In dialogue: Product and production

In dialogue: Product and production

In Ilsenburg, the physical world of things is merging with data networks

In our Ilsenburg plant, camshafts and the machines used to produce them are in active dialogue. Each camshaft has its own unique ID and passes through the production process almost as if it had a first and last name. And it carries a large amount of data, such as the customer for which it is being produced, its current processing status, and in what condition it left the previous process step. This dialogue between product and production is based on interfaces to the Internet.

Cyber-physical systems – the future of industrial production

Cyber-physical systems

The camshafts also have a memory: the so-called recipe used to produce a specific type of camshaft for a specific customer. In Ilsenburg, the physical world of things is merging with data networks to form a “cyber-physical system.

”This is the future of industrial production. It requires all elements in the production process, if possible, to have a name, a history, and an interface to the web. The aim is the “smart factory,” capable of managing itself, learning, and operating flexibly.