THE DIGITAL FACTORY Planning and simulation of production in automotive industry

Abstract

To improve and to shorten product and production planning as well as to get a higher planning and product quality the idea of the Digital Factory was invented. Digital Factory means a general digital support of planning following the process chain from development over process and product planning to production by using virtual working techniques. It follows that the whole process of developing a new product with its associated production equipment has to be completely simulated before starting any realisation. That calls for the integration of heterogeneous processes and a reorganisation of the whole factory. The Digital Factory will be one of the core future technologies and revolutionize all research, development and production activities in mechanical and electrical industries. International enterprises like DaimlerChrysler and Toyota are making a considerable effort to introduce this technique as soon as possible in their factories. It will give them a significant advance in time and costs.