Sirris Launches Made Real Demonstrators to Support Companies with Industry 4.0

Sirris helps elevating the efficiency of Belgium’s manufacturing industry to a new level, preparing it for the future

Sirris, the collective innovation center of the Belgian industry, is launching four new demonstrators in Genk, Kortrijk, Charleroi, and Liège, to support companies in their transition to Industry 4.0. Sirris is offering companies a unique opportunity to hands-on discover how digitalization can elevate their productivity by optimizing their production processes and making them future-proof.

Today, Industry 4.0 is a reality, which Sirris makes tangible with technologies that can be experienced and seen in the demonstrators. Industry 4.0 represents the digitalization of production processes to make companies more flexible and efficient. This can reduce the cycle time in a production process by 20 to 30%. A delivery reliability of 95% can be further increased to, for example, 98%.

The 4.0 Made Real demonstrators are set up in Sirris's industrial labs and will open their doors with a roadshow: in Liège (2/12), Genk (3/12), Kortrijk (4/12), and Charleroi (5/12). Afterward, visits and demos are possible by appointment.

Industry 4.0: From Dream Scenario to Reality

Although many companies already have systems such as ERP, they often only utilize a fraction of the potential of the software. The new demonstrators from Sirris show how companies can go beyond basic digitalization. They offer a "test-before-invest" environment where technologies such as AI, cobots, AR/VR, automated logistics, etc., are applied in real-time. Companies can see how they can optimize their own processes without taking risks. Specifically, one can collect data through f.i. sensors, providing additional insights. These data allow for developing scenarios to make better decisions.

Four Locations, Four Unique Demonstrations

• Liège (from 2/12): Visitors are drawn into the world of manufacturing technologies, with innovations such as AI-supported injection molding, robot-assisted large-scale 3D printing, data-driven additive manufacturing, and smart manufacturing techniques. This demonstrator shows how production with advanced technologies can be transformed to meet the demands of the modern market.
• Genk (from 3/12): At this location, Sirris demonstrates a flexible production environment, including automated logistics and AI-supported machining tools that contribute to a future-proof production process. Cobots assist with tasks such as polishing and loading and unloading machines, potentially increasing production efficiency by up to 50%.
• Kortrijk (from 4/12): The "Smart Assembly lab" focuses on smart assembly and operator support. The present infrastructure is designed to, with the help of digital work instructions and automation, reduce faulty assemblies to zero and make training trajectories much more efficient. SMEs here have the chance to gain hands-on experience with digital tools that can support their own production processes.
• Charleroi (from 5/12): The Manufacturing Excellence demonstrator in Charleroi focuses on quality assurance and optimization. With tools such as a 3D print farm and a VR factory, visitors can explore a completely virtual production environment and experience the impact of strategic choices on their processes

Sirris as a Guide for Industry 4.

‘The 4.0 Made Real Roadshow not only marks the opening of these facilities, but also Sirris' commitment to the Belgian industry’, says Walter Auwers, Manager Advanced Manufacturing at Sirris. ’Through demonstrations and networking sessions, we want to show companies that the transition to a digital production environment is within reach. The "dream scenario" where production processes are automated, connected, and digitized is no longer future music but reality.'

Registration and More Information

Companies and interested parties can register for one of the sessions via the Sirris website. The demonstrators were developed within European collaboration projects and supported by regional stakeholders. They offer companies a low-threshold way to discover, try out, and learn to apply new technologies.