SMF4INFRA seeks to transform the execution of complex infrastructure projects. Such projects necessitate a shift towards more dynamic and technologically integrated manufacturing processes, diverging from traditional methods prevalent in the supply chain. The enhancement of cost control, time efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions stand at the forefront of this transition. The primary aim of the ongoing research is to ideate and construct both a physical and a digital model of a Smart Mobile Factory (SMF). This factory model will incorporate cutting-edge logistics capable of real-time monitoring and analytics, which will facilitate advanced planning and on-the-spot production capabilities.
A smart factory creates a digital twin of the physical manufacturing systems, establishing a seamless bi-directional data exchange. This interconnectedness is pivotal for enabling comprehensive advanced planning, realistic simulation, and efficient on-demand production processes.
A mobile factory can be described as a distributed production facility composed of reconfigurable and mobile production systems that facilitate the adjustment of production capacity and functionality according to on-site conditions.
The development of the SMF will include a comprehensive, real-time life cycle assessment to ensure sustainability is woven into its core. This dynamic evaluation will track and optimize the environmental impact throughout the SMF's life cycle.
In the final webinar on Smart Mobile Factories for Infrastructure Projects (SMF4INFRA), the team shares how the research has moved from concept to implementation and what industry can take away from that journey. For practitioners in construction, this video offers practical insight into how mobile production, digital integration and sustainability analysis can be combined in real infrastructure settings.
The final SMF4INFRA Webinar will take place on Thursday, 29th of January from 10AM (CET) onwards.The Event will be hosted via Zoom, please join on time via this Link: https://zhaw.zoom.us/j/61997401271
On September 18-19, 2025, the SMF4INFRA team gathered for the final annual meeting of the project at TU Delft, Netherlands, to review progress and plan dissemination.
Prof. Patrick Dallasega presented the paper entitled “A conceptual assessment of Digital Twin potential through Discrete Event Simulation for Smart Mobile Factories in linear infrastructure construction projects” at the international conference Advanced Production Management System (APMS) in Japan. During the session, he showcased a glimpse of the Digital Twin prototype developed within the SMF4INFRA project, highlighting its potential to revolutionize infrastructure construction through smart, mobile, and data-driven solutions. Engaging discussions and valuable feedback from the international research community were recorded.
On July 14th, at the European Conference on Computing in Construction (EC3) held in Porto, Andrea Revolti presented the paper “Empirical Validation of BIM-to-Digital Twin Transformation for Smart Mobile Factories: A Case Study”.The paper presents a BIM-to-Digital Twin transformation process applied to a Smart Mobile Factory, validated through a real-world construction use case. The proposed approach enables real-time monitoring of prefabrication activities by integrating IoT sensors and interactive visualization in Unity.
Andrea Revolti, from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, participated as a speaker at the IFAC MIM 2025 Conference. During the event, he presented the paper titled:“Simulation-Driven Digital Twin Framework for Optimizing Smart Mobile Factory Operations”.
Daniel Hall and Irfan Čustović were invited to speak at the Industrialised Construction Conference in Coventry, UK, on 02.07.2025. This event attracted 200+ industry experts including architects, clients, contractors and engineers interested in delivering advanced construction. Disseminating findings from the SMF4INFRA project, Daniel and Irfan illustrated how digitalization and process improvements will transform the strategic, tactical and operational management of construction projects.
On April 15, 2025, Ananya presented her paper, “Digital Twin Driven Quality Control in Smart Mobile Factories: A Framework in Precast Manufacturing,” at the CIRP CMS 2025 Conference held at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
On March 27, 2025, Jianxiang presented a paper at the RILEM Spring Conference 2025 in Mendrisio, Switzerland, discussing the environmental impact of component service life uncertainty in EuroTube infrastructure. The study found that the electromagnetic system (EMS) with a concrete tube offers the lowest emissions and variability. It emphasized that component durability is crucial for accurately assessing environmental footprints and that structural importance should be considered in sustainable design. The proposed parametric stochastic LCA framework helps identify key parameters across LCA stages, supports sustainable infrastructure development, and informs stakeholder decisions in design and operation.
On September 18-19, 2024, we gathered for the annual meeting of the Smart Mobile Factory for Infrastructure Project (SMF4INFRA) at ETH-Zürich, Switzerland. The event allowed us to review the project's progress and align on the next steps. A key highlight was our visit to the DemoTube infrastructure at the EuroTube Foundation in Dübendorf, showcasing cutting-edge advancements in transportation technology. We are excited to see how this project, combining distributed manufacturing systems, digital twin technology, and life cycle analysis, continues to drive innovation in digital construction and infrastructure.
From 10th to 12th September the GNI Symposium & Expo on Artificial Intelligence for the Built World was held at TUM in Munich, Germany. Irfan Čustović gave a presentation on behalf of the SMF4Infra project team explaining the ongoing research about “A Proposed Ontology Network for AI-based Root Cause Analysis in Precast Supply Chains”
