OEM&Lieferant Ausgabe 1/2018

98 The partners involved In Karlsruhe, the Fraunhofer ICT and IOSB institutes and the Karlsruhe Institute of Tech- nology (KIT) form part of what is called the digital hub. Hubs are networks of startups, science and industry which cooperate to create digital innovations. Today, innovative solutions are usually found when various disciplines inspire each other. This is why KIT’s Institute of Production Science (wbk), Fraunhofer ICT, focusing on materials science, and Fraunhofer IOSB, focusing on informa- tion technology for automation and machine learning, are joining forces to enhance new production methods for processing new ma- terials for series production in an accelerat- ed way. To this end, information technology is providing new methods and tools, namely data-driven models and machine-learning processes and their analysis as well as state- of-the-art measuring and control technology. To accelerate readiness for mass production, the Karlsruhe Smart Factory is using innova- tive lightweight engineering and the assem- bly of battery modules for electromobility as sample applications. For many years now, Fraunhofer ICT has been doing research and development in the field of hybrid lightweight engineering, for example in the area of polymer engineering. Owing to the excellent international contacts and the coop- eration within Fraunhofer Alliances and with KIT’s wbk, the ICT is providing research ser- vices ranging from the first idea and product, material and process engineering to prototype manufacturing. Among other things, ICT is a member of the KITe hyLITE innovation clus- ter focusing on composites technologies for hybrid lightweight construction. This is aimed at the consistent implementation of a multi- material design (MMD) for the intelligent com- bination of fiber composites including other material groups, depending on the individual requirements of the fields of application. In the context of hybrid lightweight engineering, wbk and ICT are making an effort to introduce established or new fiber composites in indus- trial application. In this process, they focus on reducing cycle times, enhancing functional in- tegration through hybridization and ensuring the reproducible component quality through consistently automated production processes. On the basis of the current activities, the Karlsruhe Smart Factory is dealing with the new issue of ‘intrinsic hybridization‘, including its use for data collection. Where battery modules for electromobility are concerned, ITC is developing new approaches to efficient energy storage. The battery plays a key role as an energy storage device in both hybrid-electric and battery-electric vehicles, as well as those equipped with a range extend- er. Among other things, ICT investigates ther- mal influences on driving dynamics, range and charging behavior. For electromobility, new types of storage devices are required with ad- vantages over conventional systems, for exam- ple in terms of higher energy density or lower costs. Fraunhofer ICT conducts research on numerous promising material combinations, e.g. lithium-sulfur cells, sodium-sulfur cells, sil- icon anodes and solid-state systems, aiming to enhance them to application level. Subse- quently, appropriate manufacturing processes are designed to ensure that they are ready for mass production. Drawing on current projects, which are more centered on storage technology, materials and the battery cells that can be produced using these materials, the Karlsruhe Smart Factory is designed to test the processes re- quired to assemble battery cells to form ve- hicle-specific battery packs and to get them ready for mass production. This includes new processes such as stapling cells and configur- ing the associated cooling system, connecting and fixing the cells and subsequently integrat- ing them with sensor technology and the con- trol devices as well as the final assembly in an appropriate body shell. Fraunhofer IOSB’s research and development activities have always focused on shopfloor- related information technology. Ranging from measurement and control technology and embedded systems to complex monitor- ing and control and MES systems, IOSB has designed, developed and delivered ground- breaking innovations for industrial use. IOSB The Karlsruhe Smart Factory From immature processes to series production By Olaf Sauer, Fraunhofer IOSB Germany and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg owe a major part of their wealth to their ability to introduce inno- vative products to the global market quickly and repeatedly. The methodology to be developed by the Karlsruhe Smart Factory is aimed at enhancing these advantages for new, challenging manufacturing processes in a systematic way. Even at a very early stage, when the manufacturing processes required for a new product have not yet been completely under- stood and mastered, high-quality products have to be manufactured. The smart factory is developing a methodology based on sensor and measurement technology, which allows the immature manufacturing process to be converted into a reliable and profitable process. The significantly shorter ‘time-to-market‘ enables the target markets of new products to be conquered at a much earlier stage than today using widespread cost efficient mass production. Industrie 4.0 Graphic/Images: © Fraunhofer IOSB Dr.-Ing. Olaf Sauer

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