vertical integration

Establishing “smart” production processes that are focused on sustainability and based on aggregated data requires a great deal of exchange at various levels. The vertical integration of different production components provides companies with an important basis for achieving their sustainability goals. Digital twins can play a decisive role in driving this process forward.

Due to heterogeneous standards of information systems in many indus-trial firms the planning- and execution systems are unconnected or incompatible. Therefore, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) combine ERP-, PDM/EDM- and automation systems. However, simultaneously an increase of the in-house usage of internet technologies in production occurs, such as active technologies, web service and industrial frame- works. They allow new production systems and concepts, driven by the direct, IP-based networking of all information and automation systems. Consequently, the general conditions of MES changes.