The REINFORCE project (Automatic detection and correction of industrial design flaws – Towards fail-safe industries), a collaboration between its coordinator Tampere University, the University of Helsinki and the University of Jyväskylä, is developing a new type of computer-aided design platform that automates complex tasks, detects flaws early on and generates innovative solutions to address them. According to it developers, it will improve the safety and performance of industrial systems.
‘We integrate formal industrial design methods with generative AI and neuro-symbolic reasoning into a system capable of both exploring novel designs and verifying their processes and outcomes. This formal foundation is essential for advancing next-generation AI-driven design and enabling explainable automation in the design workflow. The project targets a significant breakthrough in industrial design,’ said Professor Sasu Tarkoma, dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Helsinki.
The initial research findings and analyses indicate a breakthrough potential, with industrial process performance improvements exceeding 40 per cent. Preliminary estimates suggest that in Finland, a 20 per cent increase in manufacturing and factory performance could boost the value of annual output by about €7billion.
Together, the partners are establishing an international community for researchers and industrial operators. Also involved are other academic and industrial collaborators. Several European universities and companies have already expressed interest in the project.