Table of contents

1. 1. Motivation
   2. Approaches
   3. Research
      1. Basic research:
      2. Transfer-orientated research
      3. Industrial Learning Factory
   4. Operating concept
   5. PARTNERS

Motivation

The Process-to-Order (P2O) Lab addresses the current challenges of the process industry, which arise through individualization, globalization and urbanization:

• More flexibility
• Smaller production volumes
• Further competitive costs

Based on the Modularization and Digitalization approaches, we investigate the next operating steps in order to service the highly volatile markets with almost binary product life-cycles:

The P2O-Lab investigates the question of which requirements models, methods, tools and process modules must fulfill in order to be able to derive, implement and evaluate an appropriate production process based on the availability of modules and the product order.

Approaches

Within the Process-to-Order approach, the following concepts are being established, implemented and validated:

• Construction: modular plant concepts (number-up, equal-up) and advanced indicators systems (sweet spot)
• Engineering: parametric, integrated plants, product and process models, highly automated design processes
• Support: life-cycle accompanying Digital Companion Technologies
• Platform: Big Data & Smart Analytics for the continuous optimization process and Added-Value-Services (remote operation, maintenance)

Research

The P2O-Lab addresses diverse research topics depending on the field of application

Basic research:

• Modular plant concepts
• Modelling of bioprocesses
• Modular Process Analysis Technologies (PAT)
• Reactor design for P2O
• Integrated surface/film design
• Energy efficiency of modular plants
• Acceleration of P2O by means of integrated CAE/AT/VT/VR
• Safe automation
• Model-driven software engineering

Transfer-orientated research

• Parametric AT engineering for modular plants (→ Sartorius Stedim)
• Accelerated commissioning of modular plants (→ Bosch PharmaTec)
• Recipe management system (→ Merck)
• Intelligent flow-module (→ Samson)

Industrial Learning Factory

• Point of contact for transdisciplinary collaboration
• Rapid prototypical implementation and evaluation of digitalization concepts

Operating concept

The P2O-Lab provides partners and affiliates the opportunity to pursue their own respective research interests in the P2O-Lab by providing them with access to laboratory area and the associated infrastructure. These includes:

• Operating resources supply infrastructure
• Safety concept
• Modular process control
• Remote operations
• Modelling and orchestration of plant networks

The P2O-Lab is also a part of the joint project within the Digital Transformation Lab initiative.

PARTNERS

The P2O-Lab is a public-private partnership with academic and industrial partners. In addition, we have several associated projects that contribute concepts and methods to the P2O-Lab project:

• BMWi ENPRO2 ORCA
• ABB/Bayer: Modular Automation
• EU PROFAT
• SAB NFG GoBio