KI.FABRIKDeepTech Mechatronics Made in Bavaria
KI.FABRIKKI.FABRIK BAYERN stands for “Artificial Intelligence Factory in Bavaria”. The KI.FABRIK will be a fully flexible and networked location for the local, crisis-proof and economic production of state-of-the-art IT and mechatronic high-tech components in Bavaria. In production processes, robots often operate in isolation, behind safety fences. The intention with the KI.FABRIK BAYERN is to enable the direct physical interaction of AI with the factory environment using robots and similar systems, as well as the intuitive and transparent connection between humans and machines through wearable technology. Human safety is therefore central to the realization of the factory of the future.
KI.FABRIK is a Flagship project in the Bavarian High-Tech Agenda and a Lighthouse Initiative of the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence of the Technical University of Munich. Lighthouse initiatives facilitate the exchange of expertise between factory workers and academic researchers.
Humans are fundamental for the development and maintenance of a profitable KI.FABRIK. The factory is a collaborative learning environment between human workers and robots, and a testing ground to enhance safe human-robot collaboration. Additionally, an ethics committee is involved from the beginning in the development of these technologies.
Workers can teleoperate robots and have full control over the system on-site or via telepresence because robots provide tactile feedback. The factory of the future will use communication technologies to close the gap between the real world and virtual reality. Distances matter less due to digital shortcuts and digital twins. 5G and 6G systems will enable real-time data transmission.
KI.FABRIK is a proof-of-Concept that aims to enable competitive automated and AI-supported manufacturing and intralogistics systems in Bavaria for complex, individual products from batch size 1 (Production-as-a-Service – PaaS).
Reconfigurable production lines and more descentralized production. The flexible production capacity of the KI.FABRIK will enable closed cycle of goods and reduce resource demand.
KI.FABRIK will be a ground to test energy-efficient and energy-aware physical systems.
In 2030, Bavaria is set to launch the world’s first AI.FACTORY interacting with its workers through AI.PORTALS, networked by a CENTRAL.AI, and fueled by AI.ROBOTS to deliver Production-as-a-Service (PaaS) from lot size 1.
The AI Factory “KI.FABRIK” combines future technologies under one roof. Sensitive robots and new AI algorithms can be controlled by employees from home via AI.PORTALS, and are available for individual production processes. The KI.FABRIK becomes the central solution building block in the technical infrastructure to keep economic activities running even in times of crisis. Value creation becomes less dependent on the physical presence of personnel. In each of these AI Factories, hundreds of highly qualified high-tech jobs would be created in Bavaria, with the productivity of skilled workers multiplied by intelligent and collectively learning, sensitive robotic tools. In the AI Factories and through the concepts of modern production tested and used there, the quality of jobs and products would increase. At the same time, they enable local and resource-saving production processes. Ultimately, this also sustainably counteracts potential scenarios such as plant closures together with the associated loss of jobs and know-how.
The long-term mission KI.FABRIK 2030 will be realized in 4 partially overlapping phases, some of which will run in parallel.
Development and set-up of the first KI.FABRIK at a suitable location in Munich with 5 AI Portals – demonstration of sub-steps in assembly, manufacturing, and logistics, starting in 2020.
Expansion with further process steps, certification, and a second location.
Expansion with final process steps, test operation for Production-as-a-Service, and 5 Bavaria-wide locations.
Operational (private-sector). Operation of the first KI.FABRIK, expansion to 10 sites in Bavaria.
