FabrIA — The Future of Connected Manufacturing with Artificial Intelligence

About the Project

Manufacturing is evolving. The factories of tomorrow will not just be automated — they will be intelligent. FabrIA is Fabrex's research and development initiative to embed artificial intelligence directly into the manufacturing execution layer, enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to compete with the operational intelligence of much larger players.

Developed within the framework of the RETECH Territorial AI Hubs Network — a programme funded by the European Union's NextGenerationEU recovery instrument through the Spanish Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia (PRTR) — FabrIA represents a bridge between cutting-edge AI research and the real-world needs of industrial production.

What We Are Building

FabrIA focuses on three core areas where AI can have the greatest impact on discrete manufacturing:

Predictive Production Scheduling — Machine learning models that analyse historical production data, machine availability, and order priorities to generate optimised production plans. The system learns from past performance to predict bottlenecks before they occur and suggest schedule adjustments in real time.

AI-Driven Quality Control — Computer vision and anomaly detection algorithms that monitor production output, identify defects early in the manufacturing process, and reduce scrap rates. By catching quality issues at the source, manufacturers save time, materials, and rework costs.

Smart Manufacturing Analytics — Dashboards and reporting tools powered by AI that transform raw production data into actionable insights. From OEE trends to energy consumption patterns, FabrIA helps factory managers make data-driven decisions with confidence.

Why It Matters

Most AI solutions in manufacturing today are designed for large enterprises with dedicated data science teams and massive IT budgets. FabrIA takes a different approach: building AI capabilities directly into the MES platform that SMEs already use to run their production floors.

This means no separate infrastructure, no complex integrations, and no need for in-house AI expertise. The intelligence is embedded where the work happens — in the production workflow itself.

Project Objectives

• Develop and validate AI models for production scheduling optimisation in discrete manufacturing environments
• Implement computer vision systems for automated in-process quality inspection
• Create intelligent analytics dashboards that surface actionable manufacturing insights
• Demonstrate measurable productivity gains in pilot manufacturing facilities
• Contribute to the Catalan and European ecosystem of applied AI in industry

The RETECH Network

FabrIA is developed within the Xarxa Territorial de Hubs en Intel·ligència Artificial, part of the RETECH programme (Xarxes Territorials d'Especialització Tecnològica). This network connects technology providers, research centres, and industrial companies across Catalonia to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence in the productive fabric of the territory.

Through the RETECH Hub, Fabrex collaborates with other organisations working on AI applications in areas such as logistics, healthcare, and sustainability — sharing knowledge and best practices that benefit the entire ecosystem.