Real-Time asset tracking; a starting point for Digital Twin implementation in Manufacturing

Abstract

Mass customization and shortening product life cycles pose a heightened set of requirement on modern production systems. Fast response to changing conditions has been found to be a key to competitive advantage for manufacturing firms. In order to cope with this, modern firms are entering in the fourth industrial revolution. Smart pieces of equipment, based on ubiquitous computation and reliable communication, are being deployed in the shop-floors and supply information to the whole enterprise. The work presented in this paper belong to a pilot project to explore promising technologies in this domain and deploying them in a test-line at a large vehicle manufacturer in Sweden. Traceability and visibility of assets plays a critical role in the process of improving shop-floor performance, contributing to better control, planning and scheduling decisions. In detail this article focuses on the collection of requirement and design of a real-time positioning system for asset tracking including its implementation with other technologies in the company demonstrator.