The EFFICIENT-IA-PACK project focuses on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) by combining Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, with the aim of creating advanced simulation environments to study the risks associated with the transportation of palletized systems and loads. This integration enables predictive analysis of the behavior of packaging systems prior to prototyping, allowing for the development of more efficient, optimized, and safer solutions, thereby reducing costs and errors before manufacturing and commercialization.

Context

Freight transportation is a cornerstone of the European Union’s economy. In 2023, the transportation sector employed 6.2 million people in the EU, accounting for 3.1% of the total labor force, with Spain accounting for 12.1% of that figure. In the logistics sector, Spain recorded a total volume of 2.147 billion tons of goods transported in 2022, both domestically and internationally, reflecting the sector’s scale and importance in the supply chain.

In this context, packaging systems play a crucial role, as they must ensure the integrity of products throughout the entire logistics cycle, addressing risks such as vibrations, impacts, drops, or instability. Optimizing these systems involves balancing product protection with the efficient use of materials and resources, thereby reducing costs, losses, and environmental impact. To achieve this optimization, it is essential to understand and properly manage the risks that arise during distribution.

One of the most widely used tools for validating packaging strength is the use of standardized tests based on standards such as ISTA or ISO, which simulate shipping conditions in controlled environments. These protocols make it possible to evaluate the cumulative performance of the system against multiple risks, identify potential failures, and implement improvements before actual shipment, resulting in greater efficiency and safety in distribution.

Over the past century, the use of simulations via the Finite Element Method (FEM) has gained prominence in the industrial and packaging sectors. Although traditionally used for complex structures, its application to packaging has been limited to isolated and simplified tests. However, there are still challenges to be addressed, such as the joint simulation of multiple risks or the inclusion of all components that make up the palletized load (secondary and tertiary packaging). In this context, digitalization and advances in material characterization and CAD modeling offer great potential for predicting more realistic behaviors and comprehensively optimizing packaging systems.

Summary & Objectives

In the field of packaging, AI is an emerging technology; for this reason, EFFICIENT-IA-PACK aims to develop and validate a virtual simulation system for transportation and distribution risks associated with palletized unit loads, using artificial intelligence technologies, with the goal of increasing the efficiency of the eco-design and validation process.

To achieve the project’s overall goal, four specific objectives have been defined:

1. Preliminary analysis of the packaging system: Collection of key information on the main palletized packaging systems in representative sectors at the national and European levels, as well as critical parameters for material characterization and simulation risk assessment.
2. Creation of a characterization database: Development of a database that will integrate information from ITENE’s historical records, supplier data, laboratory characterization tests, and published technical data. This information will be used to train the artificial intelligence algorithms that will enable the efficient selection of the most suitable materials based on their characteristics.
3. Development of the virtual simulation environment: Creation of a virtual simulation environment based on finite element analysis (FEA), in accordance with transportation standards such as ISTA and ASTM.
4. Validation of the virtual environment against real-world tests: Evaluation of the accuracy of the virtual simulation environment by comparing it with physical laboratory tests. To this end, the palletized systems selected in collaboration with partner companies will be designed in CAD and validated in the virtual environment. Likewise, the physical loads provided by the participating companies will undergo real laboratory testing, and the results will be compared with those obtained in the virtual environment.

Through the development of the EFFICIENT-IA-PACK project, starting from a TRL 4, based on the current level of development—of both the AI technologies and the virtual simulation environment for palletized loads, as well as the validation of the latter—the goal is to achieve a final TRL 6 at the technical level by validating the virtual simulation environment through laboratory studies using physical samples.