Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT
Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT
© Fraunhofer IPT

Digitalization in industrial use

In industrial production, comprehensive data on processes and products can already be collected and evaluated today. The use of sensors, data transmission and the conversion into corresponding control commands are challenging fields of development, as is the development of new digital services and business models.

© Fraunhofer IPT

ICNAP Report 2024

In 2024, ICNAP worked on five different studies. Here you can find our ICNAP report.

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Digitalization in production: how data contributes sustainably to corporate success

More efficient production processes and process chains, new business models with digital services, and powerful supplier and customer management along the entire value chain – this is the promise of digitalization in the context of Industry 4.0.

For about ten years now, the networking of machines, the use of new algorithms for plant control, and the use of data for predictive maintenance have been gaining momentum: Companies with high requirements for consistent product quality have thus been able to expand their competitiveness and resilience in the face of global crises and hold their own well in worldwide markets.

At Fraunhofer IPT, we support manufacturing companies in developing their individual digitalization strategies, identifying profitable applications and taking the first steps towards digital transformation with efficient resource planning. We know the best practices of different industries and product areas, the technologies behind them, and the IT solutions that need to be provided for networked, adaptive production. In addition, we deal intensively with the cybersecurity concerns of production facilities – an area of work that is becoming increasingly important, especially in today's world.

Industry meets IT: fields of application for digital technologies in production

Increasingly powerful sensor technology in manufacturing processes and products provide enormous amounts of data that can be used as decision-making aids. This can be used to improve the performance of process chains, to document safety-relevant pro-cessing steps, to predict wear and maintenance intervals more precisely than before, or to learn more about usage behavior and customer needs. We have expertise and the right tools for all these application areas, so that your production becomes more flexible, crisis-proof and sustainable.

Artificial intelligence in production

AI helps to filter out information from extensive production data and in this way to reach the right conclusions more quickly.

AI in production
 

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Cloud for manufacturing

Always have an overview of your data space. Individual cloud solutions offer you a robust, efficient and scalable production infrastructure.

Cloud for manufacturing
 

Digital Twin

Component development in numerous iterative steps is often costly. The Digital Twin offers the chance to get the first part right out of the machine.

Digital Twin

5G in production

Fast data transmission with short latencies – 5G mobile technology is ideally suited for networking sensors and control technology in an adaptive plant system.

5G in production

Networking and control

We provide the appropriate software and hardware platforms and modules for plant networking on the store floor.

IT security in production

Networked machines and systems are susceptible to a wide range of attack scenarios and malware. With our expertise, we help ensure that you can produce safely.

IT security

Fit for Industry 4.0

Digitalization in the company is not an end in itself, but follows clear strategic goals. We enable companies to develop their individual digitalization strategies and implement them in a targeted manner.

Fit for Industry 4.0

Where to put all the data?

As a manufacturing company, you are reluctant to hand over your data. On the other hand, you would certainly like to try out how you can benefit from digitalization in your production? From joint research projects on the use of AI or machine learning to modern sensor technology and mobile data transmission with 5G to testing a wide variety of Big Data tools on our secured Fraunhofer Edge Cloud – we support you in your curiosity!

 

Capture data

Ensure consistency and provision of data.

 

Analyze data

Generate knowledge to optimize production processes.

 

Data-based action

Implement actions and decisions in production.

Industry 4.0 – from vision to product

In recent years, we have already developed concrete applications for digitalized production. Safety-critical, individualized and high-precision products offer challenging tasks that we are working on and continuing to work on together with partners from industry. Here are three examples from our research and development for sophisticated components and system applications.

 

High-performance machining 4.0

For engine component manufacturing processes, we are working on solutions to reduce and even avoid costly manufacturing errors.

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.ipt.fraunhofer.de/de/branchen/luftfahrt/digitalisierung-in-der-turbomaschinenfertigung.html

high-performance machining
 

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The digital twin for battery cell production

The digital product twin makes it possible to create a virtual representation of the products that evolves dynamically throughout the entire process chain.

battery cell production
 

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Software optimizes forming process

Trained software offers machine users alternative processing strategies in the event of a tolerance deviation during production.

Optimized forming