Case
CastLab Living Lab
CastLab Living Lab focuses on making the manufacturing industry more sustainable through knowledge sharing and partnership development.
CastLab Living Lab: Metal Playground for the Industry
Enterprises, knowledge institutions, and end-users collaborate using innovative production methodologies. Central to this are IT technologies: digital twins, digital warehouse, predictive maintenance, big data analysis, and rule-based decision systems (AI). Current techniques and processes for manufacturing (critical) metal replacement parts fall short, leading to significant replacement costs in our maintenance and infrastructure sector.
Solutions for Dutch Infrastructure
Approximately 70 years ago, the majority of the current Dutch infrastructure was constructed for a lifespan of 30-50 years and is now around 50 years or older. The railway network, bridges, locks, pipelines, viaducts, etc., represent a replacement value of about €360 billion. Any malfunction in the equipment causes economic damage, making maintenance extremely important. Since many assets are at the end of their lifespan and replacing the entire infrastructure is not feasible, smart maintenance and replacing old assets with new parts at acceptable costs is the solution. Often these are unique replacement parts that need to be quickly delivered in case of failure. This is the purpose of the CastLab Living Lab.
What Do We Do in the Living Lab?
We develop new technologies to manufacture critical parts and predict when they will fail. This includes establishing a database and developing business models through collaboration, such as cost-efficient manufacturing of critical parts in high mix/low volume within a very short time frame. Additionally, big data from parts is collected to enable predictive maintenance of sensor-less components.
Moreover, if certain parts cannot be found because a supplier no longer exists or there are no available drawings, we can develop these parts using various technologies in the Living Lab. The specific part can be reproduced and delivered, including the corresponding drawings and product specifications. We also develop and produce a spare part (starting from 1 piece) so that large inventories do not need to be purchased, leading to significantly lower investment costs.
Call to Action
Are you ready to be part of this change? Contact CastLab today and discover how we can optimize and sustain your production processes. Together, we can make a positive impact.