UPCOMING PROJECTS

We invite Finnish companies, academic institutions and research organizations to collaborate in a series of several groundbreaking innovative research projects aimed at advancing key sectors of Finnish and European industries. These projects focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies, business model innovation and social sustainability. The aim is to position Finnish industry as a global leader in digital solutions, automation, and new energy technologies. Finnish companies have a unique opportunity to position themselves at the forefront of the growing trend of the twin-transition (green and digital transition), requiring both, national and international levels of collaboration to be efficient and effective. The call for proposals is open to a wide range of partners ensuring open innovation, knowledge exchange, technological advancement and business scope.

RONBA – Remote Operation as a New Business Area: RONBA seeks to develop remote operation technologies for mobile machines, enabling European manufacturers to operate their equipment from remote locations across the globe. In an era where automation and remote operations are critical for enhancing operational efficiency, Finnish companies have the chance to pioneer in this growing sector. The ability to remotely control machinery and components can revolutionize industries like mining, construction, forestry and agriculture, reducing costs and improving worker safety. Moreover, RONBA aligns with Finland’s digitalization strategy, which emphasizes the importance of IoT, AI, and teleoperation technologies. The project aims to open new business areas for Finnish manufacturers, enhancing global reach and increasing market competitiveness.

For more information, contact: Professor Heikki Handroos (Heikki.handroos@lut.fi)

COMPREX – Novel COMposite PREssure vessels for energy storage under eXtreme environments: The transition to a hydrogen economy requires new technologies for efficient handling and carrying of hydrogen. The ultra-lightweight solutions for safe storage of hazardous fuels subjected to high pressure requires much innovation. Moreover, accessible and affordable design and manufacturing processes that are currently available are for metallic-based industrial materials and components. Hydrogen is emerging as a key solution for sustainable energy, particularly in industries requiring large-scale, clean energy storage such as port handling, transportation and logistics, and mobile machinery. COMPREX aims to explore an entire design chain for ultra-lightweight Type IV COPVs for compressed gaseous hydrogen storage to ensure proper and safe performance even when under harsh conditions. The project aims to develop a prototype which shall be able to perform safely in harsh environments, e.g., in corrosive environments and extreme temperatures (both, hot and cold). The project aims to do this by designing a novel boss system (connector) for safe fueling, development of ML and AI assisted multiscale models and development of an optimization framework to minimize mass while keeping the same mechanical performance. The project will also involve the creation of a robust virtual environment for continuous simulation, testing and validation to understand the performance of COPVs under extreme environmental conditions using simulations and experiments.

For more information, contact: Assistant Professor Humberto Almeida Jr (Humberto.almeida@lut.fi)

ELECTRILITE – Energy-Efficient Lightweight Engineering of Composite Technologies for Reduced Impact and Lifelong Optimization in Transport and Equipment: ELECTRILITE addresses the challenge of lightweighting composite structures for several industries for improved energy efficiency and sustainability throughout the lifecycle of machinery. By optimizing composite materials for durability and weight reduction, Finnish manufacturers can produce lighter, more energy-efficient machines which are crucial for industries such as aerospace, automotive and heavy machinery. The project will focus on integrating advanced materials with energy optimization technologies, ensuring that machines operate efficiently throughout their lifespan. As Finland pushes for carbon neutrality by 2035, this project offers an opportunity to significantly reduce emissions in industrial manufacturing through innovation in materials science, engineering and life cycle analysis and costing. The project will aim to develop AI & ML assisted models to replace FE simulations, validate experimentally via manufacturing and testing, optimize topology, shape and material distribution to achieve components with performance like steel structures, and eventually convert heavy machinery to “lightweight machinery”.

For more information, contact: Assistant Professor Humberto Almeida Jr (Humberto.almeida@lut.fi)

SIMBA – Simulation-Based AI: SIMBA aims to use AI-driven simulation tools to enhance the performance, operational efficiency, safety and reliability of mobile working machines. The project aims to minimize critical errors and uncertainties in mobile machinery operations, and leverage AI and virtual environment simulation. There are challenges that exist such as the unpredictable movements of machines and their components, as well as the unpredictable and harsh environments they are in which lead to operational errors, safety risks, and costly damages. The project offers a unique way to predict machine behavior, prevent failures, and improve safety and operational accuracy. SIMBA aims to develop AI models trained on simulation data representing different use cases, to predict the potential errors and optimize machine performance, and to create robust virtual environments for continuous simulation, testing, and validation, as well as developing a strong business case for Finnish manufacturers. By developing AI tools that can simulate various scenarios, Finnish companies can reduce downtime, improve efficiencies of machines or fleets, and create safter working environments, reinforcing Finland’s role as a leader in digital innovation.

For more information, contact: Assistant Professor Antero Kutvonen (antero.kutvonen@lut.fi)