INDUSTRY NEWS
Networked machines at TRUMPF ’ s Smart Factory .
Tobias Reuther , Head of the TRUMPF Smart Factory and Customer Centre in Ditzingen .
The Smart Factory
TRUMPF opened its Smart Factory in halls : from high-performance stand-alone Ditzingen ( Germany ) just over six months machines and semi-automated systems to ago where thirty machines constantly fully automated autonomous processes . communicate with each other , fifty
Automation can be seen in each of the four employees show them to customers and halls ,” explained Tobias Reuther , head of they process about 100 tons of sheet metal the TRUMPF Smart Factory and Customer into parts for machine tools every month . Centre Manager .
Its fully networked machinery is therefore “ We ’ re not putting on a show here . more than just a showroom for customers . Anyone who enters the Smart Factory Here , it cuts , punches , bends and welds immediately senses that humans and sheet metal parts for its own machine machines are working here in a real tools : side panels , cable ducts or machine production facility . What visitors see housings . In this way , it can show small and is authentic . It makes sense and is medium-sized companies what ‘ efficient and understandable . We want to get even automated sheet metal processing looks like closer to the needs of our customers . As a in practice ’. solutions provider , the focus is not just on
Tobias Reuther is head of the TRUMPF individual machines , but on the entire sheet Smart Factory . Here , he talks about what metal working process ,” he added . has changed for customers and TRUMPF employees and reveals why smartphones Impact on employees play a central role in manufacturing .
Digitised sheet metal processing
“ We are pushing the limits of what is technically feasible here . What we developed yesterday , we test today and show it to our customers tomorrow , if possible . With a total area of 5,000 square metres , this type of demonstration centre for digitised sheet metal processing is probably unique and international . The Smart Factory extends over four production
Increased efficiency of up to 30 per cent means a change for the employees . At TRUMPF , even more so because the Smart Factory is a showroom , production unit and training centre all at the same time .
“ The employees sometimes compare us to a patchwork family . While one of them is demonstrating a punching machine to a customer , the other is cutting sheet metal parts for our plant in Hettingen on the fully automatic laser machine . And in between , colleagues are holding a training session at a bending cell . So , we all have to coordinate closely . This togetherness also works well thanks to smartphones or smart watches . This guarantees full transparency and every employee has an overview of all machines and production processes ,” continued Reuther .
“ We work even more closely together here than we did before , anyway . In the Smart Factory , the machine operator receives tips and tricks on programming and operation from the application expert ; and the machine operator explains to the application expert how a machine can be further improved during regular operation . This win-win situation that also helps our customers in the end .”
The coronavirus effects
Despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic , Reuther believes it has also accelerated TRUMPF ’ s path to digitisation .
www . trumpf . com
The heart of the Smart Factory is the Control Centre .
Smart watches give overviews of machine and production processes .
ISMR June 2021 | sheetmetalplus . com | 17