ROSIN · Project

Open-Source Industrial Robot Software Made Reliable Enough for Factory Floors

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Imagine you want to program your factory robots the same way you use Android on your phone — with a huge library of ready-made apps, all free. That's what ROS-Industrial is: an open-source operating system for robots. The problem was that manufacturers didn't trust the software quality enough to bet their production lines on it. ROSIN built the automated testing and quality checks that make these robot software components trustworthy for real industrial use, and funded 50% of its budget to get European companies actually building and using these components.

By the numbers

50%

of project budget allocated to industrial Focused Technical Projects

consortium partners

European countries in consortium

total project deliverables

industrial partners in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturers want to use robots more flexibly and affordably, but proprietary robot software is expensive, locks you into one vendor, and makes it hard to customize. Open-source alternatives like ROS exist but lacked the industrial-grade quality assurance that factory managers need before trusting their production lines to it. This chicken-and-egg problem — industry won't invest without proven quality, quality won't improve without industry investment — kept European manufacturers stuck with costly proprietary solutions.

The solution

What was built

ROSIN built automated testing and static analysis tools for validating robot software quality, including model-in-the-loop continuous integration testing with ABB robots. They also created open online training courses (MOOCs) and certification programmes, and funded Focused Technical Projects where European companies developed new ROS-Industrial components with 50% of the project budget.

Audience

Who needs this

Manufacturing companies paying high license fees for proprietary robot softwareSystem integrators building custom robot solutions for multiple clientsSMEs automating for the first time who need affordable robot programming toolsCompanies running mixed-vendor robot fleets that need interoperabilityTechnical training providers looking for industrial robotics curriculum

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Car parts manufacturers or assembly line operators using industrial robots

If you are an automotive manufacturer dealing with expensive proprietary robot software licenses and vendor lock-in — this project developed quality-assured open-source robot software components with automated testing infrastructure, validated with ABB robots. This means you can deploy reliable robot programs without paying per-robot license fees, using the same ROS-Industrial tools adopted across 5 European countries.

Logistics and Warehousing

mid-size

Target: Warehouse operators automating pick-and-place or sorting with robotic arms

If you are a logistics company struggling to integrate robots from different vendors into one system — ROSIN built an open-source middleware layer with continuous integration testing that lets different robot brands work together. The project's 19 deliverables include validated testing tools that catch software bugs before they stop your warehouse line.

Food and Beverage Processing

SME

Target: Food packaging companies adopting their first robotic systems

If you are a food processing company looking to automate packaging but worried about software reliability — ROSIN created quality assurance tools including model-in-the-loop testing validated on industrial robots. The project also produced open online training courses (MOOCs) so your engineers can learn robot programming without expensive vendor certifications.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this cost compared to proprietary robot software?

ROS-Industrial is open-source and free to use. ROSIN's quality assurance tools and testing infrastructure are also openly available. Your costs would be integration and engineering time rather than license fees. The project even created free MOOCs for training your team.

Can this work at industrial scale on a real production line?

Yes. The project objective states that 'ample industrial installations are already operational' using ROS-Industrial. ROSIN specifically addressed industrial-grade quality by building automated testing and continuous integration validated with ABB robots. The consortium included 2 industrial partners across 5 countries.

What about IP and licensing — can I use this commercially?

ROS-Industrial is open-source software. ROSIN's deliverables — including testing tools, static analysis infrastructure, and training materials — were developed as open-source components. You can use them commercially without licensing fees, though you should verify the specific open-source license terms (typically BSD/Apache for ROS).

How do I get my engineering team up to speed?

ROSIN developed open online courses (MOOCs) published on relevant platforms, plus ROS-Industrial School and Academy programmes. These include basic training and specialized advanced certifications, all open for any EU party.

Will this integrate with the robots I already have?

ROS-Industrial is designed as middleware that supports multiple robot brands. The project specifically demonstrated model-in-the-loop continuous integration testing with ABB robots. The 7-partner consortium across 5 countries worked to ensure broad compatibility.

Is the software still maintained now that the project ended in 2020?

ROSIN was designed to reach critical mass for 'self-propelled growth.' The project created a revolving fund mechanism where industry funds future ROS-Industrial developments after successful delivery. The worldwide ROS community and European ROS-Industrial consortium (led by TU Delft and Fraunhofer) continue active development.

Consortium

Who built it

The ROSIN consortium brings together 7 partners from 5 countries (Germany, Denmark, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden), combining 3 universities, 2 research organizations, and 2 industrial partners. Led by TU Delft — one of Europe's top technical universities and co-leader of the European ROS-Industrial initiative — the consortium includes Fraunhofer (Germany's largest applied research organization) and ABB robot integration. The 29% industry ratio is modest, but the project compensated by dedicating 50% of its budget to external industrial Focused Technical Projects, effectively turning European manufacturers into active development partners rather than passive end-users.

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTCoordinator · NL
ABB ABparticipant · SE
HITACHI ENERGY SWEDEN ABparticipant · SE
IT-UNIVERSITETET I KOBENHAVNparticipant · DK
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
FACHHOCHSCHULE AACHENparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

TU Delft, Netherlands — reach out through SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the ROS-Industrial Europe team

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how open-source robot software can cut your automation costs? SciTransfer can connect you with the ROSIN team and help assess fit for your production environment.

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