Project name: Sustainable Stone by Portugal – Valorização da pedra natural para um fututo digital, sustentável e qualificado
Project code: SUSTAINABLE STONE
Project timeline: 2022 - 2025
Research group: Mechanical Design
Objective
Digitization in the natural stone industry implies that the main elements of the value chain are prepared with a set of technologies and technical skills which, in a period of 5 to 10 years, allow this sector to follow the development of the market where it competes (Construction Materials). With the present objective in mind, this WorkPackage was carefully prepared to respond to the main challenges of the digital transition associated with manufacturing processes, as well as fully aligning this response to the new paradigm of complete recovery of raw materials that not only aims to reduce waste, but mainly its use in new products with an increase in those that allow a second life. Thus, 4 strategic axes were defined to implement this strategy: i) digitalization of stone associated with visual and technical characteristics that allow, through artificial intelligence, to obtain a valorization of the raw material of origin in the extraction and consequent improvement of industrial processes; ii) the implementation of a transformation process virtualization system (digital twins), aiming to obtain the new, more collaborative and intelligent factories of the future; iii) the introduction of the first industrial IoT interoperable hub working in collaboration with an innovative vendor independent sensor ecosystem; iv) the introduction of new generation 2nd life stone material together with advanced 3D digital manufacturing process that will enable new value added products from current waste systems. The implementation of these 4 axes will endeavor a set of very relevant innovative productive investments, with a positive impact on our economy and international repercussions due to the way in which they can be scaled and permanently optimized through the adoption of this digitization strategy.
