The smart factory of the future
Production runs like clockwork in the factory of the future: The products are manufactured quickly and efficiently, any errors in the process are displayed automatically together with their causes, the machines report of their own accord when they need servicing, and the production facilities are cheaper to maintain. What makes all this possible is the ‘Smart Connected Control Platform’ SCCP developed under the ‘Intelligent Networked Manufacturing System’ project INT-MANUS, which is sponsored by the European Commission. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS are coordinating the INT-MANUS consortium and will be demonstrating the SCCP prototype at the Hannover Fair (Hall 17, Stand C60) from 16 to 20 April. “SCCP is a virtual production platform that sets up a network between the people, machines and robots in a factory,” says project manager Maxim Foursa of the Virtual Environments department at the Fraunhofer IAIS. “SCCP is an intelligent system. After a learning phase, it is capable of independently analyzing and improving the production processes.” So how does SCCP work? Developers, engineers, designers and manufacturers begin by feeding the platform with all the information about the machines, robots and persons participating in the production flow. The machines are also equipped with smart components such as miniature cameras that monitor the processes, or sensors that measure temperature fluctuations and communicate their effect on the production process. All these data converge in the SCCP, where they are analyzed. SCCP instantly responds to the results: The system automatically issues orders, for instance to increase the speed of a robot’s movements in order to prevent the production process from coming to a halt. Or it might indicate a defective machine that is producing substandard goods. Moreover, the plant supervisor is kept informed about the current status of all elements in the entire production facility at all times. If the production manager decides to modify the product in any way, he simply enters this information into the system. SCCP automatically adapts the respective processes and reports any changes that are necessary on the assembly lines. No programming is needed – regardless whether the shape is to be made round instead of square, the color a deeper shade or the material harder. SCCP always ensures that the entire production of an industrial plant remains cost-effective and efficient.
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