The Digital Factory between vision and reality

The comprehensive approach to the digital factory has become a subject of paramount importance to all major automotive companies, and the chances offered by it are numerous. However, extensive preliminary work is still necessary and thus requires a tremendous effort, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) which must be integrated as suppliers of components. The purposes of the present article are to describe, in a general way, how the vision of the digital factory can be implemented in reality and to outline the problems, which must still be expected in the further course of the endeavour. In addition, the status of research relating to the digital factory at IMAB, Anlagenprojektierung und Materialflusslogistik at the Technical University of Clausthal, and the fields of future developmental activity are illustrated through the use of an example. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.