Smart Factory and the myth of the digital twin

The smart factory: Industry 4.0 sends its regards

The very term "smart factory" opens up a playground for speculation. The concept of the factory as a production facility is clearly documented. But smart (English: intelligent, shrewd, clever)? The characteristic of being smart has been adopted by all-rounders such as the British agent of the "00" series. When you think of devices and machines, you may first start to wonder, but at the latest when you reach for your cell phone, it flashes up again: smartphone. In just a few years, this pocket-sized all-rounder has brought about a profound change in our communication habits. We now use the multitude of useful apps for all situations in life as a matter of course, to a greater or lesser extent. The smartphone has become the epitome of what characterizes the term "smart" in the age of digital transformation. The "Internet of Things" - IoT for short - provides a consumer-accepted taste.

Now what is behind the term "smart factory?

The smart factory is a digitally structured factory. In the literature, it is often referred to as the "Industry 4.0 factory". It is a further development of already existing, modern factories. The accent of this ambitious undertaking is on creating intelligent environments with the aim of achieving a symbiosis of the real and digital worlds. Production facilities, manufacturing processes and products will be networked using the tools of digitization. This process has long been initiated. Perfect realization will take place in stages. The distant goal of smart factory process organization and production without human intervention cannot be clearly defined in terms of time.

Internet of Things " IoT & IIoT": technologies of digital transformation

When delving into the conceptual matter of the "smart factory", you are confronted with various anglicisms and conceptual acronyms. Without a plausible explanation, their effect is usually rather cognitive. Or do you already have a concrete idea of "IoT" and "IIoT"?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term from information technology (IT). The smartphone, which we are now familiar with using, is a vivid example. It is now considered an everyday object. Yet the compact cell phone design conceals a product that is networked in many ways via the Internet. For these tasks, the smartphone is equipped with tiny chips, data storage devices, sensors and software apps. The networking of Internet-enabled, intelligent devices such as the smartphone is known as the IoT. This is how digital data exchange works on the Worldwide Web.

The Internet of Things (IoT) and its subcategory, the Industrial Intenet of Things - abbreviation: IIoT - are among the definitive technologies of digital transformation. IIoT specifically refers to those technologies used in manufacturing facilities with industrial environments. That is why the IIoT is a key technology of Industry 4.0 - the next phase of industrial transformation. Quite rightly, because with the help of the networking of numerous production facilities, devices and plant components via the Internet, informed decisions can be made in a timely manner and new sources of revenue can be tapped. Many software products focused on the Internet of Things can be used for both IoT and IIoT. But there are also specific IIoT software solutions such as IIoT platforms.

The myth "digital twin"

Functioning networking structures are indispensable for the operation of future, intelligent factories and production facilities. They form the relevant interfaces between the production hardware in the factory and the world of virtual reality. The two together form the new whole. The smart factory uses external networking to communicate with other smart factories. At the same time, it cannot do without internal networking, because this is where the permanent fine-tuning of all internal components relevant to production takes place.

At this point, you may be in the same position as those responsible for implementing the first smart factories: With whom and where does the famous "air sovereignty" lie? This question is justified, because the practicable solution to this problem is system-critical. There is a need for a virtual image of real production.

The solution sounds rather irritating at first: Every smart factory 4.0 exists twice. Factory #1 is the physical production facility you are familiar with from your production environment. It is supplemented by the virtual image - Factory #2 - which is up-to-date at all times and bears the catchy name "digital twin".

The digital twin represents the digital image of a product. Like a virtual silhouette, it forms the information window for people involved, such as product developers or production planners. They can view status and statistical data on operating and process data.

To fulfill its tasks in the simulation of a real production, the digital twin consists of

• Intelligent connection with access to algorithms and simulation models,

• Digital template model

• and the digital "silhouette" from the template model.

Already in the product development phase, i.e. in the run-up to the actual production process chain, the digital twin can provide valuable assistance. In this way, it is possible to determine at an early stage whether a new product to be manufactured can be produced on existing production equipment.

The areas of application of the digital twin can be summarized into the following profile:

• Product development

• Development of suitable production facilities

• Production planning

• Quality monitoring

• Virtual production assurance.

Converting traditional production into the smart factory 4.0

How long should it take to convert a traditional production company to a smart factory? According to analysts' estimates, the conversion process will take between six and 15 years. Please bear in mind that there is no such thing as a smart factory out of the box. Each company is required to define its own individual functional and time schedule and to implement it step by step. For example, a new, modified coordination of processes between the engineering departments and the IT department is required. A sensitive field opens up around the areas of "Security & Safety". In addition, aspects of corporate culture, process organization and personnel planning for the future are of great importance.

Smart factory: reference installations

The number of smart factories already implemented in Germany is still manageable. Here are a few examples:

Globalfoundries, Dresden. In this chip factory, the production of silicon wafers is fully automated via a cleanroom production line. Robots take care of loading and unloading. The sequence of production steps also takes place without human intervention.

Siemens electronics plant in Amberg. There, 75 percent of the value chain is already to be handled independently by machines and computers with corresponding application programs.

The "Showcase 4.0" at the SEW-EURODRIVE GmbH & Co KG plant in Graben-Neudorf, Germany, demonstrates its smart Factory 4.0 production in project operation. There, employees can already experience today how their working life could be structured in the future.

The Fraunhofer IPK Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology, has maintained a "Smart Factory 4.0" demonstration cell since 2016. There, methods, concepts and production technologies are tested and combined in the sense of Industry 4.0.

Smart Factory: Productivity in Production

Thesis: The smart factory is coming. Your question as to "why" is understandable. But the answer will surprise you. It is: Because the time is ripe for it. The time for a new approach is always when the necessary technologies are available. In the case of the Smart Factory, this is the case.

The declared goal for production under "smart factory conditions" is to increase productivity. In sum, it is a matter of increases in

• Flexibility

• Efficiency

• Speed

• Sustainability.

This is not the end of the overall consideration, because smart factory constellations literally accompany the product for which they were designed "from the cradle to the grave.