Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has launched its new digitalisation resolution, Digital Manufacturing unit, designed to assist producers construct extremely correct digital replicas of their factories. It permits producers to optimise their ground plans and shortly pivot manufacturing strains at the moment, and function smarter and extra sustainable future factories with open interfaces that join digital twins of shopfloor belongings. Such options may save a world manufacturing firm £35 million per yr* by avoiding pricey errors and providing a 50% discount within the typical journey prices and the on-site coaching required.
Hexagon is uniquely positioned to handle this subject via its experience in delivering best-in-class accuracy actuality seize and surveying gear, software program to visualise, discover and simulate eventualities in 3D, and high-productivity cloud-native collaboration workflows. Digitalisation applied sciences are a confirmed expertise and have been used for over twenty years in civil infrastructure, structure and public security, however their potential has but to be absolutely realised within the manufacturing area the place important disruption now requires producers – particularly brownfield web site house owners – to rethink their manufacturing gear and use of area.
In accordance with analysis performed by Forrester and commissioned by Hexagon, 32% of producers consider that outdated or ineffective handbook processes and workflows are limitations to productiveness and collaboration. Digital Manufacturing unit is a future-ready various to conventional manufacturing unit planning that allows producers to not solely ramp up productiveness, but additionally improve effectivity in remodelling, stopping pricey errors. It additionally empowers extra environment friendly collaboration between manufacturing and operations groups from wherever on the planet. The core of this resolution is improved entry to up-to-date information in immersive digital environments that mirror actuality, addressing a significant barrier that good manufacturing unit initiatives face at the moment.
Digital Manufacturing unit leverages a complete portfolio of {hardware} and software program options that features Hexagon’s award-winning vary of actuality seize expertise – such because the Leica BLK2GO handheld imaging laser scanner, the Leica BLK ARC autonomous scanning module for robotic and cellular carriers and terrestrial laser scanners just like the Leica RTC360 – that enable producers to seize and create dimensionally-accurate level clouds of the manufacturing unit ground. Utilizing the Leica Cyclone software program portfolio and Hexagon’s Actuality Cloud Studio, powered by the HxDR, producers can simply collaborate and shortly course of information from Hexagon or a buyer’s most well-liked scanning {hardware} to recreate up-to-date 3D areas with pace and adaptability.
Hexagon provides full workflows to make sure producers obtain the utmost worth, from scanning the manufacturing unit and processing the information into actionable 3D fashions for numerous functions, to managing the information within the cloud, making it simpler for group members and exterior stakeholders to supply suggestions and make knowledgeable choices. Through the use of Digital Manufacturing unit, producers will have the ability to:
Conduct digital excursions for distant manufacturing unit monitoring – Lead a digital tour of a manufacturing unit with distant entry, eliminating the necessity for managers and contractors to journey onsite.
Distant group collaboration – Facilitate distant collaboration amongst key groups and stakeholders at any time, utilizing cloud-based instruments with evaluation and modelling capabilities with on-demand information. Manufacturing unit planners and manufacturing managers could make choices remotely and supply suggestions with confidence primarily based on dependable and up-to-date information.
Plan and transform manufacturing unit layouts with accuracy and element – Seize exact measurements of a manufacturing unit, creating an actual and dependable digital mannequin that may be accessed anytime from wherever. Manufacturing unit house owners can often monitor the progress of manufacturing strains beneath building in meticulous element, avoiding the prices related to sudden errors.
Simply improve and set up gear – Introduce and improve equipment resembling machining centres, 3D printers, robotics and metrology methods by evaluating their addition or substitute in a risk-free digital mannequin. This helps forestall costly errors resembling ordering incorrect components, not having enough footprint or entry to put in a machine.
Create operational test-beds and innovate sooner – By testing out new machines, manufacturing unit ground layouts and workflows within the digital 3D atmosphere, firms can shortly establish feasibility and emissions concerns, enabling them to raised perceive the potential advantages of latest expertise and make future-ready good factories a actuality.
