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Celebrating CORE Group’s 2024
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
December 20th 2024
It’s been a big year for our team, full of outstanding recognitions of our collective efforts, industry events and conferences, and brimming with new initiatives beyond our many Horizon EU projects.
Honestly, it’s been a lot to take in, but here’s the gist of it.
Events
Our team hit the road more than ever this year, with corporate participation in 1 summit, 2 expos, 4 sponsored events and more than 10 conferences!
As we gear up for even more participation to industry events next year - and to organising some of our own – we thank everyone who took the time to visit our booths, engage with our team and suggest collaboration pathways for our teams.
New COREbeat installations
COREbeat’s impact on industry continues to grow! This year, COREbeat was installed at many key Greek industry facilities, including TERNA MAG and EYDAP, as well as Tharsis and HALCOR, through CORE Group’s participation in Horizon EU projects.
Our team also received some praising testimonials from previous installations of COREbeat. COREbeat was successful in assisting Marini Marmi, a 120-year old marble quarry in the north of Italy, in modernising its legacy equipment and machinery, and informing their staff about machinery parts being in critical condition. In EP.AL.ME., a leading Greek manufacturer, COREbeat informed the staff of potential upcoming malfunctions, sparing them from unexpected downtime, delays in the factory’s production pipeline, and substantial losses due to production delays.
As COREbeat’s impact continues to grow, we are always looking for new partners eager to get started on their predictive maintenance journey and revolutionise their industrial facilities. If you are interested, you can reach out to our team through info@core-beat.com and share more information on your needs.
R&D Projects
CORE Group and the CORE Innovation Centre have joined forces with partners across the EU in a total of 16 new Horizon Europe projects. Some of these projects have already launched this year, while others are just getting ready to kick things off!
The new projects bring our total to over 50 research projects, ongoing or completed, and increase our research budget to over 24 million €. We are very excited for these brand new R&I initiatives, a preview of which you can get below, and look forward to working with our partners to transform industry with the power of AI.
As the years closes, we are also looking back at many of our years-long consortia, which have wrapped up activities this year, including Dig_IT, SATO, TEAMING.AI, InComEss and MOSES. It’s been an amazing experience working closely with all our EU partners to deliver radical Industry 4.0 change in key EU industries.
We look forward to a bright future with even more fruitful collaborations.
SIRI Assessors
This year, CORE Group Founders and Managing Partners, Stefanos Kokkorikos & Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis, were invited by INCIT thanks to the GSF initiative to become certified SIRI assessors.
The Smart Readiness Index (SIRI) is a digital maturity assessment tool that helps systematically re-validate existing Industry 4.0 projects or launch new initiatives. It was developed by industry experts and is recognised by the World Economic Forum as the global standard for Industry 4.0 transformation.
Thanks to this internationally recongised certification, CORE Group is currently the only company in Greece certified to conduct Industry 4.0 readiness assessments with the SIRI tool.
For more information on how to get your Industry 4.0 assessment, you can contact secretary@core-innovation.com.
SIRI is a digital maturity assessment tool that evaluates Industry 4.0 readiness in three levels: process, technology and organisation.
Launch of the Greek Smart Factory
CORE Group’s newest endeavour, the Greek Smart Factory (GSF), was announced this past summer. GSF is envisioned as a platform for manufacturers, tech providers and academia, allowing them to network, innovate, and advance in a real industrial environment.
The official announcement took place during the 5th International Smart Factory Summit in Switzerland, followed by a stakeholder workshop at our central offices in Athens, Greece, attended by key professionals and manufacturing decision-makers from Greece and our global network.
CORE IC has been funded to create GSF thanks to this rich know-how, and through its participation in the Twin4Twin project.
Learn more and find out how you can get involved here.
The Industrial Production & Manufacturing Awards
This year CORE Group had a big first, achieving outstanding recognition at the 2024 Industrial Production & Manufacturing Awards!
Our team took home 4 awards, with the highlight of the evening being CORE Group’s distinction as Leading Provider of the Year. This prestigious honour recognises our team’s continuous commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and services for Greek Industry.
A big winner of the evening was COREbeat, our end-to-end predictive maintenance platform, which earned two significant awards, including the Silver Award for Best Technology Systems for Prodution, and Gold Award for Best Industrial IoT. COREbeat’s use of advanced Industrial IoT (IIoT) methodologies, machine learning, cloud computing, and edge computing has positioned it as a trusted tool for achieving new levels of operational efficiency, and it’s already being piloted with installations in heavy-duty industries in Greece and abroad, including EP.AL.ME. (part of the Metlen Group), EYDAP, Marini Marmi in Northern Italy, Terna Mag, MAXI, Halcor, and Calpak, among others.
The CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC), our non-profit research and innovation centre, also got its moment in the spotlight, winning the Silver Award in the Rising Star category. CORE IC is involved in over 50 European research projects funded by the Horizon program, with a global network of more than 300 partners and over €24 million in funding.
Our heartfelt thanks to the organisers and judges for these awards and to our partners who continue to inspire us.
Looking towards the future
As 2024 draws to a close, we are immensely proud of the milestones our amazing team has achieved this year. With even more ambitious plans for 2025, we are ready to build on this year’s momentum and help even more organisations advance on their Industry 4.0 transformation, strengthening our partnerships, and delivering value to manufacturers worldwide.
CORE Group at the 9th Raw Materials Community Dialogue
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
December 3rd 2024
This year’s Greek Raw Materials Community Dialogue, hosted by EIT Raw Materials RIS Hub Greece, took place this November.
CORE Group, as an event sponsor, was there to discuss the future of the raw materials and mining sector, in Greece and abroad.
Accelerating Mining Digital Transformation
Stefanos Kokkorikos, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CORE Group, was invited to deliver a panel session speech. He took the opportunity to showcase CORE Group’s exemplary work in the sector, through our participation in landmark Horizon EU projects.
Stefanos took attendees through a trip “from Pit to Processing“, explaining what Industry 4.0 transformation entails in the mining sector. He showed how analytics can make exploration smart, how predictive maintenance algorithms can be implemented at the extraction stage, and how Industry 4.0 technology solutions can facilitate the processing stage.
If you didn’t get a chance to join the event, you can download his presentation here.
Poster session
The panels were followed by poster sessions, where attendees got the chance to share more information on their work in the mining sector.
CORE Group attended the event on behalf of the MASTERMINE and DEXPLORE consortiums. The MASTERMINE project aims to become the go‑to ecosystem for mines that envision digitalisation, with a focus on the Industrial Metaverse approach. DEXPLORE is a new venture for our CORE team, which aims to innovate deep‑land critical mineral exploration through a mix of innovative technologies, like advanced earth observation methods and extended reality solutions. You can follow DEXPLORE on LinkedIn - its website is under construction.
Partners from our PRIM‑ROCK consortium were also in attendance. PRIM‑ROCK is a new project which aims to improve the resource efficiency of the calcination and roasting processes through a multifaceted, input to output strategy, comprising advanced pre‑processing techniques and AI‑driven process simulations. PRIM‑ROCK has just had its kick‑off meeting - follow its account on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date.
Stay in touch
A big thanks from the CORE team to the dialogue organisers for a very intriguing day, engaging discussions and an insider look at the Industry 4.0 future of mining.
See you all soon.
The StreamSTEP Horizon Europe project officially Kicks off
Author: Maria Lentoudi
November 27th 2024
The official kick-off meeting of the StreamSTEP project took place on November 13–14, 2024, in Trondheim, Norway. The event was hosted by the Project Coordinator, SINTEF, and brought together representatives from the 30 partner organizations that comprise the StreamSTEP Consortium. The meeting provided a platform for partners to introduce their institutions and outline their specific roles in this pioneering research initiative.
During the two-day meeting, each partner had the opportunity to present their expertise and engage in productive discussions on the project’s objectives, work packages, and forthcoming activities. These presentations offered valuable insights into planned methodologies, implementation strategies, and expected outcomes. A recurring theme throughout the discussions was the critical importance of applying cutting-edge technologies to real-world industrial challenges—an approach that is central to achieving the project’s goals and maximizing its impact.
The StreamSTEP project
Over the course of its four-year duration, the StreamSTEP project aims to improve heating energy management in industrial processes. The project will deploy five innovative heat exchanger prototypes for waste heat across temperatures from 135°C to over 1400°C. High-temperature heat pumps will enhance heat recovery, achieving outlet temperatures of 150°C and 215°C, with improved performance through ejector technology. Advanced manufacturing techniques and novel material alloys will enable these innovations. The system will be demonstrated across five sectors, copper, ceramics, silicon, plastics and oil & gas, with significant impacts on waste heat recovery, productivity, and energy flexibility.
StreamSTEP will adopt advanced solutions, comprising both technologies and practices, for sustainable heating energy in Energy Intensive Industries. These solutions are expected to have a positive impact on process industries, meaning:
Consolidating a process data collection and management platform, providing the digital infrastructure needed for the planning and management of process lifecycle.
Consolidating a process hybrid Digital Twin (HDT) framework to enhance the design and management of heat recovery and reuse processes.
Reduce the environmental footprint of heat exchanger and heat pipe components in manufacturing.
Deliver 5 advanced Heat Exchanger prototypes – DC1 Copper, DC2 Ceramic, DC3 Silicon, DC4 Plastic, DC5 Oil and gas.
Comprise 5 demonstrators, complemented by an impact booster, amplifying the outcomes in terms of marketability, social value creation and accelerate StreamSTEP adoption.
CORE Innovation Centre’s Role
As a key partner in the StreamSTEP project, CORE IC will play a pivotal role across several areas:
Data architecture design and orchestration: Our team will lead the development of the project's digital platform as well as the integration of the project’s technical components into the platform — including data architecture, middleware for the digital infrastructure, smart IoT integration
Predictive maintenance function integration: Based on our well-established know-how through our the COREbeat platform, our team will develop Predictive Maintenance solutions for Heat Exchangers and Heat Pumps
Process digital twin and HMI integration: Our role will be to coordinate the integration of hybrid process digital twins for each of the processes selected.
Energy Management System (EMS): CORE IC will expand the Energy Management System (EMS) both for offline planning and real-time operation using advanced techniques such as machine learning and deep neural networks to optimise industrial processes and energy efficiency.
Dissemination, Communication, and Innovation Management: CORE IC will also lead the communication and dissemination activities, increasing project awareness and build StreamSTEP’s reputation across crucial target groups. Moreover, CORE IC will lead the Exploitation Strategy and IPR Management, focusing on analysing, refining, and commercialising Key Exploitable Results (KERs).
The StreamSTEP consortium
StreamSTEP is a collaborative effort involving 30 partners from 9 countries across the European Union, as well as Norway, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The consortium includes a diverse group of participants—universities, research institutes, SMEs, and key industry stakeholders such as suppliers and end-users—working together on this ambitious and transformative initiative.
With a total budget of €14.99 million over a 48-month period, StreamSTEP aims to revolutionize the management of thermal energy in industrial processes, enhancing efficiency and sustainability across sectors.
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts from across the innovation landscape, including: SINTEF, SINTEF Energy, CORE Innovation Centre, ΑΙΜΕΝ Technology Centre, BRUNEL University London, Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón, Imperial College London, Institute of Computer and Communication Systems, CIRCE Centro Tecnologico, Vytautas Magnus University, Technical University of Crete, Tampere University, University of Seville, Institute for Ceramic Technology, ALEA Design, MIWenergía, Econotherm, Expander Tech, Teknopar, Enviva, INCOTEC, Gruppo FOS, GEP, HALCOR, Torrecid, ELKEM, Elbi, Repsol, Future Materials, Proval SARL.
You can find more information on the StreamSTEP project website, designed by our team.
CORE Group Recognised as Leading Provider at the 2024 Industrial Production & Manufacturing Awards
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
November 21st 2024
CORE Group has achieved outstanding recognition at the 2024 Industrial Production & Manufacturing Awards, taking home 4 awards, including the title of Leading Provider of the Year. This prestigious honor for CORE Group, along with awards for COREbeat and our CORE Innovation Centre, underscores our team’s ongoing dedication to advancing technology solutions that empower industry leaders in Greece and beyond.
This year’s Industrial Production & Manufacturing Awards took place on Thursday, November 14, and provided an opportunity to celebrate excellence and innovation across the Greek industrial sector. CORE Group, as part of this dynamic community and a key contributor to the industrial transformation in Greece, was nominated in 5 categories in total.
CORE Group recognised as Leading Provider of the Year
The highlight of the evening was CORE Group’s distinction as Leading Provider of the Year, which recognises our continuous commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and services for Greek Industry.
This is a major acknowledgment for our team of 70 employees and their concentrated efforts to deliver solutions that empower industrial operations and help people, industries and companies fulfil their true potential. We’re honored and look forward to building on this momentum.
Awards for COREbeat
The big winner of the evening was COREbeat, our end-to-end predictive maintenance platform, which earned two significant awards. In the Best Technology Systems for Production category, COREbeat received the Silver Award, identifying it as a cutting-edge technology which helps reshape industrial organisations’ operational models and facilitates their digital transformation journey. COREbeat is already being piloted with installations in heavy-duty industries in Greece and abroad, including EP.AL.ME. (part of the Metlen Group), EYDAP, Marini Marmi in Northern Italy, Terna Mag, MAXI, Halcor, and Calpak, among others.
COREbeat also secured the Gold Award in the Best Industrial IoT category, recognising the strength of a technology grounded in more than a decade of know-how in machine learning and predictive maintenance in manufacturing. COREbeat’s use of advanced Industrial IoT (IIoT) methodologies, machine learning, cloud computing, and edge computing has positioned it as a trusted tool for achieving new levels of operational efficiency.
Award for CORE Innovation Centre
The CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC), our non-profit research and innovation centre, also got its moment in the spotlight, winning the Silver Award in the Rising Star category. Although CORE IC was founded recently, its impact is already significant, with over 50 European research projects funded by the Horizon program, a global network of more than 300 partners and over €24 million in funding. CORE IC is now the second-ranked private organisation in Greece for Horizon program funding, highlighting its position at the forefront of research and innovation.
Our heartfelt thanks to the organisers and judges for these awards and to our partners who continue to inspire us.
As we look towards the future, CORE Group is excited to develop new partnerships and deliver solutions that help drive progress across even more sectors in Greece.
CORE Group participated in a focus group workshop at HALCOR
Author: Maria Tassi
November 13th 2024
A successful Focus Group Workshop was held on 31st of October 2024 at the HALCOR facilities, in Boeotia, Greece as part of the CARDIMED project.
Participants in the workshop included representatives from CORE Group, ICCS, NTUA, HALCOR employees and managers, as well as regional stakeholders, enabling collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The CARDIMED project
CARDIMED is a project funded by the Horizon Europe Programme focused on boosting Mediterranean climate resilience through widespread adoption of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) across regions and communities.
Our CORE team will develop a cloud-based orchestration middleware for efficient data handling across diverse sources, and also focus our efforts on industrial symbiosis through smart water management in the HALCOR demo site, using digital twin technologies.
The workshop aimed at promoting innovative solutions in industrial manufacturing, conducted in the context of Digital Solutions creation that offer tailored views for visualising information to non-experts, citizens etc., with emphasis on the Demonstration case of Industrial symbiosis through smart water management.
Workshop goals and objectives
The main objective of the workshop was to engage end users to gather feedback and prioritise the requirements, and consequently translate the business requirements of end user, HALCOR, to technical requirements leading to implementation of digital solutions and bringing innovation to the industry.
The workshop was opened by M.Sc. Efstathia Ziata (HALCOR), who presented the CARDIMED project and its objectives. Following her presentation, Dr. Ioannis Meintanis (CORE IC) gave insights on the digital twin solution, which is a replica of a physical asset that simulates its behaviour in a virtual environment, highlighting its role in supporting Water-Industrial Symbiosis within HALCOR's factories.
Dr. Maria Tassi (CORE IC) presented other Digital Solutions implemented as part of the HALCOR demo, such as the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) definition and scenario-based impact assessment interface, the climate resilience dashboards and data storytelling, the citizen engagement app and intervention content management and the NBS exploitation and transferability support module, highlighting their potential to enhance efficiency and sustainability in operations.
Notable contributors to the round table discussions included M.Sc. Katerina Karagiannopoulou (ICCS) and M.Sc. Nikolaos Gevrekis (CORE IC), who provided valuable perspectives on the digital solutions.
Impact on Industry
The success of the workshop lies in end users’ discussions on the various digital solutions, who provided valuable feedback and prioritised user requirements to be integrated in the Digital Twin solution. Their insights will be critical in shaping a final product that effectively addresses the evolving demands of the industry.
These innovations are set to significantly impact the manufacturing industry, by enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability. They will help optimise water usage and promote resource reuse across interconnected processes, leading to cost savings and reduced environmental footprints.
CORE Group’s collaboration with HALCOR
These technological advances will enable HALCOR to optimise its manufacturing processes and resource management in real time, resulting in improved operational efficiency, significant cost savings and reduced water consumption. By adopting sustainable practices, HALCOR can strengthen its reputation as an industry leader in sustainability and appeal to environmentally conscious stakeholders.
HALCOR is a strategic partner for CORE Group, with a collaboration extending across three more Horizon Europe projects, TRINEFLEX, StreamSTEP and THESEUS. As part of the TRINEFLEX project, HALCOR has integrated COREbeat, CORE Group’s all-in-one Predictive Maintenance Platform at its Copper Tubes Plant facility in Boeotia. COREbeat’s asset monitoring capabilities are helping HALCOR acquire deep monitoring insights and increase the availability, flexibility, efficiency and reliability of their equipment.
COREbeat, our all-in-one Predictive Maintenance solution, relies on the beatBox hardware component, pictured here.
CORE Group at the 17th Maintenance Forum
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
October 31st 2024
This year’s Maintenance Forum took place earlier this month.
CORE Group, event sponsor and longtime exhibitor, was there to discuss the future of predictive maintenance.
Expanding Predictive Maintenance with COREbeat
Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CORE Group, was invited to deliver a presentation, showcasing how COREbeat’s cutting-edge features can help manufacturers go beyond maintenance to see the bigger picture. COREbeat’s health monitoring feature can be used as a compass for data-driven decision making, in areas such as product quality prediction, overall power consumption, and the optimisation of production processes.
You can watch his full presentation below.
The CORE Group showcase
Conference attendees got to take a look at COREbeat, our end-to-end Predictive Maintenance solution. Stopping by our booth, visitors got to interact with beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component, as well as COREbeat’s highly intuitive UI platform. You can find out more information about COREbeat here.
We also got to offer some insights into our ground-breaking research and innovation of the CORE Innovation Centre, through Trineflex, a key project transforming energy intensive process industries. Through this project, COREbeat has been installed at the EYDAP wastewater treatment plant in the region of Attica. You can find out more about this pilot installation here.
Stay in touch
A big thanks from the CORE team to the conference organisers for a very intriguing day and an insider look at the future of maintenance.
See you all soon.
The TEAMING.AI project reaches a successful conclusion
Authors: Maria Lentoudi, Ioannis Batas
26th September 2024
The TEAMING.AI project has officially wrapped up its activities, with a Final Review meeting held earlier this summer in Valencia, at the premises of Industrias Alegre. This meeting marked the culmination of 3.5 years of dedicated effort, showcasing the remarkable outcomes of this collaborative project.
Comprising a consortium of 15 partners from 8 countries, TEAMING.AI entered into force in January 2021 with the goal of increasing the sustainability of EU production with the help of Artificial Intelligence. The project has since yielded remarkable results, including more than 23 open-access publications.
Project overview
TEAMING.AI project’s aim was to make breakthroughs in smart manufacturing by introducing greater customisation and personalisation of products and services in AI technologies. Through a new human and AI teaming framework, the aim of our consortium was to optimise manufacturing processes, maximising the strengths of both the human and AI elements, while maintaining and re-examining safety and ethical compliance guidelines.
This was achieved through the development of an innovative operational framework, designed to cope with the heterogeneity of data types and the uncertainty and dynamic changes in the context of human-AI interaction with update dynamics more instantly than with pre-existing technologies.
Our CORE team led on the Dissemination and Exploitation Work Package, being involved in various tasks within the project framework to expand TEAMING.AI’s impact. More specifically, we led the project’s strategic management and replicability, as well as leading the dissemination and communication strategy.
Strategic Management & Replicability of TEAMING.AI
The CORE innovation team was responsible for the strategic management of the consortium, identifying Key Exploitable Results of the project and carrying out market analysis. Our work for this part of the project included:
Identifying Market Barriers: Our team conducted a market barriers analysis, based on input provided through a custom questionnaire. The project’s end users were surveyed, and the survey was also circulated to the ICT-38 2020 projects, increasing our end user sample. After completing the survey, we identified mitigation strategies for the barriers discussed.
Pains & Gains: We identified the most significant pains our end users face based on a unique research plan. The results of this part of our research were highly impactful, being included in Chapter 23 of the “Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing” open access book. You can find out more here.
Value Propositions: Our team identified the value propositions offered throughout the project, through interactive workshops with our partners to help us align the identified jobs, pains, and gains with the Teaming.AI Engine result.
PESTLE Analysis: A PESTLE analysis was performed to describe Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors that are related to Teaming.AI. Results show strong political presence to enable further scale-up activities of the project’s results. The uncertain economic conditions may influence investment decisions. The social factors indicate the need for more efficient activities and upskilling. The technologies are emerging and considered enablers according to Gartner. Finally, from an environmental point of view, results have remained a little stagnant according to the IPCC.
Market Replication & Analysis: As a final task, our team worked on Market Replication. The technology providers relevant to Teaming.AI were considered a possible segment for replication besides the project’s end users. A workshop was held with the project’s technology providers to determine requirements to address these segments.
Dissemination and Communication Activities
When it comes to dissemination and communication, the evaluation revealed a strongly positive outcome for our team’s strategy. CORE worked hand-in-hand with the entire consortium to maximize the project's impact and ensure the project’s objectives were communicated effectively to relevant audiences and stakeholders.
The project’s official website acted as its main communication hub, supported by a strong presence on social media platforms, the creation of various communication materials, including 11 videos throughout the duration of the project, the publication of 33 media articles, the release of 10 dedicated newsletter editions, and 11 press releases. These efforts were aimed at increasing the project’s visibility and public engagement.
TEAMING.AI consortium also produced 28 scientific peer-reviewed publications in top-ranked journals or conferences, attended 43 events delivering 38 presentations, promoted TEAMING.AI through 3 exhibit booths at key industry events, and organised one final conference. TEAMING.AI also joined the AI4MANUFACTURING Cluster and participated in 5 cluster workshops alongside 13 other H2020 and Horizon EU research projects to expand its impact.
A recording of the final workshop is available here for viewing on YouTube. Additionally, 10 more short videos introducing the TEAMING.AI concept and summarizing its research activities are accessible via the project’s YouTube channel.
The project’s website, designed and maintained by CORE, will continue as a central hub for useful information and resources. Visitors can learn more about important research activities performed and results through press-releases, newsletters, open-access scientific papers and public deliverables that can be found on the website.
The project has also shaped significant online communities, with more than 1.300 followers on LinkedIn and 900 on X.
The dissemination and communication activities have played a crucial role in ensuring that the TEAMING.AI project’s activities and results were effectively shared with both scientific and industry communities, as well as the general public.
It was great working with our TEAMING.AI consortium to deliver impactful change in human-AI interactions for the manufacturing sector. Looking forward to future collaborations.
CORE Group awarded 9 new Horizon EU projects
Author: CORE Innovation Centre
10th September 2024
CORE Group and CORE Innovation Centre are joining forces with partners across the EU in a total of 9 new Horizon Europe projects. Our team is responsible for 4 of these successful research proposals.
The new projects bring our total to over 50 research projects, ongoing or completed, and increase our research budget to over 24 million €. We are very excited for these brand new R&I initiatives, a preview of which you can get below, and look forward to working with our partners to transform industry with the power of AI.
DEXPLORE
DEXPLORE seeks to revolutionise mineral exploration in Europe by developing innovative approaches to counter declining ore deposit discovery rates, focusing on deep-seated deposits critical for the economy's decarbonisation. The project emphasises engaging the general public and stakeholders, combining innovation at various levels, and utilising cutting-edge tools and technologies. Targeting essential materials across extensive geological terrains, DEXPLORE proposes a holistic innovation package, integrating UAV-assisted in-field mineral detection, advanced Earth Observation methods, and novel deep-land geophysics techniques to reach at least 600 m depth.
The initiative outlines the development of updated ore models, improving exploration technologies, and providing a visualisation platform. This platform will integrate geological, remote sensing, and geophysical data to enhance access to information about EU potential in critical raw materials, while increasing public awareness. DEXPLORE also aims to strengthen cooperation with strategic partner countries, establishing a robust Advisory Board and fostering collaboration with other EU initiatives for joint activities and result sharing.
DEXPLORE represents a collaborative effort to advance mineral exploration, contribute to sustainable sourcing of critical raw materials, and ensure EU's open strategic autonomy.
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We will determine technical specifications for the software platform and a cloud-based infrastructure, ensuring compatibility with diverse data types and sources. Essential aspects like data ingestion protocols, storage solutions and security measures will be outlined. We will design and implement a robust and secure infrastructure for on-demand data distribution, utilizing established industry tools and frameworks. DEXPLORE will transform data from various devices and components into suitable formats and transmitting them to real-time and near real-time pipelines, through middleware.
We are also in charge of the visualisation dashboard and the UI, catering diverse user needs and preferences and making the user's interaction easier with complex data. We are aiming for an intuitive, responsive, and visually appealing UI with advanced visualization techniques, like 3D accelerated maps by Xcalibur, graphs and charts for data exploration and analysis, while ensuring robust and safe data exchange along. Design, development and use of an Augmented Reality (AR) application by ICCS, will be implemented to the platform, improving awareness of the general public and educate them through immersive visualizations. AR tool will be part of the open days to ensure social participation and engagement.
Additionally, we are heavily involved on the exploitation planning and technoeconomic analysis.
PRIM-ROCK
PRIM-ROCK addresses advanced techniques for the pre-processing of the raw material, calcination and roasting processes, that are commonly used in the mineral and cement industries, supplemented by simulations and decision support systems. The project aims to design, develop, and validate innovative and higher resource efficient processes, optimising existing ones and lowering the level of GHG emissions of extractive industries. AI data-driven models will be utilised and a digital twin for each process will be developed. Finally, the consortium will investigate waste reduction and re-utilisation strategies. The PRIM-ROCK solutions will be demonstrated in 3 different ASPIRE sectors, namely Minerals (magnesite, laterite), Cement (limestone) and Non-ferrous metals (sphalerite, chalcopyrite).
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We are leading the effort of optimization and integration of Digital Twinning processing (DSS & UI), enhancing the resource efficiency of the calcination and roasting processes. The DSS will integrate diverse streams of heterogeneous information from various models (data-driven models, physics-based models or hybrid models). This system will deliver real-time insights and alerts. A prototype of the UI will be designed, tested and refined based on user feedback. The final UI will be developed integrating the data models and the DSS and user acceptance testing will be conducted.
CORE IC is also leading the effort of Virtual scale up and expansion study suggesting configurations within the energy system’s boundary conditions, linking of additional added value technologies, mainly CCUS and synthetic fuel production. A Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithm will be employed to train the planning model as well as Black-box models
Finally, we are leading the 3-phased dissemination and communication activities. The early phase will be dedicated to raising awareness among the target groups and will include the brand and visual identity of PRIM-ROCK, with Dissemination activities targetingboth the academic and industry professional communities, through online events like webinars, congresses, etc. The middle phase will be dedicated to growing and consolidating awareness, informing stakeholders and groups about technological breakthroughs and business benefits. The final phase will ensure the long-term impact within targeted communities.
ALCHEMHY
ALCHEMHY aims to develop a set of innovative electrified processes to produce platform chemicals, particularly ammonia, and methanol and a Plasma-Catalytic Hydrogenation process (PCH). To this end, processes configuration will be optimised and novel materials and catalysts compatible with the electric input will be developed, optimising their performance, ramp-up times and enabling milder conditions. This will support the intensification and downscaling of the ammonia and methanol production, facilitating decentralised production integrated with downstream processes and renewable energy generation. The project will contribute to the development of a sustainable chemical industry, by decarbonising the production of both chemicals, supporting the creation of green jobs and improving the competitiveness of European industries, while contributing to a more resilient and secure energy system for the EU, reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels.
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CORE Group is leading the development of AI-based data-driven models of the methanol and and ammonia production processes and their combination with the ROMs produced, in order to develop the Hybrid Digital Twin of each of these projects. Data-driven models will consume the available data from the lab scale facilities. Moreover, exploitation of the generated data will provide further insights and information that can attempt to correlate any process parameters with the relevant molecular dynamics properties and interactions of the involved products, optimising the manufacturing parameters and detecting any potential anomalous behaviour of the involved assets. The investigation of Physics-Informed models can be performed for validating the performance of the generated ROMs.
Additionaly, we are responsible for ALCHEMY's Exploitation Plan and IPR management, which involves a three-phase process of analysing results, defining exploitation routes, and developing a post-project roadmap to ensure effective commercialisation and industry impact. The plan includes tailored business models, market size and competition analysis, and a SWOT analysis to address customer needs and validate the value proposition of ALCHEMY's KERs
StreamSTEP
StreamSTEP is a collaborative initiative by 31 organisations across the EU, Switzerland, and the UK, aimed at enhancing heating energy management in industrial processes. The project focuses on waste heat recovery across a wide temperature range using innovative heat exchanger prototypes and high-temperature heat pumps. Advanced manufacturing techniques and novel material alloys will enable these innovations, which will be demonstrated in five sectors: non-ferrous metals, ceramics, minerals, plastics, and refining. Integral to the project is a holistic process digital twinning pipeline, providing infrastructure for optimization agents to manage energy balance, storage, GHG avoidance, and data-driven LCA, ultimately recovering and reusing 50%-90% of waste heat with a payback period of less than three years, while boosting productivity and energy flexibility.
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CORE IC is responsible for the development and integration of the project's technical components. This includes creating the data architecture and middleware for the digital infrastructure, integrating smart IoT components, and developing hybrid process digital twins. Additionally, CORE leads the effort to expand the Energy Management System (EMS), implementing advanced techniques like machine learning and deep neural networks to optimise industrial processes and energy management .
CORE IC will also be handling the project's communication and leading on the exploitation strategy, with Exploitation Routes (technical and commercial) for KERs, considering IPRs, ensuring that project results are effectively communicated and positioned for market uptake, maximising the impact and commercial potential of the innovations developed.
OPTIMINER
The OPTIMINER project addresses Europe's challenge of efficiently and sustainably recovering Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) from complex and low-grade ores. It aims to reduce Europe's heavy reliance on CRM imports by innovating in recovery methods and promoting sustainable mining practices. Key components include advanced technologies like an AI-enabled CRM Recovery Selector and a digital platform (DIGIMINER) for smart monitoring and control. ECOMINER focuses on sustainability through energy and water optimization, waste valorisation, and toxicity management. DEMOMINER showcases pilot lines across multiple countries, demonstrating practical applications, while GLOBEMINER promotes market awareness and strategic EU-Chile cooperation in CRM recovery.
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CORE IC is leading the effort for the technical plan of each use case, including technical specifications and technological experties (AS IS situations, data availability, sensors connectivity, other operating systems). We are also in charge of the CRM Recovery Selector, defining criteria and parameters, developing technology database with a detailed profile of each use case, along with algorithm development with customizable capabilities and a UI design intergating a digital assistant (NPL-based).
The DIGIMINER platform will be built on data-driven Digital Twins, by leveraging sensorial, historical and operational data and proper abstraction and distribution among the data sources. We will design the connections and interactions of Digital Twins, DSS and Virtual Miner, as well as, establish a cloud infrasturucture, featuring hybrid data warehouse. New data from simulation results and experimental data cross corellation will be adjusted to the model. A modular AI-augmented market observatory will be designed forecasting mining market values.
The team of experts at CORE IC will also be leading dissemination and communication, as well as exploitation and innovation management activities, with a heavy focus on awareness about the project's outcomes and their impact, emphasizing sustainable raw materials production.
Theseus
The Theseus project focuses on implementing Industrial-Urban symbiosis (I-US) through Hubs4Circularity (H4C) in Europe, starting with the Athens/Attica region in Greece. This initiative involves municipalities and industries collaborating to manage resources, waste, energy, water, and infrastructure in a sustainable manner. The project aims to establish the first-of-its-kind H4C hub in Greece, leveraging regional needs and digital technologies to develop solutions for water, energy, and materials. These efforts align with EU objectives, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050 and closing resource loops through innovative governance models and stakeholder cooperation. Theseus integrates existing innovations and aims to replicate successful solutions across other EU regions, drawing parallels to the transformative legacy of Theseus in Athenian mythology.
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CORE Group will work on defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for monitoring impacts across various dimensions, facilitating informed decision-making in subsequent project tasks. The project focuses on coordinating digital plans for pilots and mapping data requirements to finalize a comprehensive data model. CORE Group will also be leading the integration of diverse data sources and ensuring secure and efficient data exchange across all project activities, collaborating closely with partners to implement cost-effective and robust data acquisition measures. Additionally, we are going to design and operate a Predictive Resource Logistics Module (PRLM) within the Hubs4Circularity framework, predicting material and water flows and generating socio-economic and environmental indicators. It aims to identify bottlenecks, business opportunities, and scalability options, with plans for post-project automation. A digital platform will be developed, integrating various modules and services for industrial symbiosis, enabling collaboration and resource tracking, supported by advanced analytics and user feedback for iterative platform optimization. Outputs include detailed reports and functional platform releases.
JOULIA
The JOULIA project aims to develop and demonstrate innovative induction and microwave heating processes for rubber vulcanisation and glue thermal activation in the rubber and plastic sectors, optimising them for flexibility, energy savings, and integration of renewable energy sources. These processes will be refined using digital models and simulations, ensuring adaptability, cost optimization, and compliance with health and safety standards, while predictive maintenance tools support ongoing operation. The project involves 16 partners from 7 EU countries and aims to enhance European industrial resilience, decrease fossil fuel dependence, and improve energy efficiency and sustainability, with potential applications in other sectors like food and ceramics.
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We are responsible for leading the identification of Funding Sources and Financial Instruments that can support the replication and upscaling of JOULIA innovations. We are also involved in the task of business models development that leverage the project's technological advancements to identify new market opportunities and in the task of the identification of Regulatory and Standardization Barriers that may hinder in the market uptake of JOULIA technologies.
We are involved in exploitation management tasks, contributing to the overall coordination and decision-making processes within the project.
rEUman
The European remanufacturing industry is essential for Europe's sustainable transition due to its energy, material, and functionality savings, along with significant socio-economic benefits like job creation and technological advancement. To enhance competitiveness and future-proof the industry, it is crucial to address barriers such as limited automation, poor human inclusion, and lack of digitalisation.
The rEUman project aims to develop a human-centric remanufacturing approach by improving factory-level regeneration and traceability and ensuring stability in the value-chain, while demonstrating its effectiveness in the automotive, home appliances, and optoelectronics sectors.
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Our technical role in the rEUman project encompasses the design and development of digital and AI-driven systems that evaluate the condition of returned products through image analysis at collection points, such as workshops or service centers. By assessing the remanufacturability of parts, the system aims to optimize decision-making regarding whether parts should be sent for remanufacturing, considering both technical and economic feasibility. This process is intended to minimize logistics costs and environmental impacts by avoiding the unnecessary transportation of non-remanufacturable parts.
INBLANC
Significant challenges in the building and construction value chain stem from fragmentation and siloing, necessitating a systemic change through lifecycle perspectives to uncover interactions and opportunities. INBLANC aims to establish an open ecosystem focused on building lifecycle data, using low-cost data collection, consolidation in Building Digital Logbooks, and interfacing with EU dataspaces. The project will demonstrate its approach through six diverse demo cases, engage actors across the value chain, and integrate high-value services for energy planning, facility management, and renovation planning, aiming for near-market readiness.
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CORE IC is responsible for the development of smart energy services tools like the RES Selector and Energy Management System (EMS), which optimise renewable energy source investments and balance system energy consumption and their validation using gap detection and optimization for city-scale identification and remedy recommendation. We are creating new technologies using high-performance computing infrastructure for tasks such as deep learning model development and energy consumption forecasting that support support advanced modeling, simulation, and machine learning applications.
Furthermore, CORE is also leading the communication, dissemination, innovation and exploitation activities.
We are also leading the communication, dissemination, innovation and exploitation activities.
COREbeat has been installed at key Greek industry facilities
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
July 23rd 2024
COREbeat, CORE Group’s flagship predictive maintenance solution, promises to eliminate downtimes through the use of Deep Learning algorithms.
Offering a 360-solution, COREbeat comprises compact hardware, AI-infused software and an intuitive web and mobile UI and has been applied to many production lines across Europe.
Since last month, COREbeat has been installed in two additional industrial facilities in Greece.
The installation at TERNA MAG mines
TERNA MAG is a magnesite and magnesia producer, and a member of GEK TERNA GROUP, one of the leading business groups in Greece. It exploits the world-class magnesite deposits in the northern part of Evia island.
COREbeat was installed at the TERNA MAG mines to assist the maintenance staff with its cutting-edge predictive maintenance capabilities, increasing their machinery’s lifespan and reducing their production’s downtime. The installation is expected to lead to measurable improvements in the near future.
The installation took place as part of the MASTERMINE Project, which aims to assist the EU mining industry in overcoming the challenges of its green & digital transition.
The installation at the EYDAP wastewater treatment plant
EYDAP is the largest company in Greece in the water supply, sewerage and wastewater treatment sector. It covers the needs of more than 40% of the country's population and supplies the region of Attica with high-quality drinking water.
COREbeat is now up and running at EYDAP’s Wastewater Treatment plant in Metamorfosis, in Attica, with a daily capacity of 24 thousand cubic meters of septic sewage and 20 thousand cubic meters of municipal wastewater. EYDAP staff is going to use COREbeat for monitoring purposes, and it will assist the staff in optimising the energy demand levels of the plant.
The pilot installation is part of CORE Group’s work for the Trineflex Project, which is supporting the transformation of energy-intensive industrial processes through the integration of energy flexibility and the supply of raw materials.
Find out more
If you’re interested in COREbeat’s predictive maintenance capabilities, you can visit out dedicated product page, or reach out directly to info@core-beat.com, to see how our team can help you.
CORE Group launches the Greek Smart Factory
Author: CORE Group Managing Partners
July 17th 2024
CORE Group’s newest endeavor, the Greek Smart Factory, is off to a great start following its launch last month.
The Greek Smart Factory is a platform for manufacturers, tech providers and academia, allowing them to network, innovate, and advance in a real industrial environment.
The CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC), CORE Group’s research and innovation powerhouse, is dedicated to fostering an innovative industrial ecosystem. Through participating in over 50 Horizon EU projects, with over €24 million in EU funding, and a network of more than 300 partners worldwide, CORE IC and CORE Group have developed an expertise in developing Industry 4.0 solutions for various sectors, including extraction, processing, manufacturing, buildings, infrastructure, and energy systems.
Thanks to this rich know-how, and through its participation in the Twin4Twin project, CORE IC has been funded to create the Greek Smart Factory – a trusted platform for manufacturers and tech providers to network, innovate, and advance on their Industry 4.0 journey.
Announcing the Greek Smart Factory to the world
The official announcement took place during the 5th International Smart Factory Summit in Switzerland. Stefanos Kokkorikos and Nikos Kyriakoulis, CORE Group Founders and Managing Partners –visionaries behind the Greek Smart Factory initiative– were invited, to share their vision with fellow smart factory innovators from across the world. Alongside the Swiss Smart Factory, CORE Group acted as the European representatives to our global network of smart factories.
Following the announcement, a stakeholder workshop took place at the CORE Group central offices in Athens, Greece. The workshop was attended by key professionals and manufacturing decision-makers from Greece and our global network, who showed their trust in the Greek Smart Factory vision and provided feedback on our approach, based on their own success stories and the industry’s active needs from such a ground-breaking initiative.
A trusted platform to network, innovate, and advance
The Greek Smart Factory (GSF), envisioned as a legacy scheme, aims to provide a virtual and physical platform for all the needs of manufacturers and tech providers. This platform will allow key decision-makers to apply the latest and greatest academic innovations in an environment that seamlessly simulates their actual industrial setting. Members will be able to use GSF to find resources and solutions to their daily challenges, through interactive partnerships and through identifying their ideal markets. Our resources will be available for members to innovate, testing new technologies and business models, so they can change their status quo and advance in a safe environment before they make the actual investment.
On top of actual, testing-ground collaborations, we want to offer members a space where they can interact through training sessions, pitching meetings and brainstorming workshops, to collaboratively address their common challenges in an equalitarian way.
Learn more
The Greek Smart Factory is the culmination of a year’s worth of efforts by CORE Group to help people, industries and organisations fulfil their true potential. Offering a platform with unparalleled resources for manufacturers and tech providers, it is set to revolutionise Industry 4.0 initiatives in Greece and abroad.
Be the first to know the latest news about this pioneering endeavor by subscribing to our newsletter, and receive exclusive updates on industry insights, trends, and company news directly in your inbox.
If you would like to express your interest in the Greek Smart Factory directly, you can reach out to Maria Lentoudi.
Maria Lentoudi
External Relations & Events Coordinator
mlentoudi@core-innovation.com
+306978143191
Future-proofing a 120-year old marble quarry
COREbeat is digitally transforming Marini Marmi,
a historic marble quarry in the north of Italy.
Future-proofing a 120-year old marble quarry
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
July 5th 2024
Our sustainable future relies on longevity, which can be ensured through the meaningful restoration and modernisation of our historic past. That is the case for Marini Marmi, a historic stone transformation facility in the North of Italy, which has supplied material for a variety of big structures with significant heritage impact all over the World.
COREbeat is helping this historic facility modernise its legacy equipment and machinery, through the use of cutting-edge predictive maintenance algorithms.
The Dig_IT project
CORE Group’s collaboration with Marini Marmi stems from the Dig_IT project, a Horizon 2020-funded project which aims to address the needs of the mining industry, moving forward towards a sustainable use of resources while keeping people and environment at the forefront. The Marini use-case of the Dig_IT project aims to reduce unpredicted downtime contributing to overall productivity optimisation.
Where COREbeat comes in
COREbeat, CORE Group’s flagship predictive maintenance solution, promises to eliminate downtimes through the use of Deep Learning algorithms. Offering a 360-solution, COREbeat comprises compact hardware, AI-infused software and an intuitive web and mobile UI and has been applied to many production lines across Europe. Its capabilities present Marini Marmi with a pivotal next step in the digitalisation of their facilities.
At the Marini Marmi quarry, COREbeat has been installed in different assets of a large-scale marble-cutting engine. Installation took less than 2 hours, and Marini employees could immediately monitor the behavior of their gang saw. In less than 6 weeks, COREbeat’s predictive maintenance capabilities also became available.
When things break down
After the initial installation and training period, the quarry’s employees received a notification, informing them that one of the parts was in critical condition and required immediate attention. In just one week, the part was now in critical condition, with a COREbeat’s health score below 10% indicating that it is time for maintenance. The factory staff scheduled maintenance for the machine 4 days later, and the machine kept working for another 3 days, breaking down within the indicated timeframe. The results were highly positive for COREbeat, but the Marini Marmi staff were faced with delays that might have been prevented.
Find out more
COREbeat is still up and running at Marini Marmi through the Dig_IT project. If you’re interested in finding out more about Dig_IT, you can follow the project’s dedicated page on social media. For all the rest of our 40+ EU research projects, you can find more information on our dedicated webpage.
And if you’re impressed with COREbeat’s predictive maintenance capabilities, you can reach out to info@core-beat.com, and learn how our team can help you.
CORE Group at the Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Conference
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
July 1st 2024
Last month, the CORE Group team attended the Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Conference as sponsors.
It was a great day full of intriguing discussions on industrial sustainability, with Valia Iliopoulou, Energy and Resource Efficiency Unit Leader at CORE Group, giving a captivating speech to attendees.
Harnessing Industry 4.0 tools
Valia Iliopoulou, Energy and Resource Efficiency Unit Leader at CORE Group, delivered a presentation to the conference audience, showcasing how Industry 4.0 tools can be used to ensure energy efficiency, flexibility and resilience in the manufacturing sector. Valia presented the REPowerEU plan of the European Green Deal and its challenges for manufacturers, drawing from the real life examples of some key projects CORE Group is involved in, like Trineflex, Metawave, and Streamstep.
You can download Valia’s presentation here.
The conference booth
As always, COREbeat, our all-in-one Predictive Maintenance solution, was there for conference attendees stopping by our booth. Visitors got an exclusive look at beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component, as well as COREbeat’s highly intuitive UI platform. You can find out more information about COREbeat and how it can help you otpimise your industrial operations here.
We also got to offer some insights into our ground-breaking energy efficiency R&I initiatives, with a focus on Trineflex, which is transforming energy-intensive industrial processes through the integration of energy flexibility and the supply of raw materials. You can get a more in-depth look on our Industry 4.0 research projects here.
Stay in touch
A big thank you to the conference organisers for a very intriguing day talking about our joint efforts towards a sustainable manufacturing future.
CORE Group at the Smart Factory Conference
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
June 27th 2024
This year’s Smart Factory Conference took place in late May, and CORE Group was a sponsor for the event.
It is our second time attending, and it was great to join a highly engaged audience of pioneers in the Smart Factory arena.
Building a Smart Factory in Greece
Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CORE Group, delivered a captivating presentation to the conference audiences, discussing the Smart Factory market globally. Drawing a comparison to the international market, he made the point that Greece is lagging behind, and showcased ways for the industry to pave the way forward, towards a Greek Smart Factory, together.
If you didn’t make it to the conference, you can watch his presentation below.
The CORE Group showcase
Conference attendees got to take a look at COREbeat, our all-in-one Predictive Maintenance solution. Stopping by our booth, visitors got to interact beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component, as well as COREbeat’s highly intuitive UI platform. You can find out more information about COREbeat here.
We also got to offer some insights into our ground-breaking research and innovation initiatives, spearheaded by CORE Innovation Centre. The spotlight was on our Twin4Twin project, which digital twins and expertise exchange with our EU partners, as well as ELEXIA, focusing on a cross-sector digitised energy system.
Stay in touch
A big thank you to the conference organisers for a very intriguing day of meeting our Industry 4.0 peers and exchanging views on the future of smart factories.
See you all at the next event!
Nurturing leadership and soft skills at CORE Group
Author: Antigoni Nikolaidi
June 7th 2024
At CORE Group, our mission is to empower people, industries, and organizations to reach their full potential. We believe that continuous self-development and the enhancement of soft skills are crucial to this journey.
Recently, our management team had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a transformative 3-day leadership workshop held at our offices.
Our CORE goal
This workshop, facilitated by the experts at Game Tree, was meticulously designed to align with our CORE company values. At CORE Group, we are committed to a simple yet profound goal: to be better in six months than we are today. This commitment to growth drives us to continually seek new skills and identify areas for improvement.
The workshop
Game Tree, renowned for their expertise in HR training and development, guided our team through an engaging and interactive series of training sessions. These sessions focused on enhancing leadership skills, fostering better communication within teams, and exploring innovative management approaches. Through dynamic games and activities, our managers learned new strategies for effective collaboration and team communication.
The workshop was more than just a training session. We place immense value on our people, and it is vital for us to work cohesively as a team in our day-to-day operations while also striving to achieve our long-term objectives. The right training, coupled with essential soft skills and practical tools, helps us cultivate an interactive and inclusive workspace.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Game Tree for their exceptional facilitation of the workshop. Their expertise and innovative approach provided our team with a highly informative and enjoyable experience.
At CORE Group, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where continuous improvement and personal development are not just encouraged but celebrated. This workshop is a testament to our commitment to building a brighter, more collaborative future for our team and the industries we serve.
Our CORE team at Beyond Expo
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
April 29th 2024
Beyond Expo took place this past week, and our team couldn’t miss out.
It’s our second time participating at the event, and we were very excited to meet all our industry friends and participate in some very insightful discussions.
Preparing for the event
Before leaving for the event, we were invited by Naftemporiki TV to talk abour CORE Group, our participation in Beyond Expo, and the AI in manufacturing landscape in Greece and beyond. We were very happy for the last minute call, and for getting the chance to reach a wider audience for CORE Group and its partners.
You can watch the brief interview by Dr Nikos Kyriakoulis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CORE Group, in the link below.
Engaging with the community
Throughout the three-day event, we had the pleasure of engaging with many attendees stopping by our booth.
The expo was an interesting mix of industry veterans and AI enthusiasts, all of whom were very excited to see our Predictive Maintenance platform, COREbeat, in action. Our showcase included a motor connected to a beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component, and visitors were allowed to push a nail in the machine and watch COREbeat’s UI platform spot the malfunction in near-real time. COREbeat already counts many pilots, with the ELEXIA project pilot also shown at the event.
Visitors also got to learn more about our Research & Innovation initiatives through the CORE Innovation Centre, with a focus on the pioneering Greek Smart Factory concept of our Twin4Twin project.
Industry Panel Discussions
Our managing partners, Nikos Kyriakoulis and Stefanos Kokkorikos, were invited to participate in two separate panel discussions, discussing the latest developments in machine learning and AI.
Nikos Kyriakoulis took part in a panel discussion hosted by HETiA and SEKEE, talking about innovation in the industry and opportunities specifically for SMEs.
Stefanos Kokkorikos participated in the main conference of the event, introducing CORE Group and talking about the next best in AI. You can watch the discussion here.
As part of our participation in the expo, Stefanos Kokkorikos was also invited to introduce CORE Group to the conference audience through a brief interview. You can watch the video below.
Stay in touch
A big big thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by our booth and say hi!
We look forward to staying in touch, collaborating, and all the exciting things we can achieve, together.
See you all soon!
CORE Group at the 1st Automation & Robotics Expo
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
April 23rd 2024
The 1st Automation & Robotics Expo was held from April 12 to April 14 in Athens, Greece, and the CORE Group team had to be there.
It was an exciting event full of the latest industry innovations in automation, inspiring insights, and some very meaningful connections.
The CORE Group showcase
Visitors stopping by our booth got an exciting first look at COREbeat, our all-in-one Predictive Maintenance solution, through a live demo rig. Our showcase included a motor connected to a beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component, and visitors were allowed to push a nail in the machine and watch COREbeat’s UI platform spot the malfunction in near-real time. You can find out more information about COREbeat here.
We also got to offer some insights into our ground-breaking research and innovation initiatives, spearheaded by CORE Innovation Centre, with an exclusive first look at the Greek Smart Factory concept which we are working on, alongside our Twin4Twin project consortium. We also got to showcase the great work our Teaming.AI consortium is doing, helping Industry overcome its lack of flexibility, through the development of human-AI collaboration platform.
Engaging with the community
Throughout the expo weekend, our team had the pleasure of engaging with numerous attendees, from industry veterans to eager-eyed newcomers exploring the realm of automation. We exchanged ideas, shared experiences, and discussed the latest trends shaping the industry.
Things look very promising for the automation and robotics community in this first industry event, and we look forward to witnessing where our shared passion for efficiency and innovation will take the industry next.
Keynote speech
On the second day of the expo, Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CORE Group, delivered a captivating presentation on the main stage of the expo, addressing the key challenges facing the manufacturing sector in the era of Industry 4.0 and beyond. From the need for decarbonisation, to generating ESG-relevant business value, Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis offered potential solutions to all high-stakes industry challenges, using the latest evolutions in AI and machine learning technology.
If you didn’t make it to the expo, or missed the presentation, a recording is now available on our YouTube channel. Simply follow the link below.
Stay in touch
We extend our gratitude to everyone who took the time to visit our booth and engage with our team. We look forward to continuing the journey of innovation and collaboration together.
See you all at the next event!
Transforming Greek manufacturing with COREbeat
CORE Group’s all-in-one predictive maintenance platform
is the go-to solution for EP.AL.ME., the leading Greek manufacturer.
Transforming Greek manufacturing with COREbeat
Author: Alexandros Patrikios
April 11th 2024
COREbeat, CORE Group’s signature product, is here to cover an inherent need of the manufacturing sector – the seamless operation of its production machines.
COREbeat is an all-in-one predictive maintenance solution, encompassing compact hardware, AI-infused software, and a web and mobile UI. COREbeat operates through collecting data using its built-in sensors in real-time, then employing machine learning algorithms to detect behavioural anomalies and and provide early notifications of upcoming failures.
The collaboration
Since last summer, COREbeat has been the driving force behind EP.AL.ME.’s predictive maintenance capabilities.
A subsidiary of MYTILINEOS, EP.AL.ME. is an Aluminium Recycling company that specializes in the processing and sorting of scrap metal and the production (smelting) of recycled Aluminium billets. Their collaboration with CORE Group started as part of the e-CODOMH cluster, whose mission is to upgrade entrepreneurship and create an added value in the Greek construction sector.
Installation
The initial installation of beatBox, COREbeat’s hardware component comprising IoT and Computing Edge devices, takes only 2 hours. Upon installation, employees can monitor the behaviour of their machine right away, through COREbeat’s intuitive User Interface. The predictive maintenance capabilities begin at 4 to 6 weeks, and that’s when COREbeat’s Deep Learning magic comes in at full force. After this initial training period, factory employees receive instant notifications through the app for any anomalies. This way, they know immediately whenever the operational health of a machine asset starts declining.
Below, we have some photos of the EP.AL.ME. installation by the COREbeat team.
How COREbeat helped EP.AL.ME.
EP.AL.ME. came to appreciate COREbeat’s predictive maintenance capabilities soon after installation. Maintenance employees at the facility were notified that one of the fans in the aluminum recycling facility was in critical condition, a few days after scheduled maintenance had already taken place. The factory staff, upon inspection, could not find the source of the malfunction, so they continued operating the fan normally.
In the COREbeat interface, the fan kept appearing to be in critical and worsening condition over the span of 2 weeks, which led the staff to pause its operation for an unscheduled maintenance check. During this check, they found an issue with the motor belt of the fan, which they would have missed without COREbeat. This saved the facility from unexpected downtime, delays in the factory’s production pipeline, and substantial losses due to production delays.
Find out more
COREbeat’s success relies on CORE Group’s long experience in the field of machine learning for manufacturing. With a long list of over 40 EU projects, CORE Group is turning into a household name in AI technologies and their industrial applications.
If you are interested in COREbeat’s predictive maintenance capabilities, you can reach out to our team and share more information on the needs of your manufacturing facility through info@core-beat.com.
The InComEss project wraps up
Authors: Clio Drimala, Dimitris Eleftheriou
19th March 2024
Having successfully completed 4 years of operations, the InComEss project officially wrapped up its activities last month, and held the project’s Final Review Meeting with the European Commission’s Project Officer on March 13, in Brussels, at the premises of SONACA.
With a core team of 18 partners from 10 countries, InComEss entered into force in March 2020. Now, after a four-year lifespan, the project has yielded remarkable results, including more than 17 open-access academic publications, and has driven outstanding research on the development of polymer-based smart materials with energy harvesting and storage capabilities in a cost-efficient manner for the widespread implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT).
CORE Group was involved in various tasks within the project framework to expand InComEss’s impact. In particular, we were responsible for devising and managing the consortium’s exploitation strategy, as well as leading the dissemination and communication strategy.
Project overview
Besides our involvement, overall achievements of the project include the development of:
Piezoelectric and thermoelectric energy harvesters with a proven ability to generate electricity through mechanical vibrations and temperature differences.
Monolithic printed supercapacitors that demonstrated their efficacy to store the harvested energy when integrated with a conditioner circuit and generators.
A power conditioning circuit that enhances energy transfer efficiency between generators and end-use electronics.
A miniaturized Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS) interrogator, with reduced power consumption, was showcased for its utility in energy harvesting.
Furthermore, Bluetooth Wireless MEMS and FOS communications were optimized and seamlessly integrated into an IoT platform, offering data monitoring capabilities. Among the research highlights being implemented within InComEss are also three impactful use-cases within the aeronautic, automotive, and smart buildings sectors.
Exploitation activities
The exploitation activities encompass an exhaustive market analysis targeting the consortium’s end users and other markets that could potential leverage the project’s innovations. The specific markets addressed were: 1) Smart Buildings, 2) Aeronautics, 3) Automotive, 4) Oil & Gas Pipelines, 5) Sports Environment, 6) Pacemakers, 7) Railway, and 8) GPS tracking devices. We identified market barriers that would slow down the adoption of the project’s technologies, which we categorized in regard to their nature (Sociopolitical, Economic, Environmental, Technological, Organisational). Based on the information provided, unique selling points of the results with commercial orientation were discerned.
Moreover, results were identified with a clear IPR protection path and exploitation route option. Partners decided whether they would use their results for further research or commercially. We developed business models for the more marketable results based on sustainability-oriented archetypes. The business model included the list of partners participating in the commercial exploitation and their associated activities and resources required to bring the system to the abovementioned market segments. Potential avenues such as ΣEureka and InnoEnergy were considered to reduce the initial investment costs and improve access to market.
The activities were manifested in the development of business plans for the Automotive and Aeronautics use cases. The analysis considered the potential benefits that the route-to-market partners would receive, namely Photonfirst and Smart Material and specifically the point where they would expect a return on their initial investment if they further progressed their results. Based on the activities and resources needed, an appropriate revenue model was in place to perform a financial analysis for both use cases. Moreover, we worked on a cost-benefit analysis for the end users to understand their benefit of acquiring the commercialized version of the InComEss system. Specifically, the aeronautics scenario included an installation in the wing slats, while the automotive scenario in the exhaust systems.
Dissemination and Communication Activities
When it comes to dissemination and communication (D&C), CORE devised and oversaw the dissemination and communication strategy, working hand-in-hand with the entire consortium to maximize the project's impact and resonance.
The InComEss team generated 17 open-access scientific articles, an important legacy of the project, and plans to publish 7 more in the upcoming months. Partners also participated in 32 events delivering 50 presentations and a lecture, presenting 5 posters and promoting InComEss through 2 exhibit booths and a stand in landmark industry-related events.
Beyond that, 2 workshops were organized namely, Mid-Term Workshop on InComEss EU Project and the InComEss Final Workshop. Video recordings from the workshops are available to watch here and on YouTube [Part 1], [Part 2]. 11 more short, engaging videos introducing the InComEss concept and recapping its research activities are also available on the project’s YouTube Channel.
The project’s website, designed and maintained by CORE, will continue as a central hub for useful information and resources. Visitors can learn more about important research activities performed and results through 11 press-releases, 10 newsletter issues, open-access scientific papers, public deliverables and training materials that can be found on the website.
The project has also shaped significant online communities, with more than 1000 followers on LinkedIn and 700 on X, another reflection of the overall effectiveness of the InComEss D&C strategy.
It has been a pleasure working with all our partners for the InComEss project.
Until the next one.
The MOSES project reaches a highly succesful conclusion
Authors: Pantelis Papachristou, Konstantinos Nikolopoulos
13th March 2024
After 3 and a half years, the MOSES project has reached its culmination, marked by a closing conference held online. The central goal of the project was to enhance the Short Sea Shipping (SSS) component of the European container supply chain by implementing the following three groundbreaking innovations:
The development of a hybrid electric feeder vessel, equipped with a robotic container-handling system, to increase the utilisation rate of small ports.
The establishment of a digital collaboration and matchmaking platform to match demand and supply of cargo volumes, utilising Machine Learning (ML) to maximise Short Sea Shipping traffic.
The introduction of an autonomous vessel maneuvering and docking scheme, based on the cooperation of a swarm of autonomous tugboats coupled with an automated docking system.
Our role in the project
As part of the project, CORE has been involved in the third innovation concept, pioneering the transition from traditional docking procedures to an autonomous swarm of tugboats. These advancements were facilitated by creating a sophisticated simulation environment and the application of ML techniques, which refined docking strategies. This digital twin technology, coupled with an AutoPilot control system, exemplifies a significant leap forward in maritime operations, reducing docking time and enhancing port service availability and environmental sustainability.
Machine learning approach
Initially, our team created a virtual environment to simulate the real-life components, such as the port, water mass, tugboats and containership. To ensure fidelity to actual conditions, the virtual environment integrated results from hydrodynamic simulations conducted by MOSES partners, analysing the navigation and evaluating the hydrodynamic parameters, such as the friction resistances for each ship object separately. Additionally, Finite Element Model simulations (FEM) were employed to assess the interactions between the tugboats and the containership, by evaluating force-reactions and stresses.
MOSES Unity test scene displayed during training of 3 push agents next to the “Advanced Ship Controller” and “Behaviour parameters” component.
The simulation environment served as a training environment for the developed swarm intelligence machine learning algorithm, allowing agents to learn from their experiences. Specifically, the agents (tugboats) were trained using deep reinforcement learning techniques, where the learning procedure is based on the interaction of the agents with the environment and the accumulation of feedback (rewards or penalties), while the agents collected observations through LiDAR and GPS sensors. The goal was to discover optimal strategies that maximise cumulative rewards over time. The developed digital twin was deployed at the edge, along with an AutoPilot system to control the steering and thrust of the tugboats based on the digital twin’s inference.
The digital twin was successfully demonstrated and validated in relevant environment (TRL6) at the Faaborg port in Denmark, employing a swarm of two tugboats pushing a bargue towards the dock. The accompanying video below illustrates the precision of the simulation outcomes (displayed on the left-hand side) compared with the actual real-world demonstration (on the right-hand side). This live demonstration underscored a remarkable achievement: more than a 25% reduction in manoeuvring and docking times, leading to a corresponding significant decrease in port emissions and a notable increase in the availability of port services.
Comparison of the simulation outcomoes (left-hand side) with the real demonstration in Faaborg port (right-hand side) considering the scenario where two tugboats push a bargue to the dock.
The commercilisation phase
To ensure successful commercialisation, CORE developed an Innovation Strategy, focusing on clear value propositions and competition mapping. Additionally, CORE developed a model for profit simulation, with a focus on the innovations introduced by the autonomous tugboat system, which is the only technology solution combining autonomous operation, sustainability and safety, with the highest TRL and exposed in real conditions.
Understanding our pilot
For more information on Pilot 1 of the MOSES Project, where our technical team was heavily involved, our consortium partners have created a comprehensive video explaining the AutoDock System and how it works. You can watch it below.
Over the past 42 months, we were very happy to work closely with our consortium partners to successfully deliver an autonomous vessel manoeuvring and docking system which has the potential to completely transform the Short Sea Shipping and container supply chain of the European Union.
We look forward to future, even more fruitful collaborations.
CORE Group contributes to new publication
Author: Dimitris Eleftheriou
6th March 2024
The latest open access book by Springer, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing”, includes our work as part of the Teaming.AI consortium.
The Teaming.AI project
Teaming.AI is an Horizon 2020 project which aims to drive industry-wide change in smart manufacturing, through the introduction of higher customisation and personalisation of products and services in AI technologies. The main instrument is the development of an AI-driven Decision Support System, where decisions can be either taken by a human stakeholder or automatically by an AI service.
“Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing”
The research findings of the project have led to a contribution in an academic book published recently by Springer, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing”, edited by John Soldatos, which gathers findings across different EU research projects to provide comprehensive coverage of AI technologies and their various use cases in manufacturing, encompassing both Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 solutions.
This book, a part of the AI4MANUFACTURING cluster, features 27 chapters from the XMANAI, STAR, Teaming.AI, AI-PROFICIENT, Knowledge, MAS4AI, COALA, and KITT4SME EU projects. It presents a diverse range of innovative solutions for artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. Our work for Teaming.AI is presented in Chapters 4, 5 and 23 of the book.
CORE Group’s contribution to the publication
CORE Group has contributed to Chapter 23, where we discuss insights and recommendations identified through the project, which can be used to design effective human-AI collaboration systems that enhance productivity, innovation, and social welfare.
Our main contribution lies in identifying existing issues when implementing human-AI collaboration systems in an industry setting. Through this demand-driven approach, our team was able to identify areas where further technological development was needed to ensure successful implementation of Industry 4.0 initiatives.
This process enabled the TEAMING.AI consortium to drive tech development with a market-first mindset. Our key findings show that end-users have a preference for easy-to-integrate, pilot-validated solutions with short-term value potential.
This publication is an important milestone for the project and the CORE Group team, which continues to produce cutting-edge research in the area of AI in manufacturing.