FLASH-COMP partners gather for their latest meeting to discuss progress and witness their hard work in action on a specially designed testbed. And the good news? FLASH-COMP works!
The latest meeting of the FLASH-COMP project partners took place at INEGI headquarters in Porto, Portugal, marking a significant milestone in the project’s journey towards zero defect manufacturing (ZDM) in composite production. While the meeting was an essential opportunity to discuss progress and plan the next development phase, it was a live demonstration of FLASH-COMP in action that truly captivated the project partners.
The demonstration took place on a bespoke testbed, developed by INEGI, which provided a controlled environment specifically designed to showcase the project’s breakthroughs. It integrates sensors, cameras, data collection systems, analysis algorithms, simulation tools and defect prediction capabilities. Using MSI’s data platform, the testbed can collect, process, and visualise real-time data, demonstrating the practical application of FLASH-COMP technologies in real-world manufacturing settings.
The demonstration focused on the liquid resin infusion (LRI) process – a critical method in composite manufacturing. The setup allowed partners to observe how the LRI process flowed, with the prediction algorithms pinpointing potential defect areas in real-time. The MSI data platform, which aggregates data from various sensors and monitoring devices, was essential in this process. Its user-friendly interface allowed workers to visualise the data and take corrective actions promptly.
A unified decision support system
Critically, the testbed showcased how the simulation tool developed by INEGI processes data collected during production. This tool can be used independently or integrated with other platforms to provide insights into performance, predictive maintenance and defect prediction. As a result, the simulation suite demonstrated its potential for optimising manufacturing processes and reducing waste.
The monitoring tools on display included matrix cameras, LIDAR, and other sensors, which had been adapted to meet the specific requirements of composite manufacturing – particularly LRI processes. While these devices are commercially available, the FLASH-COMP project has significantly enhanced their utility by customising them for ZDM applications.
Combining these tools into a unified decision support system, FLASH-COMP has successfully developed key exploitable results (KERs) that hold substantial commercial potential. This integrated approach to defect detection and predictive maintenance supports process optimisation in various industries, aligning with the broader goals of reducing waste and improving quality.
Real-world applications next
The next phase of the project will see these technologies implemented at the two designated use cases at Azimut Benetti and IAI. These demonstrators will illustrate the practical deployment of FLASH-COMP technologies, showcasing how advanced monitoring and simulation can optimise manufacturing in real-world settings.
“This has been a great success for FLASH-COMP,” said project coordinator Janusz Poplawski of Lortek. “We have clearly shown that FLASH-COMP technologies work as a concept. We can monitor a liquid resin infusion process, collect the relevant data, analyse it with our algorithms, and predict where defects may occur in real-time. Together with the data platform and user interface, we have also shown how workers can use this information and take corrective actions in real time.
“If this works on an industrial scale, as we hope it will, it has massive potential for the composites manufacturing industry. The next phase of the project is very exciting.”
As the project progresses towards full industrial application, the FLASH-COMP partners remain committed to pushing the boundaries of defect detection and process optimisation in composite manufacturing. The demonstration at INEGI’s state-of-the-art testbed marked a significant step towards achieving these ambitious goals.
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