Smart Connected Assembly – Powered By Data
Atlas Copco is taking its vision of smart factory to a higher level. Called ‘Smart Connected Assembly – Powered by data’, it addresses the challenges faced by manufacturing companies of how best to use the data collected in their production. The concept shows how to generate value by utilizing data created by Atlas Copco smart tools and solutions at each phase of a customer’s process – from design, to prototype, and to assembly.
The main Industry 4.0 challenges are:
Higher Product Mix: The requirement for customization of consumer end-products will increase. The batch size one vision of Industry 4.0 is to have the same cost for one or a million units produced. This will require new levels of flexibility in production.
System Complexity: Production systems will become ever more complex and more and more production critical operations will depend on networked systems. The importance of managing configuration, software versioning and access control will be vital to maintain quality control and uptime in production.
Human Factors: The human factors will play an important role for the future. Assembly operators need to adopt the new technologies available to leverage the potential. To do that, systems must be user friendly and the vast amount of data created in the assembly process needs to be processed with the most important information presented to the operator.
Sustainability: Sustainability focus will increase to a new level with plants powered by wind and solar. Environmental awareness will be higher and regulations enforced globally
What does ‘Smart Connected Assembly – Powered by data’ mean?
Imagine, technology that collects and analyzes tightening data throughout the life cycle of a product program, and can thus predict tool failures, recommend an optimal maintenance plan, and reduce production costs. Technology that provides valuable insights from previous production programs in the data it generates.
Design / Prototype phase Design: Analysis in real time of the behavior of similar components used in todays manufactured product. Prototype: technology that learns the behavior of the joint, detecting its possible relaxation, setting up the process. Technology that stores the information in a common database for use in later phases of the process.
Body Assembly: Technology that imports the data analyzed in the design and prototype phases. That analyzes quality issues, identifies savings in different areas and signals when to perform maintenance.
Final Assembly: Technology that enables centralized production management and can implement standardized processes anywhere in the world. Technology that gives alerts on quality risks, reducing warranty costs and risk of recall.
Life Cycle Phase: A technology able to understand the tool usage thanks its capability to collect and analyze the tightening results and to compare with the tool specification by having a 360 analysis. In order to predict tool failures in advance and suggest the best maintenance plan, minimizing unexpected tool failure and saving production costs.
Smart Connected Assembly supports Industry 4.0 becoming reality. A reality where technology is easy to use and quickly delivers value.
For more information: www.atlascopco.com
