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About

About

António Almeida, 33, started his training in the Integrated Master in Electrical Engineering and Computers, in the Automation and Control branch, in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), having integrated the associated research laboratory of this faculty (INESC Porto) in 2010 under the doctoral program started in the meantime.

In his activity as a researcher and student of the PhD program in Industrial Engineering and Management, António dedicated his efforts to the study of new methods of performance management in complex industrial environments, having published more than a dozen papers in international journals with scientific arbitration and in national and international conferences. He actively participated in several national and European projects.


Between February 2015 and August 2016, António Almeida worked as Business Partner Analyst and Product Owner at SONAE, more specifically at BIT, for the Continente Online E-Commerce platform. During this time, he developed his skills in the retail area, more specifically in the logistics, procurement and digital marketing components. As Product Owner, António Almeida was an active element in the adoption and implementation of agile methodologies at SONAE. As of August 2016, António held the position of Principal Product Owner at Farfetch in the Supply Chain and Order Management areas. During this phase, António was responsible for managing the roadmap of agile development teams, with the main objective of providing Farfetch with an innovative supply chain management platform on a global scale, capable of adapting to the different logistics requirements imposed by boutiques and Brands, partners of this e-commerce platform.


António Almeida is currently Business Development Manager at INESC TEC, sharing coordination responsibility for TEC4INDUSTRY. The main goal of this unit is to promote consulting services and knowledge transfer services and digital technologies to industry, in order to promote digital transformation in Industry.

Details

Details

  • Name

    António Henrique Almeida
  • Role

    Centre Coordinator
  • Since

    10th February 2010
016
Publications

2024

Semantic Asset Administration Shell Towards a Cognitive Digital Twin

Authors
Moreno T.; Sobral T.; Almeida A.; Soares A.L.; Azevedo A.;

Publication
Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering

Abstract
Manufacturing industry is experiencing another revolution towards the digitalization of industrial processes. Different value chain actors must share specific and sensitive data according to business and data requirements. Digital architectures must ensure seamless and comprehensive communications between actors according to agreed-upon vocabularies. The digital representation of machines and other types of equipment, including crucial information about their static and dynamic operational data, is made possible by the ontological modelling of Asset Administration Shells (AAS), which is proposed in this paper as modular and semantically interoperable resources. These Cognitive Digital Twins are herein defined with de facto domain ontologies that model the semantics of the current operation, status and configurations of assets. This paper reports a proof-of-concept technical implementation that demonstrates an innovative digital architecture that connects and communicates active and modular Digital Twin of a machine in a bi-directional, connecting this asset to a digital manufacturing service provider.

2024

Application of Augmented Reality to Support Manufacturing Resilience

Authors
Ramalho F.R.; Moreno T.; Soares A.L.; Almeida A.H.; Oliveira M.;

Publication
Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering

Abstract
European industrial value chains and manufacturing companies have recently faced critical challenges imposed by disruptive events related to the pandemic and associated social/political problems. Many European manufacturing industries have already recognized the importance of digitalization to increase manufacturing systems’ autonomy and, consequently, become more resilient to adapt to new contexts and environments. Augmented reality (AR) is one of the emerging technologies associated with the European Industry 5.0 initiative, responsible for increasing human-machine interactions, promoting resilience through decision-making, and flexibility to deal with variability and unexpected events. However, the application and benefits of AR in increasing manufacturing resilience are still poorly perceived by academia and by European Manufacturing companies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the state of the art by relating the application of AR with current industrial processes towards manufacturing systems resilience. In order to cope with this objective, the industrial resilience and augmented human worker concepts are first presented. Then, through an exploratory study involving different manufacturing companies, a list of relevant disruptive events is compiled, as well as a proposal with specific ideas and functionalities on how AR can be applied to address them. In conclusion, this research work highlights the importance of AR in coping mainly with disruptive events related to Human Workforce Management and Market/Sales Management. The AR application ideas shared a common thread of availability and delivery of information to the worker at the right time, place, and format, acting on the standardization and flexibility of the work to support manufacturing resilience.

2024

Methodology for Implementing a Manufacturing Execution System in the Machinery and Equipment Industry

Authors
Costa, L; Almeida, A; Reis, L;

Publication
5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRY 4.0 AND SMART MANUFACTURING, ISM 2023

Abstract
In today's volatile, uncertain, and complex business environments, manufacturing companies must not only adapt to market demands but also minimize the time between problem occurrence and resolution. The implementation of lean manufacturing systems has been crucial in this regard. However, traditional approaches have shown notable inefficiencies that can be effectively addressed through digitalization. By embracing digital solutions, manufacturing companies can ensure efficient continuous improvement, driving performance to higher levels. This study aims to find a digital solution for a specific company that faces daily challenges associated with low visibility into production. An investigation revealed that the Lean tools used by the company were outdated, directly affecting the generated information and consequently, decision-making. The integration of a Manufacturing Execution System into the factory's dynamics was the solution found. In this context, a step-by-step methodology is proposed to guide the implementation. As a result, a prototype of the system was designed. The validation of the system by end-users demonstrates the success of the proposed methodology.

2024

Smart Factories - design and results of a new course in a MSc curriculum of engineering

Authors
Azevedo, A; Almeida, AH;

Publication
2024 IEEE GLOBAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION CONFERENCE, EDUCON 2024

Abstract
In the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, commonly known as Industry 4.0, the manufacturing industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the convergence of technological advancements. Industry 4.0 technologies are revolutionising how products are manufactured, from design to production to delivery. These technologies, such as collaborative robotics, digital twins, IoT, and data analytics, enable manufacturers to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality. As Industry 4.0 continues to evolve, the demand for skilled engineers who can effectively design, implement, and manage these sophisticated systems is growing rapidly. Future mechanical engineers must be prepared to navigate this complex and data-driven manufacturing landscape. To address this need, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto developed a new course titled Smart Factories, specifically designed to equip master's students with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the factories of the future. This course utilises an innovative, active experimental learning methodology with industry collaborations and a comprehensive curriculum to foster the development of the multidisciplinary skills necessary to excel in this rapidly evolving field. Through this comprehensive and innovative approach, the Smart Factories course aims to prepare future mechanical engineers to become leaders in smart manufacturing, driving innovation and shaping future factories.

2023

Scalable Digital Twins for industry 4.0 digital services: a dataspaces approach

Authors
Moreno, T; Almeida, A; Toscano, C; Ferreira, F; Azevedo, A;

Publication
PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURING RESEARCH-AN OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL

Abstract
The manufacturing industry faces a new revolution, grounded on the intense digitalization of assets and industrial processes and the increasing computation capabilities imposed by the new data-driven digital architectures. This reality has been promoting the Digital Twin concept and its importance in the industrial companies' business models. However, with these new opportunities, also new threads may rise, mainly related to industrial data protection and sovereignty. Therefore, this research paper will demonstrate the International Data Spaces reference model's application to overcome these limitations. Following a pilot study with a Portuguese machine producer/maintainer enterprise, this paper will demonstrate the development of a cutting and bending machine Digital Twin, leveraged on an International Data Spaces infrastructure for interoperability, for the plastic and metal industry and its importance to introduce this machine manufacturing company in a new business-to-business marketplace from the EU project Market 4.0.

Supervised
thesis

2023

Metodologia de implementação de um manufacturing execution system na indústria de máquinas e equipamentos

Author
LEONOR FILIPA PEREIRA COSTA

Institution
UP-FEUP

2023

Report on Cooperation with the Associated Higher Education Institutions

Author
Raziyeh Ghanbarifard

Institution
UP-FEUP

2022

Key Corporate Process-Quality

Author
FRANCISCO XAVIER PINTO CARDOSO

Institution
UP-FEUP

2022

Ferramenta de Maturidade Indústria 4.0: Aplicação em Ecossistemas Empresariais Regionais

Author
JOÃO PEDRO ALMEIDA PACHECO

Institution
UP-FEUP

2022

Desenvolvimento de uma plataforma IoT para a gestão eficiente do consumo de água

Author
RUI PEDRO MARQUES NUNES

Institution
UP-FEUP