Organization of an engineering center for industrial import substitution

Abstract

Objectives. Following the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation, which included a ban on thesupply of foreign electronic equipment—including automation systems—to Russian enterprises, the continuingdevelopment of science and technology in Russia became a question of ensuring technological sovereignty accordingto the principle of import substitution. According to plans developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of theRussian Federation, the policy of import substitution, including automation systems, will ensure the replacement ofimported equipment with domestic counterparts.Methods. Approaches underlying the joint project of MIREA ‒ Russian Technological University and EnvironmentalIndustrial Policy Center to solve the problems of import substitution are described. Various substitution strategiesavailable in the world experience, as well as objective and subjective obstacles to their implementation in Russia,including the insufficiency of domestic regulatory legal acts and previously formed attachments to importedtechnologies and regulatory frameworks, are considered. Distinctive features of contemporary external relations areadduced to the necessity and urgency of developing technological sovereignty. The main functional requirementsfor a software and hardware platform for developing modern automated control systems (ACS) for mechanicalengineering applications, as well as the required capabilities of an engineering center for solving applied problemsof overcoming import dependence, are described. The components of the production of capital goods (engineering)and its role in the product life cycle are shown.Results. The selection of a pilot engineering object comprising a sectional glass-forming machine, along with asoftware-hardware complex including elements of industrial electronics and ACS, is justified. The main functionalelements of the ACS and their interrelations are shown.Conclusions. The results confirm the necessity of achieving complete import substitution for the creation of digitalproducts. Prospects for cooperation with interested organizations are shown.