INDUSTRY 4.0 JULY/AUGUST 2019
3Phase 3: Prototyping and pilot testing
The Shoestring team will be building proofof
concept demonstrators both in research
labs and in SME partner operations. A
comprehensive testing and validation programme
will demonstrate evidence of effectiveness of
proposed digital solutions. Initial testing and
evaluation, using SME industrial scenarios, will
be done in labs at Cambridge and Nottingham.
This will involve statistical assessments of
prototype operations. Following this, there will
be pilot studies onsite at partner SMEs, with the
creation of case studies of early solutions.
4Phase 4: Incremental integration
The team identifies how solutions can be
successfully implemented and integrated within
manufacturing environments. They will be
looking at how solutions can be added one by
one – in an incremental manner. This is to
minimise infrastructure investment up-front,
and to maximise the ability for new solutions
to make full use of services already provided in
existing ones.
Connecting solutions is integral to the
project’s approach. While it may seem costefficient
to solve problems one at a time,
the challenge is to avoid creating isolated,
unconnectable solutions which won’t integrate
with future developments. The
Shoestring team is seeking to
develop frameworks which
allow for future integration.
The project team will be
working with BSI and others
to account for different types
of standards across data,
communications, service and
architecture. They are also
accounting for security and
compatibility.
5 Phase 5: Engagement and
dissemination
During the project, there is
open engagement with as many
SMEs as possible, and firms
are actively encouraged to get
involved. We will be running
regular open workshops,
including one on 24 September
in Cambridge (More details at
http://bit.ly/2NnE6J3).
A key outcome from the
project is to create a ‘library’
of solutions which can be
accessed widely by SMEs, as
well as sharing lessons learned
Example of Shoestring component development:
Low-cost machine monitoring
One such example, trialled in the Institute for Manufacturing’s robot lab in Cambridge, is a
system built with sensors attached to Raspberry Pis to monitor machines and equipment.
The sensors send data to an open source cloud-based platform to provide real-time
monitoring information, including alerts of machine errors.
from exploring low-cost
digitalisation. The team plans
to develop a demonstration
platform, to provide examples
and visibility for addressing
specific challenges within
individual SMEs.
Building momentum
SME partners have been
involved from the early days
of the Shoestring project.
As Julian Bedford of BTL
Precision explains: “This
project is helping us to learn
and to share information. SME
decision-makers need help
understanding the real value
of digitalisation, and how to
prioritise. This is giving us the
guidance and hand-holding we
are looking for.”
Will Bridgman from
Thetford-based Warren
Services has also been involved
as partner SME manufacturer.
“Successful digitalisation
is essential,” he explains.
“We’ve got to do it to survive
competitively in a global
market. But digitalising for
SME manufacturers is difficult
sometimes because we’re
focused on our daily jobs,
busy making products! The
terminology can be confusing.
I think the Shoestring project
can help to demystify that,
make it simpler and more cost
effective.”
Early development work
happening at the Institute for
Manufacturing is starting to
show tangible results, with
demos ready for components
such as part detection and
tracking using QR codes with a
low-cost camera attached to a
Raspberry Pi.
If you would like to be
involved in this project, register
your interest by emailing
dial-admin@eng.cam.ac.ukw
30 www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
/2NnE6J3)
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
link