Industrial Automation Magazine India

SmartFactory-KL sets up the production island _SKYE in Hall 8; administration shells, AI, and data spaces in operation.

April 2024 – Reusing components to reduce product and material costs? Sounds like a good idea. Although quite feasible in principle, it is something that is rarely implemented in industrial applications. SmartFactory-KL is demonstrating how used components can be returned to the value chain at the Hannover Messe (April 22-26, 2024). The exhibit includes the production islands_KUBA and _SKYE. Data transfer takes place in data spaces using administration shells to show what sustainable production may look like in the future.

One key element of the circular economy is the recycling of used parts and components. Not all parts of a complex product are equally stressed or show signs of wear and tear that would limit or prevent their further use. This is the basis for the "Re-Use" use case at SmartFactory Kaiserslautern (SF-KL). Recycling of components conserves resources, avoids CO2 emissions, and saves costs. "This is not a new concept," said Teresa Petzsche, who co-developed _SKYE for Green AI Hub Mittelstand, "but we are applying it together with AI in an industrial context. This is going to be very important in the future."

The _SKYE production island is part of the Kaiserslautern Shared Production landscape. It uses AI to evaluate the model truck parts produced as a sample product at the Hannover Messe. Each reusable component has a Digital Product Pass (DPP), which is implemented as an administration shell. In this way, products are visible in the data space. The DPP contains information about the current condition of the component, its previous use history, and its carbon footprint. Reusable parts are placed in temporary storage and are an available option for reinstallation. "We had a big advantage," said Petzsche, "in having access to a realistic industrial manufacturing environment. We were able to integrate the _SKYE production island into a service-based data space that operates under realistic constraints."

Visitors to the SmartFactory-KL stand can configure and order their own model truck. The configurator allows them to specify whether used components may also be installed. The production island_SKYE participates in the data space as a supplier of reusable components. All products are identified and addressed via administration shells. The asset administration shell enables _SKYE to display the product quality checks and self-descriptions to facilitate the decision on whether reuse is possible and how to reintroduce the component to the production cycle as part of a new value chain. "Anyone who configures a small truck with us can, of course, take it home with them. Incidentally, there is a QR code on each truck model that can be used to view the administration shell," said Petzsche.

At the Hannover Messe (April 22-26, 2024), SmartFactory-KL is located in Hall 8, stand D18.