CLOUDFLOW Computational Cloud Services and Workflows for Agile Engineering

Summary

CloudFlow will enable the remote use of computational services distributed on the cloud, seamlessly integrating these within established engineering design workflows and standards. CloudFlow aims to empower the different engineering disciplines with on-demand access to scalable computational services, allowing them to start any process when desired and without the need for a complex local infrastructure of cutting-edge high performing computers. The new engineers’ workplaces do not need to be equipped with expensive software (CAD, CAM, CAE, PLM, data archival) and their required operating systems and versions, or with special hardware (CPU, RAM, GPU) and their dedicated drivers. Therefore, the engineer will not need multiple computers for different tasks; or in the case of limited computers, the engineers will not need to wait for the availability of the resources. In order to master these challenges, CloudFlow will address different aspects of computational cloud services for engineering. From a technical point of view, the project will focus on: data (exchange and integration); services (adaptation, interoperability); and workflows (integration, co-operation). The technical aspects will consider the current situation at the engineering workplaces and they will adapt and customize the existing technology to better serve the current needs in an agile and flexible manner. From a user prospective, the project will deal with: usability and accessibility; business models; and competitive calls (for application experiments). In this context, it will prepare the engineers to use the computational services on the cloud, it will investigate and create new business models to use these kinds of services on demand and it will continuously be refined by means of involving more users and more system vendors, with different needs, and with different application experiments being called for in competitive calls.

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Web resources:	http://www.eu-cloudflow.eu https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/609100
Start date:	01-07-2013
End date:	31-12-2016
Total budget - Public funding:	8 742 828,00 Euro - 6 623 000,00 Euro

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Original description

Traditionally, the European manufacturing industry is characterized by innovative technology, quality processes and robust products which have leveraged Europe's industrialization. However, globalization has exposed Europe's industry to new emerging and industrialized manufacturing markets and the current economic challenges have decelerated the internal boost and investment, respectively. Hence, new ICT infrastructures across Europe need to be established to re-enforce global competitiveness.The motivating idea behind CloudFlow is to open up the power of Cloud Computing for engineering WorkFlows (CloudFlow). The aim of CloudFlow is to enable engineers to access services on the Cloud spanning domains such as CAD, CAM, CAE (CFD), Systems and PLM, and combining them to integrated workflows leveraging HPC resources. Workflows are of key importance in today's product/production development processes were products show ever increasing complexity integrating geometry, mechanics, electronics and software aspects. Such complex products require multi-domain simulation, simulation-in-the-loop and synchronized workflows based on interoperability of data, services and workflows.CloudFlow is an SME-driven IP incorporating seven SMEs: Missler (CAD/CAM), JOTNE (PLM), Numeca (CAE/CFD), ITI (Systems), Arctur (HPC), Stellba Hydro (hydraulic machines/hydro turbines) and CARSA (business models and security). Four renowned research institutions comple¬ment the consortium: DFKI, SINTEF, University of Nottingham and Fraunhofer.CloudFlow will build on existing standards and components to facilitate an as-vendor-independent-as-possible Cloud engineering workflows platform. Open Cloud Computing Interface (OCCI), STEP (for CAD and CAE data) and WSDL (for service description and orchestration) are amongst the core standards that will be leveraged. The key aspects (from a technical and a business perspective) are: Data, Services, Workflows, Users and Business models including Security aspects.CloudFlow will conduct two Open Calls for external experiments investigating the use of the CloudFlow infrastructure in new and innovative ways, outreaching into the engineering and manufacturing community and engaging external partners. Each of these two Open Calls will look for seven additional experiments to gather experience with engineering Cloud uses and gaining insights from these experiments.CloudFlow is striving for the following impacts: a) increasing industrial competitiveness by contributing to improve performance (front-loading, early error detection, time-to-market, ...) and innovation (co-use of models, early virtual testing) and b) improving in innovation capabilities by enabling more engineers to gain insights and to create innovation by accessing 'new' tools and easing the use of Cloud Infrastructures.All in all, CloudFlow wants to contribute to a wider adaption of Cloud infrastructures and making them a practical option for manufacturing companies.