The purpose of the "digital factory” is the holistic planning, realisation, control and continuous improvement of all major factory processes. "Digital factory” therefore refers to real factory planning from product development and production planning right up to commissioning, all of it digital. Any part of a factory can be planned, mapped and simulated using software. The aim is to apply this instrument to significantly reduce the time that elapses between the planning and commissioning of a new production plant.
The "Working Group Digital Factory” of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is organising an exchange of experience on topics surrounding digital planning, in order to create a common understanding among the automotive manufacturers and suppliers concerning the processes, methods and mechanisms involved. Standards, recommendations and guidelines will be defined on the basis of common views. The working group will also focus on requirements of the automotive industry for the application and continuing development of software products in the field of digital planning.
The specialist event entitled "Inter-company co-operation on the digital factory,” which the VDA is holding at the 64th IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hannover, will provide extensive information on the digital factory. The meeting is intended to give participants an overview of various methods and instruments for digital factory planning and provide a platform for exchanging experiences.
The event will take place on Friday, 21 September 2012, from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, in Room 13/14 of the Convention Center (CC) on the Hannover trade show grounds. It is aimed at persons responsible for processes and systems who have a special interest in digital factory planning, workflow simulation and "digital” logistics and material-flow planning, and all those interested in an overview of the work of VDA committees on the subject of the digital factory.
The programme will start with an introduction to the topic from VDA Managing Director Klaus Bräunig. He will be followed by Horst Röhl, who works for Volkswagen AG and heads the VDA Working Group Digital Factory, explaining the tasks and topics of the working group. The lecture "sow – fertilise – harvest” by Peter Csavajda and Justus Liebig, two employees of Daimler AG, will examine why the modern industrial process of factory planning should follow the same rules as in traditional agriculture. Gottfried Mayer, of BMW AG, and Carsten Pöge, of Volkswagen AG, will give a lecture entitled "Simulation strategy and sustainability in the automotive industry,” reporting on results from the VDA’s work group "Workflow Simulation.” Dr Stefan Roth, also of Volkswagen AG, will speak on selected applications in virtual logistics and material-flow planning. To close, Walter Gantner of Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik will give a talk on a supplier’s experience regarding the benefits of committee work.