DIGITAL MANUFACTURING
Clockwise from left: Augmented reality could play a significant part in digital factories; zero set-up times reduce stock levels at SKF; and flexible digital operations bring efficiencies throughout the supply chain
Increased digitalisation has also begun to allow more customisedmanufacturing. Because it can cut
machine re-setting times close to zero, there are fewer restrictions tomaking customised products. Recently, the owner of an aluminiummill required bearings that would allow increased output – through a higher rolling speed – as well as lower maintenance costs and the elimination of unplanned downtime. SKF was able to produce four-row cylindrical roller bearings – complete with optimised surface properties and customised coatings – to boost service life and robustness, as well as designing out product cost. “The production flow is totally unique within the
bearings industry, and constitutes a new manufacturing standard for us, which we will replicate in numerous facilities within the group,” says Luc Graux, director ofmanufacturing for the SKF group. “The investment programme is important for us if we are to utilise our manufacturing capacity evenmore efficiently, as well as increasing our global competitiveness and the flexibility we can offer our customers.” Automatic detection of a failing bearing is a
massive step forward in efficiency.However, the process of ordering the replacement – including sending the purchase order through to manufacturing, estimating the lead time, and delivering the part – still involvesmajor human intervention. SKF is already gearing up for a future in which the faulty part effectively puts in an order for its own
14 /// Environmental Engineering /// August 2017
replacement. Because a smart sensor can already diagnose itself, it’s not hard to imagine that itmight send an automatedmessage all the way back through the supply chain. It goes further than this: increased digitalisation
streamlines themanufacturing process. It has already helped to shrinkmachine re-setting times. In this way, a specific replacement part can be scheduled for addition to the production line with minimal disruption – and fast turnaround. Combining these two factors – accurate prediction
of a failing part, withmanufacturing to order – ensures that some projected demand for parts is replaced by actual demand. This extends the just-in- timemanufacturing concept down as far as the individual component – and could one day bring stock levels close to zero. It is hard to imagine a world without stock, but this vision is within sight. This type of systemis yet to be fully developed,
though SKF is running pilots in specific areas of the supply chain. In the future, the plan is to join these pilot projects together, allowing full, end-to-end digitalisation. “The new production unit will open up new
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possibilities for us to reduce lead times and to improve flexibility and efficiency in our production,” says Sten Karlsson, projectmanager for the new production facility. Parallel to the investment in Gothenburg, similar
investments are planned for Schweinfurt in Germany, Nilai inMalaysia and Flowery Branch in the USA. EE
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