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Dr. Martin Schönheit, Managing Partner of Dr. Schönheit + Partner (S + P), will be giving a presentation on “Plant-on-Demand and Digital Twin – Solution for medium-sized manufacturing companies” at the 20th German Congress on Factory Planning, which will take place in Ludwigsburg from November 13 – 14. In an interview with the trade magazine Produktion, he gave an initial insight into important aspects of planning the factories of the future.
What factors will be important for factories in a global context in the future?
Dr. Martin Schönheit: It is usually a matter of adapting globally valid factory planning approaches to local conditions. This concerns:
- cultures and regulations in the countries that need to be understood and incorporated into the factory design.
- stackability and storey height of buildings in countries where urban production plays a role (Singapore, Malaysia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria).
- resource conservation and circular economy with a view to reusable materials and sustainability.
- flexibility and multifunctionality of buildings with a high degree of changeability.
What role does the digital twin play in this context?
Dr. Martin Schönheit: The digital twin of a 3D-designed factory has become an indispensable tool in today’s planning work. From the outset, the various planners and users work in the same “single source of truth” digital model. The digital twin helps to ensure functionality (quality), accelerates planning (speed), provides initial testing (forecasting) and creates acceptance for change among teams that cannot imagine their future factory (change). In addition to planning, the digital twin is a good foundation for the operating phase and facility management in particular.
Keyword Metaverse: Is the technology already mature enough to play a dominant role in factory planning?
Dr. Martin Schönheit: Of our requirements as a holistic factory planner for the simultaneous use of artificial intelligence and metaverse only 25% are offered in commercially available systems and tools. This leads us to integrate the real world into the virtual world with our own VR tools. Medium-sized companies in particular cannot yet afford to invest in this digital VR world. As a planner and connecting link, we are trying to close this gap for medium-sized manufacturing companies.
➡️ Further information and tickets for the congress can be found here: https://www.fabrikplanung-kongress.de/
