Advanced digitalization for the manufacturing SMEs DINO

Across Europe, more than 80% of SMEs do not take advantage of digitalization. In Finland, the level of digitalization among manufacturing companies is relatively high when measured by indicators such as the existence of company websites. However, in areas such as the adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence, Finland is falling behind its peer countries. The trend is declining, while competing countries continue to advance. More than 40% of SMEs in the manufacturing sector do not utilize digitalization at all.

The DINO (Digitalization as a Driver for the Adoption of Advanced Technologies) project aims to increase the level of digitalization among SMEs in the metal manufacturing industry. The project is coordinated by Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), while Tampere University (TAU) participates in all project activities.

The project's key innovation is the development of a data-driven, highly intelligent “Connected Factories” environment in Tampere designed to meet the needs of SMEs. The connected factory established through the DINO project is targeted primarily at the metal industry. The DINO factory is unique in its ability to model new forms of subcontracting network integration for SMEs through the use of intelligent machines. The infrastructure developed within the project, including advanced laser processing and mobile robotics technologies, will demonstrate novel manufacturing methods and emerging automation trends in the metalworking industry.

No comparable collaboration has previously been implemented in Finland. Laser technology and mobile robotics have been selected because they demonstrate manufacturing processes that are:

Optimized
Intelligent
Energy- and material-efficient

Through these technologies, the project showcases the future of smart, sustainable, and resource-efficient manufacturing for SMEs in the metal industry.

At the core of the project is the Connected Factories concept, which in its simplest form refers to collecting data from manufacturing equipment through sensors and enabling the seamless sharing of that data between machines. In modern manufacturing, a single product is often produced across multiple locations, either within the same company or by several companies. In this context, Connected Factories also refers to the exchange of data between factories.

A Connected Factory, or a network of Connected Factories, forms the foundation for advanced applications such as digital twins of production processes and factory operations. By enabling real-time data sharing and integration, it supports the development of more flexible, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing systems.

The project is expected to generate significant regional impacts. Data sharing will become a key competitive factor in the future of manufacturing industries. Through the project, SME representatives will gain access to comprehensive demonstrations and technical reports on data sharing and the implementation of Connected Factories concepts and practices.

The project will help manufacturing SMEs better understand and adopt data-driven production models, enabling them to improve competitiveness, productivity, and readiness for future industrial digitalization and smart manufacturing developments.

Co-funded by the European Union

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