Europe is still lacking an efficient systemic multi-level approach that enables a recursive, cost-effective, holistic and integrated application of circular principles to the digital uplifting of factory 4.0 capital investments; addressing issues at product, process, system as well as the entire value-chain levels, integrating best practices from emerging enabling digital technologies and avoid a two speed digital transformation across industries in different sectors. LEVEL-UP will offer a scalable platform covering the overall lifecycle, ranging from the digital twins setup, modernisation actions to diagnose and predict the operation of physical assets, to the refurbishment and remanufacturing activities towards end of life. In-situ repair technologies and the redesign for new upgraded components will be facilitated through virtual simulations for increased performance and lifetime. LEVEL-UP will therefore comprise new hardware and software components interfaced with the current facilities through IoT and data-management platforms, while being orchestrated through eight (8) scalable strategies at component, work-station and shopfloor level. The actions for modernising, upgrading, refurbishing, remanufacturing, and recycling will be structured and formalised into ten (10) special Protocols, linked with an Industrial Digital Thread weaving a seamless digital integration with all actors in the value chain for improved future iterations. LEVEL-UP will be demonstrated in 7 demo sites from different sectors. The impact of LEVEL-UP to the European manufacturing industry, but also the society itself, can be sum-marised in the following (with a horizon of 4 years after project ends): (i) increase of the material and re-source efficiency by 11.5%, (ii) increased reliability by 16% of the equipment in an extended lifetime by 20%, (iii) over 50% increase of the Return on Investment (ROI), (iv) about 810 new jobs created and (v) over 80M EUR ROI for the consortium.

The RUN2RAIL project will explore an ensemble of technical developments for future running gear, looking into ways to design trains that are more reliable, lighter, less damaging to the track, more comfortable and less noisy. These innovations will be proposed in the form of case studies supported by the methods and tools elaborated in the project. The project develops across four thematic Work Streams: Innovative sensors & condition monitoring, Optimised materials & manufacturing technologies, Active suspensions & mechatronics, Noise & Vibration. In these four areas, the project will provide a coordinated set of technical key contributions including (but not limited to): - smart sensors and smart running gear components with self-diagnosing capability; - use of novel materials and manufacturing methods in combination with intelligent / active suspensions to enable non- conventional running gear concepts; - identification of efficient fabrication processes for the running gear (3D metal printing, automated tape layering of composite materials); - assessment of existing off-the-shelf technology for active control coming from other sectors; development of a novel and comprehensive methodology for predicting the transmission of noise and vibration from the running gear to the carbody. Within the four workstreams, the project will also perform a preliminary evaluation of the related regulatory and standardisation issues, together with a careful assessment of the impacts of the new solutions proposed. The research conducted will be multidisciplinary, i.e. based on the integration of different branches of engineering such as mechanical, materials, electronic and electrical engineering, and will establish models and formal methods to explore a full set of technological developments, exploiting at best the matching mix of talent and diverse skills offered by the Consortium.

This proposal responds to the first Open Calls issued by the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, as part of Shift2Rail Horizon 2020 programme. It specifically addresses the topic S2R-OC-IP5-03-2015: Intelligent freight wagon with predictive maintenance. This topic is complementary with topic S2R-CFM-IP5-02-2015: Start-up activities for Freight Automation. The INNOWAG project will work towards increasing rail freight competitiveness and the development of the next generation of lightweight and intelligent freight wagons by addressing specific challenges in the three essential areas, identified by the call, through three subsequent work streams, namely: - Work Stream 1 (WS1): Cargo condition monitoring; - Work Stream 2 (WS2): Wagon design; and - Work Stream 3 (WS3): Predictive maintenance. Moreover, INNOWAG will consider the compatibility between the solutions proposed and researched in the three areas, as well as their integration into a novel concept of wagon. The aim of the proposed INNOWAG project is to develop intelligent cargo monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions integrated on a novel concept of lightweight wagon, which would respond to major challenges in rail freight competitiveness, in relation to the increase of trans The INNOWAG project will determine how to effectively integrate innovative technologies for cargo condition monitoring into a novel high performance lightweight freight wagon, supported by effective health monitoring technologies, and predictive maintenance models for sustainable and attractive European rail freight. The development of novel technology concepts and predictive maintenance models and procedures will be separately addresses by the INNOWAG work streams. The concept underpinning the INNOWAG project relies on the actual needs of rail freight for increasing its competitiveness and attractiveness. The INNOWAG project therefore aims at developing a rail freight service that fits the needs of modern manufacturing and supply chain.