The automotive industry is changing. Anyone who wants to get involved in 'future mobility' must now come up with comprehensive strategies. Digital skills are increasingly in demand and, according to Gartner, open data and open source collaboration approaches, holistic ecosystems and technology partnerships are gaining in importance. Smart factory concepts that combine innovative automation, digitalization and smart intralogistics approaches are needed to counter the shortage of skilled workers, better meet market and customer requirements and increase efficiency, productivity and sustainability. The four pillars of well thought-out smart factory approaches in the automotive sector are presented below.

Impetus for the smart factory

Digitalization, including AI technology, is considered the key to having access to all information, processes and components in a plant in order to bring together and optimize operational or production planning, purchasing, customer-specific execution and more. Intralogistics is a second pillar that transforms and streamlines processes. This includes somewhat innovative robotic solutions, such as mobile robots. The car manufacturer BMW, for example, relies on mobile LD robots from Omron to transport materials. These Autonomous Intelligent Vehicles (AIV) are equipped with an active and height-adjustable conveyor attachment (load handling device) developed by system integrator cts. Intralogistics describes all processes in which materials, products and supplier products are moved. Delivery logistics, internal movements, conveyor belts, forklift trucks, high-bay warehouses, SCARA robots, cobots and more are therefore also part of intralogistics processes. Take battery production, for example: A battery in the e-mobility environment is frequently moved and transported until it is finally finished. This requires numerous technologies and solutions that support intralogistics and are closely interlinked.

Growing importance of industrial ecosystems

Links such as these run through the most diverse areas of the Smart Factory, because the future of the automotive industry cannot be realized on its own. Even significant customer values can only be realized together. It is increasingly about developing and driving forward solutions together with partners that cover individual needs and market requirements as quickly and effectively as possible. A recent IDC study on IIoT in Germany 2022 highlights the importance of such ecosystems: the experts assume that by 2026, almost a third of all revenue generated by the world's largest companies will come from shared data, applications and operational initiatives within industry ecosystems. The main goals of participating in industry ecosystems are faster innovation for 31%, new sales potential for 29% and promoting the safety and quality of their own products for 26%.

Integrating IT and OT

Seamless IT-OT integration is also essential for the success of IIoT projects, according to IDC. OT in the automotive environment includes automation solutions, sensor technology and motion control, for example. In order to connect these two levels, OT expert Omron works with partners who have IT expertise. One example is Dassault Systemès, a company that creates collaborative virtual environments as 'virtual twin experiences' of the real world. Together with VAF and Dassault Systèmes and using the 3DExperience platform, Omron has developed a robot-assisted stacker cell for assembling fuel cell stacks. With the help of the digital twin, production processes can be run through virtually in order to improve planning and development. IT and OT are thus merged to create agile and scalable production solutions.

Big data as a driver of innovative production processes

In the coming years, smart (intelligent) manufacturing will establish itself as a holistic strategy across the entire process from design to optimization, production and delivery through to the entire product life cycle. The benefits of increased communication options and data generation and management will be used to optimize, establish and renew processes. At the same time, processes in modern production facilities can be continuously optimized using AI. Smart manufacturing supports sophisticated production and assembly methods to improve quality, increase OEE, increase flexibility while simultaneously optimizing sustainability, performance and costs. With the help of data generated by sensors and/or control systems, intelligent machines can be dynamically adapted to changing processes and operating conditions. At the same time, employees are relieved. This is becoming increasingly important in view of the growing shortage of skilled workers, which is currently greater than ever before. There are currently more than half a million vacancies and there is a lack of qualified employees to fill them.

The author: Henry Claussnitzer is Business Engagement Manager Automotive EMEA at Omron.

© Omron

In the smart factory, a world based on industry ecosystems, the interaction of IT and OT, digitalization, intralogistics, AI and innovative automation solutions, the performance of machines and processes will become predictable thanks to digital simulation technologies. Digital technologies with predictive maintenance and adaptive performance will extend the service life of machines. Smart manufacturing will reduce time-to-market and development costs. At the same time, digitalized factories are the basis for flexibility, efficient use of resources with predictable quality and the offer of new business models. So much for the theory. Now the time has come: Get active!