– Jochen Adler, CTO, Oerlikon Manmade Fibers
Strauch: Mr. Adler, what can your customers expect ‘digitally’ from Oerlikon?
Adler: I would say the digital refinement of our machines and production systems for manufacturing yarns, fibers, nonwovens along the textile value chain. We want to further optimize the efficiency of the systems and the quality of the end products with digital solutions. For this, we are deploying the know-how of our newly-integrated partner AC-Automation – which specializes in large-scale systems automation, transport, packaging and warehouse logistics and end product automated quality control. We combine this with our process competencies and digital data handling using our Plant Operation Center (POC). This has created Industry 4.0 solutions for our customers – with integrated storage and communication capabilities, wireless sensors, embedded actuators and intelligent software systems. In turn, this allows us to build bridges between data and material flows and between the virtual and real worlds.
Strauch: And what aspects of all this can visitors already see at the ITMA in Barcelona?
Adler: At our trade fair stand we will be offering our visitors a digital experience that allows them to intensely discover and understand our machines, systems, components and services. Here, we will be deploying playful solutions to present the topic of artificial intelligence. We will be taking our 360-degree and augmented-reality applications as well as our virtual showroom with us, to allow visitors to experience complex systems live in 3D. The ‘digital factory’ is already in part becoming a reality in conjunction with our machine exhibits.
– Jochen Stillger, Head of Sales, Thies
Strauch: Let’s stay in the finishing process. Mr. Stillger, the company Thies specializes in dyeing technology. What is your latest I4.0 product?
Stillger: For the ITMA 2019 we offer a new version of our maintenance system, which, among others, was extended by the condition monitoring module. It is an automated planning, execution and monitoring software for inspection, service and routine maintenance, which not only facilitates the procurement of spare parts, but also provides the corresponding technical documentation digitally. At the same time, we are laying the foundation for future machine-specific and customized machine-based learning from the history data.
In addition, a new controller generation will be offered together with one of our control suppliers, which will be open for I4.0 applications and at the same time can be connected to the corresponding MES (Manufacturing Execution System).
Strauch: What specific benefit does a customer get from your solution / technology?
Stillger: Optimization of production processes and production safety through completely transparent planning, implementation and monitoring tools. In the medium term, a significant reduction in process and maintenance time is achieved. There will be a reduction in the failure rate and the time to fix failures. All in all, a reduction in maintenance costs due to a purposefully controlled spare parts inventory and a prioritized and more efficient maintenance is expected.
Strauch: Can you prove this with some facts and figures?
Stillger: Customers will achieve higher machine efficiency through intelligent maintenance. Depending on the individual situation in the dye house, optimization of the processes may reduce the costs by 20 to 50%.Successful energy management (managing energy allocation) can lead to an additional 7% to 10% reduction in costs.
Strauch: The VDMA supports the mechanical and plant engineering industry in the development of OPC / UA Companion Specifications. OPC / UA is an open interface standard that defines the mechanisms of cooperation in the industrial environment. What advantages does OPC / UA provide with regard to your solution / technology?
Stillger: The OPC / UA interface enables standardized data transfer. A significant improvement in data quality is achieved. The new technology introduces customer-specific and system-specific monitoring of the functioning of the machine. Smarter sensors are used for process monitoring. Forward-looking history data are collected for the configuration of self-optimizing AI processes.
– Andreas Hannes, Marketing Manager, Sedo Treepoint
Strauch: Mr. Hannes, tell us something about the portfolio of Sedo-Treepoint?
Hannes: We are known for smart factory integration and offer integrated textile management systems along the textile production chain, such as spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, finishing, printing and inspection. For all departments, PPS, routing of orders (track and trace) or energy management is available. Existing ERP systems are integrated as well, so double entry of existing information is avoided.
Strauch: What can we expect from your company at ITMA in Barcelona?
Hannes: We will introduce a new series of our dyehouse controllers. The new series is specially designed for Industry 4.0. The open connectivity on production and machine level improves the M2M-communication. Important information for the production floor is displayed wherever required.
– Leonhard Kemnitzer, Head of Marketing, Baumüller Nürnberg
Strauch: Mr. Kemnitzer, Baumüller is a well-known manufacturer of intelligent drive and automation systems as well as software for numerous branches, including textile machinery. One focus is simulation software. What’s actually new?
Kemnitzer: Many simulation tools graphically depict machines and systems as 3D simulations. These standard tools focus on the behavior of the machines under optimal conditions. Our simulation software starts one step ahead. In the first step, the drives and the mechanical parts are selected for the respective application task in order to then verify the motion profiles of the machine.
Strauch: What advantage does the software offer?
Kemnitzer: Our software is very user-friendly. With classical simulation tools a large number of different parameters has to be entered. The advantage of our tool is the great simplification of the models without losing their accuracy. Application engineers can work with ready-made models that are just as accurate from the calculation cycles as they are in other simulation tools. Due to the complete integration in the operating software, the models are automatically parameterized and changes can be carried out very quickly. The result of the simulation process is a parameter set which can be used in the real application. This saves much time in the engineering process and reduces the time to market.
