani, CEO of the company. From this idea the code-elimination system, which is still in use in numerous Italian health agencies, was born and it helped the creation of Uqido.
The company is a true example of digital transformation for companies, considering the products and services offered, as well as the organization which is based on a horizontal management approach. Uqido is the union of two souls, the creative and the engineering, creating high-tech products and services, to meet the real needs of users.
Why did the company join the IMPROVENET Network?
Pier Mattia Avesani tells us that the decision to join the RIR IMPROVENET came from the need to be able to contribute to solve some crucial issues and problems expressed by some of the best companies in our territory, proposing tangible solutions, as well as innovative processes and products.
The Veneto Region is characterized with the highest rate of per capita of enterprises in the world, so there are many extraordinary and stimulating realities with which it is possible to develop new solutions together and test them to specific use cases.
What will the company achieve during the VIR2EM Project?
Uqido plans to carry out the following digital transformation projects:
1. the creation of a human centered prototype based on Mixed Reality and Cloud Computing to support operators dedicated to the quality control of products with the manufacturing partner Electrolux;
2. the definition of a study to create and test a standalone manufacturing machine Digital Twin, with the partner Sperotto Rimar.
What is the advantage of proposing solutions related to Mixed Reality?
Even though mixed reality has been found interested by the industry for several years, it has rarely found complete applications. Thanks to the VIR2EM Project it will be possible to build a mixed reality designed on Electrolux users, allowing more effective quality controls and reducing errors.
The creation of mathematical models for machinery has been discussed a lot in the literature, but it is very difficult to find the conditions to apply them in real physical environments.
With the VIR2EM project, however, it is possible to build a correct mathematical model and combine it with the corresponding physical part thanks to the test on a machine. In addition, it will also be possible to create a replicable platform for data collection and modelling.
How do you see the company at the end of the project?
Uqido will be one of the few Italian companies with experience and expertise in the design and development of Mixed Reality and Digital Twin applications within Industry 4.0, allowing an unrivalled positioning of the company in the national panorama.
Pier Mattia Avesani, CEO
Born in 1986, Verona, Pier Mattia Avesani has a huge curiosity, desire to learn, enthusiasm and a lateral thought that allows him to see things in a light clearer and far from the archetypes present in every company. He is today CEO of Uqido Srl, a software house with two souls: an engineering and a creative one, in which the personal attitude of the individual is enhanced and stimulated by offering time to explore their passions. He introduced yoga to the company every Wednesday morning, internal training with experts from different worlds and practice regularly free-climbing, activity that gives him the right energy to overcome each day his limits.
The award to the 1,000 best performers of the province of Treviso will be presented on 29th November at 17.00 at the Teatro Comunale Mario del Monaco in Treviso.
The thousand Best Performers are companies with a turnover of 5 million or more that between 2017 and 2019 have respected a series of positive balance sheet parameters: excellent or balanced rating, EBITDA equal to or greater than 3.17%, closing of the 2019 financial statements in profit.
At the end of the ceremony will be awarded the certificate of “Best Performer Company of Treviso“. The award ceremony will also be an opportunity to discuss the main issues related to businesses through the holding of three meetings. Among the interventions there will also be Antonella Candiotto, president of GALDI, partner company of RIR IMPROVENET.
At the end of the ceremony will be awarded the certificate of “Enterprise Consult the program below:
THE PROBLEMS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECOVERY
Luisella Altare, Regional manager of Nord Est Unicredit
Diego Bolzonello, CEO of S.C.A.R.P.A.
Antonella Candiotto, President of Galdi
Filippo Polegato, Managing director of Astoria Vini
Roberto Rizzo, president of Solidworld Group
WHAT BUSINESSES NEED TO GROW
Giuseppe Caldiera, Director of the Scuola Generale di Economia CUOA
Riccardo Pavanato, Partner and Administratorof Auxiell
Davide Salmistraro, Country manager of Italia Soldo
Barbara Targa, EXS Practice Leader
Elia Turatti, Business development manager of Azzurrodigitale
THE VENETO BETWEEN FLEXIBILITY AND ATTRACTIVENESS
Roberto Marcato, Council Member for the Economic Development and Energy of the Veneto Region
Stefano Micelli, Professor of Economics and Business Management Ca’ Foscari University Venice, President of Manifattura Project Milan
A new MADE call has been published (the Competence Centre 4.0) to implement innovation (product, process and organization) and industrial research and experimental development projects on Industry 4.0 themes.
The call is addressed to micro enterprises and start-ups, small enterprises, medium-sized enterprises, large enterprises that can present themselves in a single form or in collaboration with each other.
For the implementation of the projects, each company may receive a contribution of up to 50% of the costs/ expenses incurred up to the maximum amount of € 100.000.
One or more project proposals may be submitted, consistent with at least one of the following activities:
Zamperla S.p.A. is a historical Italian company, founded in 1966, recognized as one of the world’s leading players in the amusement park attraction market.
It has a total of about 450 employees, distributed in 4 locations in Italy and 6 locations abroad, and with a turnover of over 100 million euros in 2019, exporting almost all the products and services, especially in the Asian and American markets.
Zamperla is particularly active and popular in the North American market, having contributed to the rebirth of one of the most famous parks in the world – Coney Island (NY) – a real showcase in which the company has the opportunity to install and try many of its new products, as well as being one of the major suppliers of theme parks, among others, Disney, Universal, Merlin Entertainments and Six Flags.
The company is also characterized by adopting an ethical and socially responsible approach, thanks to the commitment on issues of inclusiveness and disability related to attractions.
What are the expectations of joining IMPROVENET?
Being part of the Improvenet Network is linked to the growing need to broaden horizons, acquire know-how, speed in the development of products or services and become part of a consolidated network, says Fabio Berti, New Technologies Chief Engineer of Zamperla. These aspects will be more and more important for the companies in order to face the competitors at local and global level.
What innovations is ZAMPERLA developing within the VIR2EM Project?
With the project VIR2EM, financed in part by the Veneto Region, we want to continue the development of a service platform for industry. The basic elements of the project are those related to Industria4.0: all operations related to the collection and management of data, from the connection to the transmission of the same, from archiving to analysis in order to generate different outputs.
With which other RIR partners are you collaborating on the project?
The project started with the creation of an internal research and development group at Zamperla (ZEIT, Zamperla Entertainment Integrated Technologies). The complexity is high and required transversal collaboration with other realities, from universities to companies providing technology and services, up to the manufacturers of the industry. For example, we can mention the University of Venice for the analysis of business and cybersecurity, Xteam with which there is a consolidated relationship and Statwolf, involved in data management.
How do you see the company at the end of the project?
The competitive advantages obtained are linked to the “know-how” that will allow to develop the business complying with market standards, needs and expectations as well as a greater involvement of the IMPROVENET network as a partner. Finally, the aim is to develop a prototype of a service platform for a further phase of evaluation and development.
Fabio Berti, New Technologies Chief Engineer of Zamperla
Graduated in Electronic Engineering at the University of Padua, he began collaborating in Zamperla since 1996 with several roles as head of the electrical/electronic department, head of a research and development department of the ZEIT (Zamperla entertainment integrated technologies).
From 24th to 26th November 2021, it is possible to participate to the Tech Share Day (TSD) 2021, an online event that brings together the world of public research with that of companies, investors and innovators on the theme of the Internet of Things (Iot) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
In particular, there are 8 webinars divided into 3 days:
November 24:
TSD Opening Table
Artificial intelligence applied to human health
From data to knowledge to action: machine learning in the biomedical field
November 25:
AI and Big Data in Fintech
Open Data for Smart City and Public Administration
From Data Analysis to Industrial Applications
26 November:
Iot and Artificial Intelligence applied to intelligent transport system
On October 14, it will be possible to participate in the Innovation Lab WEBINAR “CYBER PHYSICAL MODEL OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN” – a model for the management of supply chain data in the life cycle of the product.
The webinar aims to present the Cyber Physical Model (CPM), developed as part of the Fisval Project (Integrated and Sustainable Supply Chain for the production of smart valves), co-financed from resources POR ERDF 2014-2020: Call for selection of strategic research, development and innovation project in implementation of the strategy Area Interna Alto Lago Como and Valli Lario.
The project aims to develop the logic of the smart factory at the level of the production chain, thus creating the first case in Italy of real vertical and horizontal integration according to the logic of the Industry Plan 4.0.
In particular, the definition of the functional and methodological logic of a Cyber Physical Model applicable to a generic production chain will be presented and deepened, the characteristics of the information architecture necessary for the implementation of these logics and the requirements of some applications to support the achievement of specific objectives for the management of the Fisval supply chain, that will be integrated in the context of the defined Cyber Physical Model.
The DEI (Department of Information Engineering) of the University of Padua (UNIPD) is the scientific coordinator of RIR IMPROVENET. The DEI, which currently has about 100 tenured professors and researchers and more than 50 fellows engaged in extremely broad disciplinary and research areas, is active in the following research areas: Automation, Bioengineering, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Applied Optics, Telecommunications.
Why does the University participate in the coordination of a RIR?
The RIRs were created by the Region to meet the research and development needs of local companies, and the Region itself wanted a significant presence in the same universities as UNIPD, which are at the frontier of research in the areas covered by network activities. In addition, universities have great experience in the participation and management of collaborative projects and can therefore make an important contribution both to the scientific coordination of network activities, and to specific project initiatives.
What is the added value of IMPROVENET?
UNIPD with the DEI offers a know-how of excellence with regard to all information technologies (ICT), both in terms of technological approach and methodological. Furthermore, at the strategic level, the presence of DEI can facilitate the activation of wide-ranging collaborations, such as the European one, in line with the main vision of the Region.
What are Regional Innovation Networks for?
Networks play an important intermediary role, in particular as regards the transfer of knowledge (and not just technology) between the research world and the territory, and in this sense the presence of UNIPD is perfect in line with what is called the Third Mission of the University. UNIPD has found in the IMPROVENET network local companies with a great vocation for innovation, with which it was natural to start research activities.
The role of industrial partners is crucial in applied research, as they provide expertise and infrastructure in a wide range of fields which are difficult to replicate in university research laboratories. Therefore, companies become a kind of expansion of the research capacity of the university, playing the role of advanced laboratories where to test innovative methodologies and technologies developed within the universities.
What is the VIR2EM Project?
UNIPD is the scientific coordinator of VIR2EM and is also involved in the development of systems and processes models for the digital twin and the use of artificial intelligence methodologies for the development of monitoring tools, supervision remote control and optimization of service and after sales operations.
The research activities are carried out in collaboration with colleagues of the University of Verona, for issues related to digital twin, and with some companies of the partnership (Sperotto Rimar for modeling activities, Galdi and Statwolf for prognostics, diagnostics and maintenance with machine learning tools).
With the previous project PREMANI, UNIPD has carried out research activities focused mainly on the development of predictive maintenance algorithms on products and processes, in collaboration with Elettrolux and Galdi.
What future awaits RIR IMPROVENET?
We expect an increase in the activities related to the Network, especially considering also the next investments related to PNRR and the new regional programming. We also hope to have a network of companies increasingly alive and active, with which to project Improvenet beyond regional borders, with the ambition to play an important role in representing the extraordinary industrial fabric of Veneto at national and international level.
Prof. Alessandro Beghi
Alessandro Beghi (Ph.D.) is Full Professor of Automation at the University of Padua. He holds various positions at department and university level, in the areas of technology transfer, research, and intellectual property management. He has been a visiting scientist at international universities and research centers both in Europe and in the United States. He is a senior member of the IEEE. He served in the program committees and organizers of many international conferences. His research interests include modeling, simulation, identification and control of complex systems, and their applications in different scientific and industrial fields. He was responsible for research projects funded by the European Union, the Ministry of Education and Research, the University of Padua. He has been responsible for research activities with national and international companies, including Electrolux, Emerson Network Power, Infineon, Aprilia Racing, Ducati Corse. He is co-inventor of 7 patents on the use of advanced control techniques in different application fields. He is the author of over 200 publications on magazines, books and conference proceedings.
Veneto Innovazione, a company of the Veneto Region, together with the Chamber of Commerce Venice Rovigo, participates in the project CIRCULAR4.0, funded by the European Alpine Space Programme, which aims to strengthen the digitisation processes of SMEs in order to accelerate the transition to the circular economy.
In this context, a number of financial instruments are available to companies that have decided to move towards greater sustainability.
When?
The next 27/9 morning with a webinar entitled “How to finance the circular economy in production processes in Veneto”.
