RESEARCH NEWS
AI-based software for intelligent robots
Athenyx Robotics, a technology company founded by former employees of the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL at RWTH Aachen University, is working on AI-based software for intelligent robot systems as part of a direct cooperative initiative with the BMW Group. Together with the specialists at the Landshut site, the company is developing technological foundations for the use of humanoid robotics in industrial component production.
This development is embedded in a strong Aachen robotics ecosystem, where the WZL has been conducting industry-oriented research on the central technologies of
AI-supported robotics for many years. The founders of AthenyxRobotics have been involved in research and industrial projects in these fields at the WZL in RWTH Aachen University( Germany) for many years.
Image: © BMW AG.
In direct cooperation with the BMW Group, Athenyx Robotics is contributing its product and technology development for a modular intelligence stack. This combines perception, learning, simulation and decision-making and is intended to enable robot systems to sense their environment, evaluate situations and derive appropriate actions. The platform-based approach aims to make developed capabilities usable across different robot systems and industrial fields of application in the future. n
www. wzl. rwth-aachen. de
Modular digital simulation in aerospace
To support the design and manufacture of low environmental-impact commercial aircraft, AMRC and WMG have developed and demonstrated a simulation-driven approach to optimise internal logistics. They have developed and tested innovative methods and digital capabilities that can rapidly simulate and optimise complex internal logistics. The project aims to move away from fragmented, time-consuming one-off modelling approaches towards a standardised, repeatable system that identifies operational bottlenecks before physical implementation.
A major barrier to industrial transformation for new aircraft designs is the complexity of intralogistics( the internal movement of materials, assemblies and components across a production site). Traditional modelling methods are often too slow to keep pace with rapid design cycles and are difficult to reuse across different projects. Strengthening these processes is essential
Two engineers review a digital dashboard.
for existing and future high-efficiency aircraft families, requiring manufacturers to bridge the gap between process knowledge and digital technology adoption.
As part of the‘ Out of Cycle Next- Generation Highly Efficient Air Transport( ONEheart)’ programme funded by the UK’ s Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, this specific work package was developed collaboratively by the University of Sheffield AMRC, Airbus and Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick. The broader ONEheart consortium also brings together key academic partners including the Universities of Bristol, Cranfield, Greenwich, Surrey and Southampton in the UK. A key innovation of the project was the development of a library of common modular‘ build bricks’ for both models and data.
“ The project successfully established a transferable methodology for analysing complex internal logistics systems, supporting efficient operational planning,” confirmed the AMRC.
The work was validated through representative case studies at Airbus, where it was used to explore internal logistics for existing and future wing designs. This provides a digital capability to improve understanding of current operations and evaluate potential improvement scenarios for next-generation aircraft programmes. n
www. amrc. co. uk
Critical materials from recycled aluminium
Coventry University in the UK is helping an award-winning aluminium foundry explore how recycled aluminium can be processed into very high-grade materials essential to UK industry. As part of the Clean Futures Programme, Coventry University has teamed up with West- Midlands-based Alucast to see how some end-of-life aluminium could be sourced and processed to meet this very high grade.
Much end-of-life aluminium is too contaminated to reach the purity required by certain UK industries but, through studying the lifecycle of the material and the way it is processed after use, researchers at the university’ s Institute for Advanced
Manufacturing and Engineering( AME) have identified opportunities where it can be sourced and re-processed to the grade required. The Institute is helping Alucast to reduce carbon emissions, lower costs and preserve the planet’ s resources.
“ Exploring the use of direct sources of recycled aluminium to generate a pathway to utilising the recycle material in Alucast’ s production has the triple benefit of onshoring the supply chain of critical material production, developing viable alternative material feedstocks with lower price points and reducing embodied emissions by circumnavigating the incredibly energyintensive aluminium ore reduction step of primary aluminium manufacturing,” said Professor Marcos Kauffman, director of Coventry University’ s Institute for AME.
John Swift, Director, Alucast, added:“ With assistance from Coventry University, Alucast was able to source a different type of end-of-life aluminium scrap. After sorting and alloying up, we were able to achieve equivalent mechanical properties as primary grade aluminium in test bars and automotive production castings.” n
www. coventry. ac. uk / ame /
18 | ismr. net | ISMR September 2026