#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

2023-06-22

Dr. Alisa Rupenyan to head up first endowed professorship for artificial intelligence at ZHAW

In October 2022, the Rieter Group, in conjunction with the Johann Jacob Rieter Foundation, announced its support for an Endowed Professorship in Industrial Artificial Intelligence at the ZHAW School of Engineering. Dr. Alisa Rupenyan will assume the new Professorship on September 1, 2023. She will advance teaching and research in neurosymbolic approaches for industrial applications of artificial intelligence.

Since 2018, Dr. Alisa Rupenyan has been leading a research group for Advanced Control and Automation at inspire AG. This company is the strategic partner of ETH Zurich for knowledge and technology transfer in the field of production engineering. In this capacity, she manages research projects on process optimization, industrial control, and machine learning for applications closely related to manufacturing. She is also Chief Scientist at the Automatic Control Laboratory of ETH Zurich and an expert at the Swiss innovation agency, Innosuisse. Previously, as Head of Application Development, she designed industrial sorting solutions at QualySense AG, a Swiss startup in the field of robotics and agricultural technology. After completing a Master's degree in Laser Physics at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria, Dr. Alisa Rupenyan received her PhD from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, followed by a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at ETH Zurich.

The new Endowed Professorship at the Center for Artificial Intelligence at the ZHAW School of Engineering is specifically dedicated to the development and application of principle-based, neurosymbolic-inspired learning in relation to processes in production and service. These processes combine machine learning with knowledge-based systems. Basic and advanced modules will also be offered for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Data Science as well as for the Master of Science in Engineering. A separate research group is being created for this purpose.

As already announced in October 2022, the Professorship will be financed in equal parts by the Rieter Group and the Johann Jacob Rieter Foundation over a period of six years, with an annual contribution of CHF 300 000. For Rieter, the commitment is related to the implementation of its technology leadership strategy. The contribution of the Johann Jacob Rieter Foundation to sponsoring the Professorship is in the spirit of the Winterthur Cluster Initiative.

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

Lenze receives IEC 62443-4-1 certification: TÜV Rheinland confirms cyber-secure development process

Lenze SE has been certified according to IEC 62443-4-1 since November 2025. TÜV Rheinland thus confirms that Lenze meets the requirements of this internationally recognized standard for a secure development process for industrial automation and drive products. The certification is an important milestone on the way to implementing the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which will become mandatory for machine manufacturers and their suppliers from December 2027.

Mango joins TextileGenesis pioneering traceability solution, a Lectra company, for a transparent value chain

Mango, one of the leading international fashion groups, has joined TextileGenesis, the pioneering traceability solution for the fashion and textile industries, to trace their natural and animal fibers, synthetics, man-made cellulosic fibers and leather. TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, offers a complete and secure cutting-edge technology with its six-dimensional (6D) offering and unique “fiber forwards” approach. Mango, has long been committed to maintaining a fully transparent supply chain, and TextileGenesis will reinforce this commitment.

Navis TubeTex announces U.S. partnership with Icomatex

Navis TubeTex, a global leader in advanced dyeing and finishing machinery solutions, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Icomatex (www.icomatex.com), a respected European manufacturer of high-quality stenters and textile finishing equipment. Under this agreement, Navis TubeTex will exclusively represent the Icomatex stenter line in the United States.

ADVANSA launches ADVA®tex: A new step toward textile-to-textile recycling

ADVANSA has introduced ADVA®tex, a new filling fibre made entirely from recycled pre-consumer textile waste, positioning the material as a significant step forward in textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling. The fibre is designed for use in duvets, pillows, mattresses, and furniture applications and is available in three versions.

KARL MAYER celebrates 35 years of EL pattern drive

KARL MAYER is celebrating an anniversary this year: on 30 November 1990, the first warp knitting machine with electronic guide bar control, the KS 4 EL, was delivered – another milestone for patterning. As early as 1980, the SU gearbox with the MRS42SU had initiated the transition from mechanical chains to digital data.