Ansatz zur Projektierung der Digitalen Fabrik

Producing companies discern in the Digital Factory extensive potentials in terms of planning process acceleration, product quality improvement and cost reduction. These potentials must be achieved by the companies in order to successfully cope with the even stronger competition of international markets. Hence, it becomes clear that the Digital Factory has not a merely short or middle term but rather a long term and strategic character. Therefore, the Digital Factory strategy has to be explicitly supported and prioritised by the top management. At the same time also a detailed design roadmap, a sound quantification and a customised realisation are required. For this purpose, at present, only big enterprises, especially from the automotive and aerospace industry, practise non standard activities. Generally accepted methodical procedures do not exist yet. In particular small and medium sized enterprises (SME) could benefit from an adequate methodology and open up the potentials of the Digital Factory as well.