Enabling smart workplaces by implementing an adaptive software framework

Abstract

Today’s requirements and challenges on production systems have led to an increasing importance of flexible assembly processes. At the same time, arising technologies in the context of Industry 4.0 offer the opportunity to tap previously unknown potentials. These provide both opportunities and risks for the most flexible and important resource in the production: the workers. Within the EU research project A4BLUE, Smart Workplaces are developed in order to raise productivity and quality, while sustaining and enhancing worker satisfaction. Enabled through both a software framework for adaptation management and contextual worker assistance as well as hardware solutions (e.g. automation mechanisms such as smart tools or co-operative robots) for physical support, the workplaces adapt to the workers’ specific characteristics considering both process and environmental variability. The presented research work provides an overview about the Frameworks’ software components and the application to a use case at the RWTH Aachen University.