Meet our Partners

The NRPCES project brings together partners from Sweden, Belgium, and Portugal, combinig industry knowledge with academic research.

Damill AB

Swedish engineering firm specializing in measurement and diagnostics for sectors like railways and mining, provides condition monitoring and predictive maintenance to reduce carbon footprint and costs, while participating to integrate sustainability and environmental impact assessment into its methods.

about

A Swedish engineering company that specialized in measurement techniques & machine diagnostics. The company develops and produces systems and services for branches such as railway, hydropower, and mining industries. Typical applications are condition monitoring, railway weighbridges, and sensor applications based on machine vision technology.

tasks

Damill is able to assess the railway asset using condition monitoring and a predictive maintenance scheme for the reduction of the carbon footprint and cost reduction at the same time.

importance

Damill is participating to gain insights on how to implement sustainability and environmental impact assessment in their current methods.

Luleå University of Technology (LTU)

LTU is a strategic center of excellence for the infrastructure sector, offering dedicated training in operation and maintenance engineering. It contributes to the project bringing its expertise in LCC, RAMS, predictive analytics, and maintenance strategies.

about

One of the few Universities in the world that currently offer training and research in operation and maintenance engineering. As a strategic centre of excellence for the infrastructure sector, LTU conducts research and development with a focus on streamlining operations and maintenance of railways, mining, paper mill, construction and process industries (vehicle production and vehicle part manufacturer). The university has extensive experience leading national and EU projects and provides a platform for effective interdisciplinary collaborations between universities, businesses, companies, and authorities. In this project, LTU acts as a knowledge provider, bringing expertise in lifecycle cost modelling (LCC), RAMS, predictive analytics, programming, business models, and reliability and maintenance engineering.

tasks

LTU will use the research findings and project outcomes in different scenarios, mostly education and research. In education, the bachelor, master, and doctoral programs in maintenance engineering of LTU will be positively fed by the fresh, up- to-date knowledge on infrastructure and production system maintenance. In research, LTU will apply NRPCES outcomes in other linear assets, such as cables, roads, oil pipes, in terms of implemented technologies and methodologies. Additionally, LTU will actively disseminate and promote the project results through various channels, including organizing workshops, publishing in journals and conferences, supervising master’s and doctoral theses, and hosting summer schools.

importance

Once the project is executed and its knowledge disseminated to participating industry partners, their competitiveness, capacity, product quality, and environmental performance will be strengthened.

Mälardalen University (MDU)

MDU contributes to NRPCES with expertise in data analysis, predictive analytics, and decision-support systems, and developing tools for automated machinery lifetime prediction based on sustainability parameters.

about

As one of the best-known universities in Sweden for industry-relevant research, MDU has a track record in successfully completing several ITEA projects, including ATAC, TIMMO-2-USE, ASSUME and TESTOMAT. In the NRPCES project, MDU plays a key role as a knowledge provider, offering advanced expertise in multivariate data analysis, data mining, predictive analytics and decision-support system design. Furthermore, MDU focuses on research and tool development aimed at enabling automated prediction and estimation of machinery lifetimes based on sustainability parameters.

tasks

MDU brings value through knowledge creation related to KPIs for monitoring and environmental impact assessment. Also, MDU provides expertise on factors influencing the optimal replacement time of machinery, as well as on emission and life cycle cost computations.

importance

NRPCES represents a natural extension to MDU’s portfolio of industrially relevant research, supporting close co-production with the industry. MDU plans to extend the knowledge gained in the project to design an automated solution capable of estimating and predicting machinery and component lifetime with accuracy, while incorporating essential sustainability factors.

Predge AB

Predge provides an advanced decision support service for the operation and maintenance of rolling stock and rail infrastructure. By combining domain knowledge, first principles, and AI, it forecasts asset failures, estimates remaining useful life, and delivers actionable insights.

about

Predge delivers a sophisticated decision support service for operation and maintenance of both rolling stock and rail infrastructure. By utilizing existing data sources, it forecasts asset failures, quantifies remaining useful life, and provides actionable insights. Their unique approach combines domain knowledge, first principles, and AI to generate these insights. Data sources include condition data from wayside monitoring equipment such as wheel impact loads, acoustics, hot box, hot wheel, and wheel profile data. The solution utilizes various other data sources from the customer relating to operation and maintenance for a more holistic view on the asset degradation. It can also include assessments and inspection data by maintenance personnel.

tasks

Predge is able to optimize refurbishment and replacement of asset analysis using condition monitoring and predictive maintenance scheme with reduction of the carbon footprint and a cost reduction at the same time.

importance

Predge will participate to gain insights on how to implement LCC and environmental impact assessment in their current methods.

Trafikverket

Trafikverket, Sweden’s transport authority for infrastructure development, will provide use cases in NRPCES focused on equipment replacement strategies in road and rail sectors.

about

The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) is responsible for infrastructure development of roads, railways, maritime, and air transport. Specifically, it is responsible for long-term planning of the transport system for all types of traffic as well as for the construction, operation and maintenance of state roads and railways.

tasks

Trafikverket is a public authority and a large public procurer of construction, operation and maintenance and components for infrastructure. For railway infrastructure, great demands are placed on operational compatibility and traffic safety, which means that Trafikverket has a special unit “Material Service” which is responsible for the purchase of railway-specific material. Material Service is also responsible for the production of long rails and the reuse of worn exchanged rails. In NRPCES, Trafikverket will serve as a use case provider, focusing on equipment replacement strategies within the road and railway sectors.

importance

Trafikverket strives to procure all its operations so that LCC is reduced, logistics and production are optimized and that the components that are procured have been manufactured so that they minimize climate impact. NRCPES enables the Swedish Transport Administration to set requirements for suppliers and tools to evaluate and validate the best solution.

Sirris

Sirris is a Belgian collective research centre, representing over 2,500 tech companies across various sectors. Its mission is to enhance competitiveness through technology and innovation, with a team of 140 experts in AI, software, mechatronics, materials, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.

about

A Belgian private collective research centre founded in 1949 by Agoria, the multi- sector federation for the Belgian technology industry. It has about 2.500-member companies, which range from small and medium- sized businesses to multinational companies (> 95% SMEs), active in 13 technological sectors. Sirris’ mission is to improve the competitiveness of its member companies through technology and innovation. It has currently about 140 employees in several domains of expertise: artificial intelligence, software engineering, mechatronics, materials, sustainability, advanced manufacturing. The team of in-house experts focuses on knowledge acquisition (fundamental and applied research) and knowledge transfer (industrial projects).

tasks

Sirris is mainly involved in task related to data acquisition and data modelling. In the project, it will add knowledge on exploring influential factors on lifecycle cost drivers and strategies to reduce the carbon footprint. Sirris will further provide knowledge in precision manufacturing, supporting decisions on refurbishment and replacement time. On top, it will perform research on platform architecture and secure platform design.

importance

Carbon footprint estimation is becoming increasingly critical for manufacturing companies, especially given Fit for 55 and the European Green Deal. Through this project, Sirris positions itself as a forerunner in both the Belgian and European landscapes, enabling the transfer of valuable knowledge to the broader manufacturing industry.

Dosta Tec

Dosta Tec is a Portugal-based sustainability consulting company offering LCA and simulation services. The company is also developing tools and a platform to assess renovation impacts in the furniture industry.

about

Dosta Tec is consulting company in the field of sustainability based in Portugal. It provides LCA and simulation services, aligning its recommendations with existing legislation. The company follows a holistic approach on Life Cycle Assessment, balancing upfront and operational costs that impacts environmental impact of materials. Dosta Tec has been also developing a set of tools and a platform that evaluates the impact of renovation processes in the furniture industry.

tasks

In NRPCES, Dosta Tec is contributing as LCA expert, to ensure that impact categories selected for the project aligns with the actual impact of the industry and its processes, and on the development of a platform that integrates data gathered by other partners.

importance

Dosta Tec is a Portuguese SME with experience in both LCA and digital products development, this allows the team to focus on the most important elements of the project, hierarchise priorities and apply agile methods efficiently.

Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto (FEUP)

FEUP is a leading research hub with strong industry ties, especially in infrastructure. It has coordinated multiple EU-funded projects and supports innovation in northern Portugal. In this project, FEUP provides expertise in data-driven methods for improving efficiency and sustainability.

about

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto (FEUP) is the largest faculty within the University of Porto, playing a key role in advancing research, innovation, and development. Under Horizon Europe (2021-2027), FEUP is actively involved in 17 funded projects and leads 5 as coordinator. FEUP is also helping to turn the northern region of Portugal into a centre for innovation. FEUP maintains strong partnerships with industry, particularly in the infrastructure sector, engaging in research and development with a focus on asset inspection and predictive maintenance of railway assets, including tracks, bridges, tunnels, and construction. The faculty fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, businesses, and industry. In this project, FEUP provides expert knowledge in data-driven methodologies aimed at improving operational efficiency and promoting environmental sustainability.

tasks

FEUP plays a leading role in upgrading a freight railway line for passenger use, addressing complex urban constraints related to geometry, social, economic, and environmental factors. Through advanced Artificial Intelligence techniques, FEUP focuses on predictive analytics and data-driven methodologies to enhance railway infrastructure management. Key contributions include selecting KPIs for operational and environmental impact assessment, developing predictive maintenance strategies, and estimating the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of railway assets. Additionally, FEUP conducts sustainability impact analyses, including emission cost evaluation and life cycle assessments, to ensure environmentally and economically sustainable railway operations. By identifying innovative inspection and monitoring techniques, FEUP enhances maintenance processes for urban railways, ensuring efficiency and longevity. Furthermore, FEUP applies cutting-edge tools to assess the economic replacement time and CO₂ footprint, contributing to sustainable urban railway redesign and maintenance strategies.

importance

This project enables FEUP to showcase its expertise in advanced railway engineering, data-driven methodologies, and sustainability. Focusing on redesigning a railway line in the Porto Metropolitan Area, FEUP strengthens its leadership in transportation research, particularly in optimizing operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, and reducing environmental impact. The project also reinforces FEUP's role in tackling real-world challenges, providing valuable insights into urban infrastructure development, while fostering collaboration with industry partners. The strategic importance of the project lies in FEUP’s commitment to advancing academic projects and dissertation work across bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering, with a focus on consolidating and enhancing skills developed during the project.

Polytechnic of Porto – School of Engineering (ISEP)

ISEP is a top engineering school in Porto with over 6,500 students and multiple accreditations. It launched Portugal’s first AI doctoral program in 2024 and hosts 11 research groups, including four national centers. Recent projects include AI-driven asset maintenance, robotic construction, precision surveys, and railway defect detection.

about

The Polytechnic of Porto – School of Engineering (ISEP), founded in 1852, has been pioneering in education and research in Engineering. ISEP offers a wide range of programmes in different fields of Engineering with several A3ES and EUR-ACE accreditation. With more than 6500 students the school is also a trademark of Porto. In 2024, ISEP has seen the approval of the fist doctoral plan on AI and Intelligent Systems in Portugal. ISEP hosts 11 research groups, 4 of which are recognized as top national research centres by the FCT. The Department of Civil Engineering of ISEP has a long tradition on initiatives related to the digitalization in construction, hosting the research group iBuilt - Center of Innovation in Digital Construction, encouraging initiatives which promotes the use of BIM on the academic and professional communities, or 3 post-graduation courses on Digital Construction, BIM Coordination and Modular Construction.

tasks

ISEP brings to the consortium knowledge and experience in digital solutions, including BIM, Common Data Environment and dashboards. Also, ISEP experience on sustainable railway infrastructures will support the development of a use-case for redesigning a railway line on urban environment. ISEP’s role in this use case includes: defining monitoring system architecture, data collection, communication, and storage strategies; establishing a Common Data Environment on a dedicated commercial platform; developing BIM maintenance strategies data integration from monitoring systems, simulations, simulation and predictive maintenance KPIs; development of dashboards with real-time BIM interoperability, embedding BIM views, and data with the BIM models to update the current condition state of the asset.

importance

For ISEP the project provide several benefits: update the curricula of the existing high-education courses with the incorporation of contents related to digital technologies and methodologies, sustainability and life cycle, applied to different types of civil engineering assets; promote project works and dissertations framed on the development of the NRPCES digital platform for railway assets; create new training courses related to sustainable digital solutions, particularly on the digital platform developed under NRPCES project; facilitate the knowledge transfer to companies with specialized consulting activities on digital construction through the Center of Construction Studies (NEC-ISEP) and iBuilt - Center of Innovation in Digital Construction; strengthen the global positioning of ISEP as a national and international reference in digital construction, focusing on the development of sustainable digital solutions.

Workpackages