The digital factory is the benchmark for today’s production, not least because of its undeniable level of efficiency and flexibility. But what exactly characterizes a digital factory? And how can a smart factory be implemented?
Digital factory – just hype?
The next industrial revolution is in full swing with Industry 4.0. State-of-the-art information and communication technologies are being used to rethink entire production processes. More and more processes, machines, systems and even smaller objects are being digitally networked with each other so that they can provide important technical information at any time. When it comes to planning and controlling production, automation and therefore excellent production would not be possible without digital tools. The final stage in this system of transformation is the smart factory.
A smart factory is a networked production facility in which software and IT components are connected to electronic and mechanical parts via the internet and communicate with each other. The main features of a digital factory are adaptability, changeability, ergonomics and extreme resource efficiency. Intelligent components make it possible for production to organize itself autonomously, allowing an incredible number of routine tasks to be carried out independently and in a planned manner. So, despite the many anglicisms, the smart factory is not just a fleeting hype. It is about more than just digitalization.
What are the benefits of a digital factory in practice?
The Smart Factory offers numerous advantages. As already mentioned, the key added value is the increase in efficiency and productivity. And this is more important than ever in today’s world. Demand for many products is extremely high and trade routes span the entire globe. There is no question that analog factories can only meet the high demands of customers to a limited extent. Thanks to automated processes, the smart factory not only enables production to be completed faster and with higher quality, it also relieves employees of time-consuming routine work, which ultimately greatly reduces the error rate and thus financial losses. The time saved by automated processes can now be used by plant operators for more important and more highly qualified tasks.
Transparency along the value chain is also increasing. Real-time data provides precise information from the customer order to the final delivery of the product. The data can not only make it easier to track the status, it also forms the basis for autonomous production planning and control. As the amount of information increases, production processes can also be made available and individually adapted across companies – this also applies to short-term changes in customer requirements, raw materials or plant availability. Another advantage that should not be underestimated is the feasibility of predictive maintenance. This means that systems and machines can be maintained in a more targeted and cost-saving manner, which not only minimizes malfunctions and downtimes, but also extends the entire life cycle of the objects by lengths.
These are the most important prerequisites for a smart factory
Whether you are a large or medium-sized company, digitalization is becoming an increasingly important topic in production planning. Several things need to be taken into account. The focus must be on the development and sustainable use of self-organizing structures. For this reason, all machines, tools and products must be able to communicate with each other at all times. As a comprehensive interface, there should be a central platform that collects and utilizes all the data. The following tools and elements are therefore essential:
- IIoT technologies
- Cloud technologies for the collection, management and provision of large amounts of data
- Communication technologies for data transmission
- Tools for connecting and mediating between the real and virtual worlds
Specifically in mechanical engineering, there are particular challenges as the production environments are even more complex. Factory planning, for example, has to take into account a huge range of different machines, systems, IT environments, organizational forms and value creation structures. The aim here is to achieve smooth interaction between different technological platforms.
A smart factory cannot be realized without a common ecosystem and the possibility of platform independence. Interoperability is essential. In the course of tomorrow’s factory planning, industrial companies will place more and more value on the simple connectivity of their systems and machines. As a central application platform for construction and industrial applications, KENEXOS® is the ideal environment for plant and machine manufacturers to digitize and automate the entire production process. KENEXOS® offers an intuitive and individually scalable cloud solution, from technical documentation and the planning of all systems to the networking of individual objects and integrated communication channels between employees, subcontractors and supervisors. KENEXOS® is available free of charge at any time for a trial period of 14 days and can be individually tailored to your company’s requirements during a personal consultation.
About KENEXOS®
With Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH (KBS for short), Kreutzpointner is setting a significant milestone in the technical development of the entire group of companies. Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH focuses on the special requirements and digital needs of industrial customers with an independent business model. The operational launch took place in October 2020.
With KENEXOS®, KBS offers corporate customers an individually expandable application platform with its own software products and focuses on the implementation of industrial applications. KENEXOS® offers modern web technology for access via a wide range of end devices and enables integration with existing systems via an API interface. The standard modules include, for example, construction site documentation, task and ticket recording, plant management and maintenance and many more. The application platform is available for in-house installation (on-premise) or as a cloud solution (SaaS).
The ideas and the technical basis for Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH have been successfully developed in recent years as part of the company-wide “Research & Development” process. In addition to the IT systems division, the new digital unit ideally rounds off Kreutzpointner’s large portfolio.