ACROBA · Project

Plug-and-Produce Robotic Platform That Adapts to Any Manufacturing Line

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

Imagine if you could rearrange your factory robots as easily as plugging in USB devices — add one here, move one there, and they just work together. That's what ACROBA built: a modular robotic platform where smart robot modules can be plugged into any production line and automatically figure out what to do. The robots use AI to adapt on their own when products or processes change, so factories don't need weeks of reprogramming every time they switch what they're making. It was tested across 5 real factory floors and 12 hands-on hackathons to prove it works outside the lab.

By the numbers

Industrial large-scale real pilots completed

Dedicated hackathons for technology transfer

On-site labs for technology transfer experiments

Consortium partners

Countries represented in the consortium

Total project deliverables

50%

Industry partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturers today lose days or weeks reprogramming robots every time they switch products or adjust production runs. This is especially painful for SMEs that handle small batches and frequent changeovers — traditional industrial robots are rigid, expensive to reconfigure, and require specialized programmers for every adjustment. The result: missed delivery windows, high integration costs, and an inability to offer the mass customization that customers increasingly demand.

The solution

What was built

ACROBA built a modular, AI-driven robotic platform using plug-and-produce principles based on the COPRA-AP reference architecture. Concrete outputs include validated robotic cells for fully automated and collaborative assembly (demonstrated in video during validation testing), a decentralized ROS node-based control structure, and cognitive AI modules for self-adaptation — all tested across 5 industrial pilots, 12 hackathons, and 2 on-site technology transfer labs, totaling 30 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive component manufacturers running mixed-model assembly linesContract electronics manufacturers handling mass customizationPackaging companies with frequent product changeoversIndustrial SMEs looking to automate without million-euro fixed robotics investmentsSystem integrators selling robotic solutions to mid-size factories

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive Parts Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Mid-size automotive component manufacturers running mixed-model production lines

If you are an automotive parts manufacturer dealing with frequent product changeovers and costly reprogramming of robots every time a new model comes in — this project developed a plug-and-produce robotic platform that self-adapts to different production tasks. It was validated in 5 industrial large-scale real pilots and uses AI-based cognitive modules so robots reconfigure themselves instead of needing manual reprogramming.

Consumer Electronics Assembly

SME

Target: Electronics contract manufacturers handling short-run and customized product assembly

If you are a contract electronics manufacturer struggling with mass customization — assembling dozens of product variants on the same line — this project built a modular robotic system designed specifically for agile production. The platform's decentralized architecture lets you add or remove robotic modules without overhauling the whole line, and it was tested through 12 dedicated hackathons proving adaptability across different setups.

Packaging and Consumer Goods

SME

Target: Packaging companies needing flexible robotic cells for seasonal or promotional product runs

If you are a packaging company that loses production time switching between seasonal formats and promotional editions — this project created robotic cells with collaborative assembly skills demonstrated in validation testing. The COPRA-AP reference architecture means the system is designed to be cost-effective even for smaller runs, specifically targeting industrial SMEs that cannot afford fixed-purpose automation.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to integrate this robotic platform into our existing production line?

The project was specifically designed as a cost-effective solution for industrial SMEs, using modular plug-and-produce architecture to reduce integration expenses. Exact pricing depends on the deployment scale, but the modular approach means you can start with a single robotic cell and expand incrementally rather than a full-line overhaul.

Can this scale to handle our full production volume?

The platform was validated through 5 industrial large-scale real pilots across different manufacturing scenarios. Its scalable architecture based on decentralized ROS nodes allows adding more robotic modules as production demands grow, and the 18-partner consortium included 9 industry players who tested it under real conditions.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we license this technology?

The IP is shared among 18 consortium partners across 9 countries, coordinated by Berner Fachhochschule in Switzerland. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium. SciTransfer can help identify the right contact for licensing discussions.

How long would it take to deploy this on our factory floor?

The platform's plug-and-produce design is built for fast deployment — that's the core selling point. The project ran from 2021 to 2024 and produced 30 deliverables including validated demonstration videos of both fully automated and collaborative assembly cells.

Does this work with our existing robots and factory systems?

The platform uses a decentralized ROS-based (Robot Operating System) node structure specifically designed for modularity and interoperability with cyber-physical systems. The COPRA-AP reference architecture provides a standardized way to connect different robotic systems, though compatibility with your specific equipment would need technical assessment.

Is this still just a research project or actually ready for industrial use?

This was an Innovation Action (not basic research) that completed in December 2024 with 5 large-scale industrial pilots and 2 on-site technology transfer labs. Demo deliverables include validation testing videos of both fully automated and collaborative assembly cells, indicating the technology has moved well beyond the lab.

What kind of ongoing support or training is available?

The project ran 12 dedicated hackathons and 2 ACROBA On-Site Labs specifically for technology transfer, suggesting a strong training and knowledge-sharing infrastructure. Based on available project data, continued support would depend on arrangements with the consortium partners.

Consortium

Who built it

The ACROBA consortium is unusually strong for business adoption: 18 partners from 9 countries with a 50% industry ratio (9 industrial partners), meaning half the team comes from companies that actually build and use this technology. The consortium includes 5 SMEs alongside 3 universities and 4 research organizations, coordinated by Berner Fachhochschule in Switzerland. This balanced mix of industrial implementers and academic innovators, combined with geographic spread across major European manufacturing hubs (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Finland), suggests the platform was designed with real factory constraints in mind rather than purely academic goals.

BERNER FACHHOCHSCHULECoordinator · CH
ICPE SAparticipant · RO
IRISH MANUFACTURING RESEARCH COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEEparticipant · IE
BIBA - BREMER INSTITUT FUER PRODUKTION UND LOGISTIK GMBHparticipant · DE
FUNDACION AITIIPparticipant · ES
FUNDACION CENTRO DE TECNOLOGIAS DE INTERACCION VISUAL Y COMUNICACIONES VICOMTECHparticipant · ES
IKOR TECHNOLOGY CENTER,S.L.thirdparty · ES
CLERMONT AUVERGNE INPparticipant · FR
IKOR SISTEMAS ELECTRONICOS SLparticipant · ES
MR. NEC BVparticipant · NL
UNIVERSIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE DEUSTO ENTIDAD RELIGIOSAparticipant · ES
POLE EMC2participant · FR
MOSES PRODUCTOS SLparticipant · ES
STAM SRLparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Berner Fachhochschule (Switzerland) — SciTransfer can help connect you with the right person on the coordination team.

Order a report on this consortium See BERNER FACHHOCHSCHULE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how ACROBA's modular robotic platform fits your production line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the consortium's technology transfer leads.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0