Projects
Industry 4.0 aims to transform industrial processes through the integration of ‘smart’ technologies such as AI, automation, and robotics, into manufacturing processes. Integral to many high-value industries are machine vision systems (MVSs) where cameras and sensors are used to monitor production. These systems enable correct part placement during assembly, coordinate robots and detect defects whilst improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and reducing costs. The integration of ‘digital twins’ could further improve MVSs by providing virtual models of physical objects that use real-time data from sensors to simulate MVSs behaviour and monitor operations. However metrological standards, calibration methods, traceability and uncertainty assessment for existing and newly developed MVSs are lacking.
Address the pressing global challenges represented by Clean Energy Transition, Sustainability, and Circular Economy, by providing the scientific community with access to micro- and nanotechnology services and expertise focused on new materials, processes, and systems specifically designed to mitigate the environmental impact of production, storage, distribution, and use of energy.
Next-Generation Metrology
These projects regards the development of new metrology and miniaturized sensors for the energy transition and circular economy, based on micro-nano technologies and/or quantum technologies.
These projects are funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) in the framework of the continuing-nature project “NEXT- GENERATION METROLOGY”, under the allocation of the Ordinary Fund for research institutions (FOE) 2023 (Ministry Decree n. 789/2023).
This project aims to improve the traceability of 3D roughness and dimensional measurements using optical 3D microscopy and optical distance sensors. Data evaluation, and uncertainty estimation methods is developed and made accessible to industry through good practice guides, publications, and training courses.
Energy harvesting from renewable sources (solar, heat and movement) is a prominent solution to create small amounts of electrical energy in areas of difficult access, and energy harvesting devices have much potential to address our world energy problems. Nanowire (NW) based energy harvesting systems have achieved encouraging progress, but due to nanometre (nm) dimensions of the wires and large size of the devices, they also bring challenges for testing and characterisation. Average properties of energy harvesting devices can be measured, but a quantitative link and correlation between the performance of single NWs and that of the overall device is lacking. This project aims to develop reliable and high throughput metrology for the quality control of NW energy harvesting systems.
The mechanical components of Wind Energy Systems (WES) are exposed to the highest loads with torques of up to 20 MN/m, wherefore the requirements on these parts are very high. Relating to the geometrical specification this results in very tight manufacturing tolerances whose reliable verification through accurate measurements is a critical part of quality assurance. This project improved industrial measurement capabilities for the mechanical parts of WES following the Manufacturing Metrology Roadmap 2020. The key outputs include the optimised use of optical sensors and scanning measurement methods in coordinate metrology, the development of a digital twin for WES as a forecasting tool and the reliable use of inline measurement and manufacturing methods. The results help to accelerate the energy transition by enhancing the efficiency of WES technology.
The project addresses the measurement challenges for fast roll-to-roll manufacturing, e.g. for printed electronics, by developing high-speed techniques for the measurement of defects and differences from nominal form using optical and computational methods.
The 3DNano project – Traceable three-dimensional nanometrology aims to establish new pathways for traceability, update existing tools, and validate 3D measurement procedures. Additionally, the project will develop new calibration artifacts and make them available to industry as SI traceable reference standards to enable valid comparisons between manufacturing results and measurement outcomes, establishing a solid foundation for the design of objects with nanometric dimensions and tolerances.