Tooling 4.0

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The five action fields of Tooling 4.0

Improvements in Industry 4.0 can already be seen in other industries. Industry 4.0 connects humans, machines and objects via real time-capable data streams. New applications and services are generated by collecting, storing, analysing and utilising data with sensors and actors. The increasing data-processing capabilities make it possible to handle complex systems better and more efficiently. These possibilities are expected to improve operational excellence in toolmaking, while also providing additional product functions and services for customers. Tooling 4.0 consists of five action fields: Smart Products, Smart Services, Smart Innovation, Smart Shopfloor and Smart Organisation.

The main idea of Tooling 4.0 is to augment devices or processes by collecting and processing data. In the Smart Products and Smart Services action fields, tools are equipped with sensors to collect data of their performance in the series production process. This data can be used directly in a control loop to adjust parameters of the tool or the production process. A second option is to use the data for subsequent improvements in the tool in question or for designing new tools. Intelligent tools also help in developing Smart Services. Toolmakers can analyse the collected data and offer various services to their customers, like predictive maintenance and data-based consulting on product and process development. With these applications and services, toolmakers are connected directly to series production and can thereby obtain continuous feedback on the performance of their tools. This in turn enables toolmakers to improve their tools and services and increase customer satisfaction.

VDW

German machine tool industry grows

Accelerating the product development process

The objective of Smart Innovation, meanwhile, is to handle change requests of tools in a more efficient way. The demand for a fast time-to-market and an iterative product development process with many prototypes needs to be addressed by toolmakers. The know-how of tools and the production process needs to be incorporated directly into the product development process and toolmakers need to analyse the recorded production data in order to make more precise forecasts for process limitations. Toolmakers can also accelerate the product development process by offering resources and know-how for 3D printing and building prototype tools. The Smart Shopfloor action field focuses on improving the efficiency of the internal toolmaking processes. Every process step can be traced by production data systems using RFID or indoor GPS. Transparency is increased with the available data and suggestions for steering options are made to employees in the planning department. The different steering options and their effects are calculated by the planning system and the planner can choose the best option by combining the analysis with his or her experience.

To perform in all action fields of Tooling 4.0, a Smart Organisation has to be established as a backbone for all of the collected data and knowledge. Individual employees learn by repetition or with the help of experienced experts, but now the entire organisation needs to learn from collected data and experiences made. This requires a constant exchange of knowledge between employees and the Smart Organisation. To take advantage of the lessons learned, the knowledge needs to be shared between different departments and key suppliers of toolmakers. This requires aligned and intelligent processes as well the implementation of digital systems and applications.

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