SmartFactoryKL was represented at the SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg at the end of November 2018 with the important trade fair theme 5G. It was shown how the Flexible Transport System (FTS) is integrated into the safety logic of the plant via 5G communication. The FTS is assigned to a production line depending on its position and is part of an emergency stop circuit. In addition, the data transmitted via 5G is evaluated in a cloud. “Together with SmartFactoryKL and its associates, we at DFKI are developing and evaluating various use scenarios for 5G in a production environment,” says Prof. Dr. Detlef Zühlke, Chairman of the Board of Management of SmartFactoryKL, about the importance of 5G. In addition to 5G, following topics were also represented at the exhibition in Nuremberg:

• TSN (Time Sensitive Networking): Demonstration of a cable cutting process in which two motors work synchronously to provide a regular feed of the cable.
• Edge Devices: Upgrade of brownfield systems by edge devices with the display of live data from the SmartFactoryKL system.

Many international visitors came to the booth and learned about developments in Industry 4.0. Several SmartFactoryKL associates were also represented at the fair.

SmartFactoryKL and DFKI’s Innovative Factory Systems research team once again presented the subject of vertical integration in production with 19 industrial partners at the Hannover Messe. A central question of industry took center stage: How can existing production facilities be digitally retrofitted? The answer is found in the use of edge devices as the essential tool for obtaining and using the data from the systems. Various devices from our partner companies – from mini-PCs to IoT gateways to cloud connections – are used in the SmartFactoryKL consortium’s Industrie 4.0 production plant: Technically diverse, edge devices all perform the similar task of collecting the condition data of the production machines that is then processed in the cloud platform. Processing allows conclusions to be drawn about the condition of the system (condition monitoring) and, for example, maintenance work can be initiated as needed (predictive maintenance). Many interested guests from Germany and abroad – including politicians, high-ranking business representatives, associations, and research institutes – visited the exhibit stand in Hall 8. “Together, we show practical solutions that can be implemented immediately while making an important contribution to the transfer of knowledge from research and demonstration to practical applications,” said Prof. Dr. Detlef Zühlke, chairman of the board of SmartFactoryKL. Other priorities:

• Connected cloud: Networking different clouds – from various supplier clouds to a service provider cloud to a higher level system cloud.
• 5G Mobile technology: Protected transmission of high data rates and the lowest possible latency. Visual quality control of components via 5G.
• Modular certification: Flexible, fast, and secure production plants in the sense of a Plug & Produce approach down to the component level.
• Improved infrastructure: Moving data management from the infrastructure box itself to the edge devices. The supply infrastructure intelligence moves closer to the components.
• AI and AR: AI assists employees to combine data from various sources and use only the relevant filtered information. Augmented Reality supports this activity, for example, via smart data glasses.
• TSN (Time Sensitive Networking): real time and multi-protocol capable network infrastructure

Exhibit partners include: Belden/Hirschmann, Bosch Rexroth, B&R Automation, EPLAN Software & Service, Festo, HARTING, Huawei, IBM, KIST Europe, LAPP KABEL, METTLER TOLEDO, MiniTec, PHOENIX CONTACT, Pilz, proALPHA, SAP, Siemens, TÜV SÜD, and Weidmüller.

SmartFactoryKL and the Research Department Innovative Factory Systems of DFKI (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence) presented the latest developments in Industrie 4.0 at the SPS IPC Drives Exhibition (28.-30.11.2017) in Nuremberg. These were, amongst others, modular assembly, innovative assistance systems, and real time communication (time sensitive networking, TSN). These topics were presented on several modules:

• Intelligent manual workstation
• TSN demonstrator
• Mobile transport system
• Touch table & VR glasses

The exhibited technologies attracted many visitors. Especially the objective as a manufacturer-independent demonstration and research platform aroused interest amongst new visitors. Visitors interested in the digitalization in SMEs were also keen on getting to know the Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Kaiserslautern. Many good discussions with SmartFactoryKL partners also took place. SPS IPC Drives is Europe’s leading exhibition for electric automation technology and takes places in Nuremberg, Germany. The 2017 exhibition saw a new record with 1,675 exhibitors and more than 70,000 visitors.

Flexibility, modularity and networks are important aspects in the light of Industrie 4.0. The SmartFactoryKL partner network is focusing on the following topics at Hannover Messe this year:

• Cross-site production: For the first time, the modules are no longer set up in one line but distributed over three production cells. A flexible, autonomous guided vehicle connects the three cells.
• Dynamic safety concept: realized on the basis of an industrial Ethernet-based communication protocol. This new feature allows for an emergency stop function to be implemented flexibly for the first time at the individual production cells, eliminating the need to parameterize the entire system.
• Smart manual workstation: offer improved operator-assistance or make a more flexible interaction between humans and machines possible, thanks to an easy-to-use user interface.
• Improved data exploitation thanks to the further development of IT/OT systems: Now data can be displayed, integrated, transported, and recorded much more easily. Highlights include an IO module, operational data publication via MQTT, two dashboards, and a web-based product configurator.

Partners in the SmartFactoryKL Industrie 4.0 production plant network are: Belden/Hirschmann, Bosch Rexroth, Cisco, EPLAN Software & Service, Festo, HARTING, IBM, iTAC, LAPP KABEL, METTLER TOLEDO, MiniTec, PHOENIX CONTACT, Pilz, proALPHA, TE Connectivity, TÜV SÜD, Weidmüller and Wibu-Systems.

“In developing agile factory systems and human-machine-interaction, we see a great opportunity for the successful transfer of our Industrie 4.0 technologies into producing companies”, said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Zühlke, Chairman of the Board of SmartFactoryKL. Booth highlights in 2016 were demonstrations of the topics of scalable automation, knowledge transfer on the shop floor as well as complex networking in production.