Autor: Michael F. Zäh

Machine manufacturers are challenged by the increasing diversity of versions and shorter product life cycles. Thus machines have to be developed and commissioned in a shorter period of time. Additionally the development process of many manufacturers is built up sequentially due to the interdependencies of the mechatronic disciplines. Insufficient coordination between the development divisions leads to time delay during the commissioning. Synergy effects arising from related previous projects can be enhanced by systematic reuse of mechatronic modules in terms of mechatronic standards. This saves time and increases the development quality.

Most enterprises have identified the need for flexibility, but the selection of the right degree of flexibility is a complex task. Sophisticated methods, which consider uncertainties in the valuation model, are time consuming and require a supporting software tool. The existing ones are applicable for very specific planning tasks only. In this paper, a methodology to support the valuation of manufacturing flexibility and PLANTCALC™, a supporting software tool, are presented. Both have been developed in a joint research project of the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management and the Siemens AG.

The assembly of fragile microsystem or semiconductor components poses a challenge on handling technologies as damage by gripping forces must be avoided. Non-contact handling solutions are being developed at the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management that facilitate a gentle gripping of sensitive dies and highly thinned wafers using fluid dynamic effects. The advantages of this technology are reduced damages during handling, a higher yield per wafer as well as a reduction of particle contamination.

The present article reports the results of a methodical approach to the implementation of the Digital Factory in the aircraft industry. At first the initial conditions are surveyed with regard to selected company departments. Subsequently an application concept for integrating computer aided tools in production planning processes is presented and assessed. Eventually, in order to achieve an optimal introduction of the Digital Factory, the main organisational challenges are debated.

For successful new product introductions in a highly competitive market the performance of future production ramp-ups has to be increased. Solving emerging problems efficiently is a necessity for the reduction of total costs and time of the manufacturing start-up period. A specific risk management allows the measurement of potential problems arising in the ramp-up process. Based on this knowledge, it is determined in which specific area a detailed scenario planning promises higher gains than efforts.

Medium-sized industrial enterprises apply resource planning systems for their business processes. Changing markets require permanent adaptation of these enterprises’ organisational structures and processes to ensure their efficiency and their competitiveness. However, currently applied standard software systems have proven to be insufficiently adaptable. They allow multiple configuration options during implementation and setup, but it is hardly possible to perform configuration changes during the application phase. Therefore software developers will have to focus on adaptable enterprise resource planning systems in future. Beyond the development phase (build time) technological progress caused by changing requirements also has to be synchronised simultaneously by current software releases during the application phase (run time).

The Virtual Production is a key element to the mastering of current challenges in the producing industry. Nevertheless in practice in many cases there exist deficits in the field of defining contents and of implementing a strategy regarding the Virtual Production. Therefore this article addresses - starting from a representation of the definition and the structure - the core areas of the Virtual Production. Subsequently the essential steps are illustrated that are necessary to realize the overall Virtual Production and to avoid isolated applications as well.

The meaning of humans as a most important and most valuable production factor is today uncontested. Humans in production are characterised by flexibility, creativity and a high potential of problem solving. The worker must be supported with suitable information technology in order to fulfil tasks under turbulent conditions. A “just-in-time” delivery is nowadays sche-duled only for the material, not for the information. The objective is to support humans in production as efficiently as possible with relevant information, at the correct place, the correct time and in the appropriate quality. To use these new potentials, technologies such as Multimedia, Augmented Vision (AV) and Augmented Reality (AR) have been developed. In the following contribution, the potentials of these technologies are shown and applications will be presented.