The objective of making an “Intelligent Factory” is based on the principle of industry 4.0, a hi-tech strategy of the German Government and industry associations. The purely technical pre-requisites for it must be delivered by cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. From now on even tool and mould making will travel on this path to the future of production technology. By Andreas Schulz
Germany as the so-called “Factory supplier of the world”, is one of the most competitive industrial locations worldwide. To secure the country's manufacturing preeminence and therefore its competitiveness and prosperity, the sector's key tool and mould making industry is undergoing a major change.
After mechanization, electrification and computerization, the “Internet of Things and Services” heralds the new era of industry 4.0. In this trend, also described as the fourth industrial revolution, machines, conveying and storage systems, robots and resources are connected with each other. These systems exchange information in real time. They organize and control themselves independently, de-centrally and according to the situation. People, machines and systems are now connected with each other permanently and they communicate in real-time. Thus processes and work steps change fundamentally in production and in the entire company.
Transparent processes, high flexibility, real-time
Then products can be easily identified and localised at all times. You can get the complete history, the current status and the processes for the intended final outcome. The complete value chain in the company as well as the interfaces for customers, partners and suppliers are interlinked with each other. Mobile communication, intelligent objects and sensor systems enable adhoc, de-central and real-time decision making about events in the future. Thus processes in the company become more transparent and are distinguished by a high flexibility. This is a pre-requisite to turn individual customer requests into reality in an economical and competitive manner.
In the following scenario based on electrode manufacturing it is briefly described how intelligent products control production processes in the era of industry 4.0. The HSC milling machine has just completed milling the graphite electrode. The electrode signals the completion to the central production control system and instructs the robot to collect the electrode from the machine and to bring it to the next process step, i.e. measuring the offset data at the measuring machine. After the robot has positioned the electrode in the chuck, the electrode requests the measuring program from the production control system so that the measuring procedure can be started. After the measuring procedure is executed, the electrode then compares the actual measured data with the target values; it determines that the data is outside of the tolerance range. Then the electrode decides that it must be manufactured again. Using the PPS-application, the electrode coordinates a possible next manufacturing date.
Since the re-manufacturing of the electrode implicates a delay of the complete order, the CRM system is instructed to inform the customer accordingly. Furthermore, a test is conducted to find out whether adequate graphite blanks are still available in stock in the necessary dimensions. The instructed robot brings the electrode to the assembly area and assembles the blank in the electrode holder. Since a machine tool is not available at present, the robot brings the electrode to the warehouse first.
Futuristic scenario, but increasingly real
The robot collects the electrode from the warehouse on a fixed date and transports it to the machine tool. The machine tool receives the NC-Program once again automatically from the production control system. After the successful manufacturing the electrode is transported to the measuring machine; subsequent measuring shows the actual data are within the tolerances decided by the construction department. The electrode saves the measured data in its own manufacturing history. It is transported by the robot to the warehouse again and it waits there for the next work step to be done, i.e. eroding.
Things like these are no longer a utopian dream
The scenario described above probably seems futuristic. But it shows the direction ahead with industry 4.0 when work steps are no longer managed centrally by humans but instead can be managed de-centrally by intelligent products. It has already become reality in part.
Sequence of many small steps
However, industry 4.0 is not something that you can have at the touch of a button. Rather, it is a sequence of many small, evolutionary steps. Nevertheless, compared with today's current state the outcome that we will see in the next 10 to 20 years will be revolutionary. Many tool makers and mould makers have already invested in a central production control system and in robots and automation. Other companies have not yet transitioned to this step and they must follow suit. However, awareness must also be raised that industry 4.0 is not just about production. The digital transformation concerns processes and IT-systems in the entire company. Therefore, it is a strategic task of the management to derive appropriate measures from future-oriented plans.
The reason for the failure of the CIM-concept about 20 years back was the lack of technology. This technology is available now. High-performance networks, wired or wireless broadband Internet access are standard today. Moreover, mobile end devices like smartphones and tablets have arrived in the company and machines continuously twitter their status data in the cloud.
With BigData new tools are available which allow intelligent and real-time management of the company. You can only imagine the opportunities and potential resulting from BigData. With additive manufacturing there is a new opportunity in tool and mould making with which the conventional manufacturing is supplemented as well as changed permanently. Prototypes can be created quickly and produced economically in small batches.
Time to change our thinking, question things
Industry 4.0 holds out tremendous opportunities for tool and mould making to maintain and develop completely new business segments. To do this it is necessary to completely change our thinking, stop clinging to past successes and question the current business model. In this respect many questions must be asked and discussed. Is my business model today viable for the future? Who are my new customers? Which digital channels can I use to sell my products? How is my real net output ratio? Who can be a potential partner?
At all times there are concerns that employees will not be required any longer but these concerns will prove to be of lesser substance to be a fallacy. The old CIM-notion of a people-less factory was not correct. People will always have an important role in production and in contributing to value creation.
Not a matter of technology, but of culture
However, it is certain that employees will be free of the somewhat monotonous, physically demanding routine activities and will be engaged in value-adding activities. Thus they can offer their full thinking and associative capabilities to the company. A new generation of collaborative robots from companies like ABB, Kuka or even Universal Robots are gradually making inroads in the production, establishing themselves as the new colleague and a helping hand. It is also certain that new ways of working will encourage new thinking among technicians as well as managers.
It is not a matter of technology rather it is a matter of culture: Industry 4.0 does not mean slight optimization of the processes and IT-systems. Industry 4.0 means a profound change. This must be understood, experienced and implemented by the entire company. Implementation of Industry 4.0 is a prerequisite for creating the fourth industrial revolution and remaining competitive. What counts is not only if a company chooses to implement this new way, it also matters when and how.
Certa Systems GmbH is a medium-sized software and process consultancy firm and a 100% subsidiary of the Erowa group.
Certa supports customers in the fields of tool and mould making, and machine tools, with solutions and services to integrate robots and software applications and to automate processes. ETMM
Source: http://www.etmm-online.com/news/articles/509162/
