Job description

Joining LINEACT at CESI for a research internship would be a fantastic opportunity to contribute to innovative projects while deepening my skills in a cutting-edge environment

Abstract

The study explores the development and utilization of digital twins and extended reality tools to enhance remote maintenance procedures, focusing on creating a functional digital twin and developing an interface for device control in extended reality.

Keywords : Extended Reality, Digital twin

The technological advancements of Industry 4.0 and the human-centric approaches of Industry 5.0 have paved the way for the implementation of new methodologies and technologies, including digital twins (DT) and extended reality (XR) tools. However, the increasing complexity of installations, combined with the need for external expertise during maintenance operations, calls for a rethinking of remote assistance methods. To address these challenges, our work focuses on utilizing these technologies to improve maintenance procedures. As part of this internship, several stages of this process will be studied. Initially, it will be necessary to create a digital twin of one of our devices used in training, based on the already developed 3D model. To make it functional, the physical model will need to be formalized and the mathematical model integrated into the digital twin. Finally, the development of the interface and control of the device in extended reality will constitute the final stage of this work.

Research Work

Scientific context 

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 (I4.0), emerged in 2011, focusing on the digitalization and automation of industrial processes to improve the quality and reliability of systems. In this context, one of the most costly processes in industry is maintenance. I4.0 has enabled the development of new maintenance strategies, such as predictive maintenance, which anticipates failures based on data collected by sensors, and prescriptive maintenance, which suggests corrective actions based on this data. These strategies help reduce maintenance costs and generate substantial savings.

However, the growing complexity of industrial equipment requires easy access to information for operators. Remote assistance has become essential, especially in situations where it is difficult or costly to relocate experts. In the context of Industry 5.0 (Guo et al., 2024; Maddikunta et al., 2022), human-centric approach integrating Extended reality (XR) technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), offer solutions to enhance remote collaboration, allowing an on-site operator to interact with an expert without the need for physical relocation.

The study focuses on the use of virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) to facilitate inspections and maintenance activities of industrial equipment and associated training phases. By using digital twins (DT) interfaced in XR (XR DT) based on digital models of equipment, these technologies allow experts to guide operators remotely (Coupry et al., 2023), while providing a virtual environment that enables real-time interaction. The goal is to ensure effective collaboration and guarantee the interoperability of tools between the expert and the operator, regardless of their location.

Subject 

As part of the JENII project, the CESI LINEACT laboratory is developing INTERVALES (Richard et al., 2021) and LINEACT UA (Havard et al., 2023) frameworks to design XR DT, guides for effective pedagogical scenarios, feedback, and concrete examples of digital twins of industrial systems. The latest work proposes a workflow for creating an OPCUA server, integrating tools such as Unity, asyncua, and Docker. It introduces an architecture where physical objects (robots, production lines) can be simulated or connected via OPCUA servers, enabling remote interaction through immersive applications. These tools have been deployed in the engineering program at CESI school as part of a project to automate a manual gluing workstation on a production line. Learners are tasked with transforming this workstation using a 3D printer converted into a gluing machine and integrating it into the production line. The production line has already been studied, as a digital twin has previously been created.

Based on these results and in the context of the VLF4EU (Virtual Learning Factory Networking and Strategy Build Up: Supporting EUropean Industrial Digitisation Competitiveness and Growth for All) project, the goal of this project is to build on the work already completed to create a digital twin of the gluing machine, integrate it with the existing tools, and ultimately develop a mixed reality interface to control the gluing machine in real time through its digital twin.

Context

Lab presentation

CESI LINEACT (UR 7527), Laboratory for Digital Innovation for Businesses and Learning to Support the Competitiveness of Territories, anticipates and accompanies the technological mutations of sectors and services related to industry and construction. The historical proximity of CESI with companies is a determining element for our research activities. It has led us to focus our efforts on applied research close to companies and in partnership with them. A human-centered approach coupled with the use of technologies, as well as territorial networking and links with training, have enabled the construction of cross-cutting research; it puts humans, their needs and their uses, at the center of its issues and addresses the technological angle through these contributions.

Its research is organized according to two interdisciplinary scientific teams and several application areas.

-         Team 1 "Learning and Innovating" mainly concerns Cognitive Sciences, Social Sciences and Management Sciences, Training Techniques and those of Innovation. The main scientific objectives are the understanding of the effects of the environment, and more particularly of situations instrumented by technical objects (platforms, prototyping workshops, immersive systems...) on learning, creativity and innovation processes.

-         Team 2 "Engineering and Digital Tools" mainly concerns Digital Sciences and Engineering. The main scientific objectives focus on modeling, simulation, optimization and data analysis of cyber physical systems. Research work also focuses on decision support tools and on the study of human-system interactions, in particular, through digital twins coupled with virtual or augmented environments.

These two teams develop and cross their research in application areas such as

-         Industry 5.0,

-         Construction 4.0 and Sustainable City,

-         Digital Services.

Areas supported by research platforms, mainly that in Rouen dedicated to Factory 5.0 and those in Nanterre dedicated to Factory 5.0 and Construction 4.0. 

Desired profile

Required Skills

Scientific and technical skills: Python, C#, Unity 

Soft skills:

·        Autonomy, initiative, curiosity

·        Teamwork ability and good interpersonal skills

·        Rigorousness

Work program

03/03/25 – 13/04/25 : Bibliography

31/03/25 – 27/04/25 : Creating the digital twin of a 3D printer

28/04/25 – 25/05/25 : Integration of the digital twin with existing tools

26/05/25 – 13/07/25 : Creation and evaluation of a mixed reality interface for the 3D printer

14/07/25 – 31/08/25 : Writing a scientific publication

Expected scientific/technical production 

·        Creating the digital twin of a 3D printer

·        Integration of the digital twin with existing tools

·        Creation of a mixed reality interface for the 3D printer

·        Writing a scientific publication

Organisation

Funding: VLF4EU project

Location: Montpellier

Starting date: 1st March

Duration: 6 Months

Supervisor(s):

Noblecourt Sylvain, Lecturer

Baudry David, Research Director CESI

Bibliography:

Coupry, C., Richard, P., Bigaud, D., Noblecourt, S., Baudry, D., 2023. The Value of Extended Reality

Techniques to Improve Remote Collaborative Maintenance Operations: A User Study.

Presented at the CONVR2023 - 23rd International Conference on Construction Applications of Virtual Reality “MANAGING THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,” p. 23. https://doi.org/10.36253/979-12-215-0289-3.03

Guo, J., Leng, J., Zhao, J.L., Zhou, X., Yuan, Y., Lu, Y., Mourtzis, D., Qi, Q., Huang, S., Song, X., Liu, Q., Wang, L., 2024. Industrial metaverse towards Industry 5.0: Connotation, architecture, enablers, and challenges. J. Manuf. Syst. 76, 25–42.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmsy.2024.07.007

Havard, V., Courallet, A., Baudry, D., Delalin, H., 2023. Digital Twin, Virtual Reality and OPCUA-based architecture for pedagogical scenarios in Manufacturing and Computer Sciences curriculum.

Presented at the 13th Conference on Learning Factories, Reutlingen, Germany. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4457032

Maddikunta, P.K.R., Pham, Q.-V., B, P., Deepa, N., Dev, K., Gadekallu, T.R., Ruby, R., Liyanage, M., 2022. Industry 5.0: A survey on enabling technologies and potential applications. J. Ind. Inf. Integr. 26, 100257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jii.2021.100257

Richard, K., Havard, V., His, J., Baudry, D., 2021. INTERVALES: INTERactive Virtual and Augmented framework for industriaL Environment and Scenarios. Adv. Eng. Inform. 50, 101425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2021.101425