Siemens has been focusing on the digital company for years now when it comes to product presentations at the Hannover Messe. And so this year, we are certainly not expecting the "big thing" from the market leader in automation. Instead, Siemens will be showcasing numerous additions to its digital enterprise offering for the digital transformation of the manufacturing and process industry in Hall 9 on around 4,000^m2. The integration of future technologies into the portfolio is intended to offer users new and more comprehensive options for utilizing the rapidly growing volume of data in industry.

Using the automotive industry as an example, the use of digital twins, additive manufacturing, innovative robotics and autonomous vehicles for flexible and efficient electric car and battery production will be demonstrated. New product innovations include modern data analysis processes using edge or cloud computing. And "with Mendix, we now have a market leader in the field of low-code app development on board," says Jan Mrosik, CEO of the Digital Factory Division. With the platform and the associated tools and services from the company, which was only acquired in October last year, users should now be able to create their apps up to ten times faster than before.

Jan Mrosik, CEO of the Digital Factory Division: "Since 2007, more than 10 billion euros have been invested in our industrial software package."

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Mrosik is particularly proud of the growing ecosystem surrounding the open, cloud-based IoT operating system MindSphere. Around 90 members are now organized in several independent MindSphere World user organizations in Europe and Southeast Asia. Mindsphere World Asean Pacific was only established at the beginning of this year with 15 founding members.

In terms of product innovations, Mrosik is highlighting a new version of the NX software with machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) functions. This enables the software to predict upcoming work steps and update the user interface in advance. Siemens is also introducing its own E-CAD functionality for the mechatronic engineering of machines and production lines with the "Electrical Design" module.

Rethinking process control technology

Eckard Eberle, CEO of the Process Automation Business Unit, promises new standards in process control technology: "We are rethinking process control technology and will be presenting our innovative process control system at Hannover Messe 2019." The fully web-based system and the multi-user concept for engineering and operation should enable customers to work in new, efficient ways." Expert knowledge can now be used anywhere and at any time. With the enhanced Simatic PCS 7 hardware, customers are already well prepared for the new system. Users will also benefit from PlantSight, which brings together data from several data sources and thus enables quick access to previously inaccessible information. By synchronizing the real plant with the associated engineering data, the digital twin of production is created. Plant operators can count on a high level of trustworthiness and information quality for constant operational readiness and greater reliability. As a further innovation, Eberle is presenting the new CloudConnect products, which are designed to enable data transmission from the field level to various cloud platforms.

The TIA ecosystem

Ralf-Michael Franke, CEO of the Factory Automation Business Unit: "With the multi-carrier system, we see a great opportunity to equip battery manufacturers' production facilities."

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"We are now integrating new technologies such as edge computing and artificial intelligence into the TIA ecosystem," says Ralf-Michael Franke, CEO of the Factory Automation Business Unit, leading into his presentation. "The combination with our current software environments makes it possible to use production data in a completely new way, resulting in a significant increase in productivity," Franke is convinced. At the trade fair, Siemens will be presenting a use case that has already been implemented at its own plant in Amberg. In the production of Simatic products, the integration of edge computing, artificial intelligence and MindSphere in the quality inspection of printed circuit boards using X-ray machines has shown its advantages. In particular, the number of final inspections required has been significantly reduced. Franke's unit's product innovations also include a new generation of high-end industrial PCs with 8th generation Intel processors. An innovative drive and control concept will also be on show, in which Siemens and Festo integrate the multi-carrier system into the Bosch Rexroth transfer system. And last but not least, his team will also be presenting the use of Bitcoin technology in an industrial environment.

Edge computing for data analysis

Wolfgang Heuring, CEO of the Motion Control Business Unit: "Digitalization is the number one productivity driver for our customers in the mechanical engineering sector."

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As part of the Digital Enterprise portfolio, CEO Wolfgang Heuring and his Motion Control Business Unit intend to present a whole range of new solutions. The spectrum ranges from real-time-based edge computing applications for data analysis and performance enhancement of complex machine tools to the comprehensive digitalization of entire production lines and factories. The end-to-end use of software and control technology for additive manufacturing in combination with machine tools and modern robotics will also be presented. Digitalization also plays a central role in drive technology. With the IoT digitalization offering Sidrive IQ, the Heuring unit will be presenting apps and services for optimizing drives by connecting them to MindSphere. Other highlights will include the G120X product family for the water/wastewater, pump and fan industries as well as the new Simatic Micro-Drive servo drive system for the safety extra-low voltage range.