Juhani HEILALA (Male) is Senior Scientist, Senior Project Manager (IPMA C certified since 2010) at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. He has Msc.Tech from University of Oulu (1989). He has been developing industrial robots during studies at Nokia Robotics (1984-1989). He has over 25 years of professional experience from European research projects as national and local coordination at VTT. He has been Work Package (WP) leader in international projects; ConnectedFactories (2016-2019), EPES (2011-2015), Simter (2007-2009), Ami-MoSES (2008-2011), Eureka E-RACE (2003-2006), Assembly-NET (2001-2003) and Eureka Famos-HIPS (1994-1997). He has coordinated numerous national industrial driven research projects. He has authored and co-authored more than 100 technical and scientific publications. Currently he is Senior Research Scientist in Agile Intelligent Production Systems research team at VTT Cognitive Production Industry Research Area.

He has expertise in the field of smart, sustainable, modular and agile production system design; operations planning and management in customer driven manufacturing; integration of production system simulation and modelling with other analysis methods for decision support; resource efficient manufacturing, sustainability aspects and efficiency analysis; and use of ICT in manufacturing, digitization of manufacturing processes. 

Agile intelligent production systems. Current research activities are focusing on digitalization of manufacturing in smart and sustainable connected factories. Beyond Industry 4.0.