Autor: Arno Ritter

Digital manufacturing systems are too expensive and not capable to produce the expected benefit for the company. This prejudice about the digital manufacturing systems is spread through out the most midsized companies. Because of the complexity of this new technology especially in its impacts to the company this prejudice is difficult to disprove. The IPA method DigiPlan-Check offers an efficient method for a fast picture of the company’s potentials. Based on these potentials a selection of digital manufacturing system components is possible. The result are valuable experiences where and how the digital manufacturing system will deliver its benefit. And all this will be done while considering the individual characteristics of the company and not common sense.

An intensive co-operation and data exchange between members of different disciplines are necessary in planning, conception and development of production plants and processes. Planning failures that are identified too late or different understanding of contents can lead to significant effects, e.g. during starting or ramp-up. In the context of the Digital Factory the Fraunhofer IPA develops organizational and technological solutions for co-operative planning on the base of workflow and knowledge management as well as solutions for interaction, data and tool integration. The aim is the optimisation of planning quality and planning costs.