Smart Factory – the networked production facility of tomorrow

Efficiency through virtualisation

The more demanding a technology or product becomes, the more difficult it is to additionally pay attention to the need to go from effective to efficient production. And this is where the digital twin comes into play. It is an integral part of Industry 4.0 or the Smart Factory - the networked factory - and opens up all the possibilities that we believe are necessary for technological change.

Bridge to reality

The digital twin is the digital 1-to-1 copy of a factory, with which all processes, resources and production sequences can be planned and tested - and also, using the example of virtual commissioning, with the real control software. This avoids failures and costs, accelerates planning and drives innovation for products and production. The digital twin makes complexity more manageable and has the important task of securing planning competence and, if necessary, passing it on to human customers.

Reduce costs through smart processes

The advantages of an intelligent factory are widely known: optimised and accelerated processes, increased productivity, flexible adaptation to new methods, shorter delivery times, transparent tracking, to name but a few. In the end, it's the result that counts: does the use of a smart factory save costs and can profits be maximised?

Virtual commissioning and predictive maintenance

Two important components are only made possible by digitalisation, but are essential for an efficient factory: virtual commissioning and predictive maintenance.

While the one uses the digital twin and simulation to identify failures in the processes even before the real commissioning and acquisition of the production hardware, the other uses artificial intelligence to avoid cost-intensive downtimes and warns that a repair team needs to be sent long before maintenance-intensive parts break down.

The possibilities are manifold. But do they make sense after a cost-benefit analysis? We help you to answer this question clearly. In our 5-phase model, we show you the way to the Smart Factory.

Reach for the sky

The heterogeneous interaction of different fully and semi-automated robot technologies which speak a common robot language in both the real and virtual world is now possible.

In cooperation with the Ruhr-University Bochum, an assembly system was developed within the framework of a research project with this aim, in which even the "grip in the box" still folds flawlessly: industrial robots with protective fence and MRK robots work together in an assembly system, communicate with each other and this first as a virtual image during the virtual commissioning and then on the real system. Adjustments and correction of faults are still possible at any time. In the end, an efficient assembly or production system is created, with the optimal technology for the customer - from virtuality to reality.