SmartFactory-KL

Technologie-Initiative SmartFactory KL e.V.

Start / Demonstrator 2020

New Production Level 4 manufacturing center to expand existing plant

SmartFactoryKL has ambitious plans for the Hanover Fair (Messe) 2020. A new Production Level 4 manufacturing center is being developed and installed into the existing installation.

The new facility will include two production centers where business card cases are assembled, prepared, and then lasered and output. The integrated Flexible Transport System (FTS) is responsible for transport and quality control. Controlled via 5G technology, the FTS moves the goods produced from Station 1 (Assembly and Preparation) to Station 2 (Engraving and Output). The result is an individually labeled business card case with a QR code that can be accepted by the customer at the output point.

Details about the existing installation.

In a third new Production Level 4 production center, USB memory sticks are built from a studded plastic brick, or Lego block (German: noppenstein) according to customer specification. The data is loaded onto the stick and, prior to output, the finished knobbed USB stick is automatically compared to the order data.

The “noppenstein” bricks are merely a placeholder, taking the place of any product. This part of the plant is the first step towards Production Level 4, according to our definition of autonomous production in the future. We will continue to develop the plant to demonstrate that we can technically implement our vision by 2025.

The interactive demonstrator.

The customer can configure a knobbed USB stick from eight available combinations via touch screen. In addition, it is possible to select the data to be loaded, for example, various information about SmartFactoryKL or customized customer data.

At the Assembly and Preparation (data-charging) station, the knobbed USB sticks are assembled according to the specification data and then checked in the quality control station In a final step, the product is compared again with the order data. Product transport from station to station is managed by a flexible logistics system supplied by Montrac.

Video about logistics system.