DIGTAL FACTORY- INTEGRATION OF SIMULATION FROM PRODUCT AND PRODUCTION PLANNING TOWARDS OPERATIVE CONTROL

Digital factory, product and production management, simulation, operative production control The digital factory concept is an integrated approach to enhance the product and production engineering processes and simulation is a key technology in digital factory concepts. Different types of simulation can be applied in virtual models on various planning levels and stages to improve the product and process planning. In an advanced stage simulation can be used in the digital factory concept to enhance the operative production planning and control processes from the management level to the factory floor also. DIGITAL FACTORY- VISION The vision of the digital factory concept focuses on the integration of methods and tools available on different levels for planning and testing the product and the related production and operative control of the factory. (VDI 4499). Therefore the digital factory concept integrates the following aspects x Product development, test and optimization x Production process development and optimization x Plant design and improvement x Operative production planning and control The digital factory concept can be also seen as an enterprise and information strategy managing and collaborating processes of factories in global networks