Autor: Dennis Schwäke

Production targets in the Smart Factory should be supported by digital control loops. This article will present a concept, which describes the structure of operational information flows as elements of a control loop. The term digital control loop encompasses technical control systems and business processes as well as integrating vertically and horizontally information from business applications. The common alignment of different aspects is adjusted to operational targets along the value added chain. The idea of using the digital control loop as an approach for this, is evaluated in a case study.

In process of digitalization the shop floor area, widespread potentials are given to design the form of the organizational process within. On the one hand a variety of opportunities between optimization and innovation are available as a score of the digitalization. On the other hand responsible managers have to create the most efficient form of organizational structure to support the transformation process itself. This article describes the necessity to evaluate the leading form of organizational structure related to efficient interaction of the commissioned implementing team. Based on published characteristics for evaluating the organizational structure which are relevant to design smart factories, a model with varying forms is visualized.