What Is a Digital Fabricator?

Digital factory is a new production organization method that simulates, evaluates and optimizes the entire production process in a computer virtual environment, and further extends to the entire product life cycle. It is the product of the combination of modern digital manufacturing technology and computer simulation technology, which is mainly used as a bridge between product design and product manufacturing.

For the digital factory, the German Engineers Association defines it as: The digital factory (DF) is a comprehensive network of digital models, methods, and tools, including simulation and 3D virtual reality visualization, integrated through continuous, uninterrupted data management. The digital factory integrates a database of products, processes and plant models, through advanced visualization, simulation and document management, to improve the quality of products and the quality and dynamic performance involved in the production process.

In China, the most accepted definition of a digital factory is: a digital factory is a new production organization method that simulates, evaluates, and optimizes the entire production process in a computer virtual environment, and further extends to the entire product life cycle. It is the product of the combination of modern digital manufacturing technology and computer simulation technology, which is mainly used as a bridge between product design and product manufacturing. It can be concluded from the definition that the essence of the digital factory is the integration of information ^[1]

Modern industry has experienced a mechanization and electrification revolution. The third industrial revolution in the future is bound to be an intelligent manufacturing revolution that combines machinery, electricity and information. The special report "The Third Industrial Revolution: Manufacturing and Innovation" published by The Economist in April 2012 explained the profound changes in manufacturing caused by technological innovation. Among them, digital and intelligent manufacturing technologies are " The core technology of the Third Industrial Revolution.

As one of the key technologies of digitalization and intelligent manufacturing, digital factories are the embodiment of the integration of modern industrialization and informationization, and also the only way to achieve intelligent manufacturing. With the help of information technology and digital technology, digital factories can provide a comprehensive solution for the entire production process of a manufacturing plant through integration, simulation, analysis, and control. As early as around 2000, manufacturing companies such as SAIC, Haier, Huawei, and Chengfei have started to build their own digital factories. This year, with the intensification of international competition and the rising labor costs in China's manufacturing industry, the requirements for equipment efficiency, manufacturing costs, product quality and other links have continuously increased. Large enterprises represented by them have increasingly attached importance to the construction of digital factories.

Digital collaborative development based on 3D model

In the design part, the application of 3D CAD systems has become quite popular. In 1997, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME began the research and development of standards related to full 3D design. In 2003, it promulgated the "Y14.41 (Digital Product Definition Data Practices)" standard, which incorporates 3D models and dimensional tolerances and manufacturing requirements. Unity is expressed in one model. In the production part, various types of CNC equipment have developed rapidly in recent years in terms of processing accuracy and intelligent control. The single data source based on 3D model and the extensive application of numerical control equipment make integration from design end to manufacturing end possible. Attempts at digital collaborative development and application based on three-dimensional models began in the field of aerospace manufacturing. Due to relatively more stringent requirements in product design, material cost, molding technology and manufacturing accuracy, the aerospace field is generally ahead of other industries in processing and assembly manufacturing processes, which has laid the foundation for digital collaborative development based on three-dimensional models.

At present, the world's advanced aircraft manufacturers have gradually used digital technology to realize the "paperless" design and production of aircraft. The Boeing Company in the Boeing 777 and Lockheed Martin in the F35 development process, based on the three-dimensional model Digital collaborative development and virtual manufacturing technologies have shortened the development cycle by two-thirds and reduced development costs by 50%.

Digital simulation factory based on virtual simulation technology

Digital analog factory is a unique perspective of digital factory technology at the manufacturing planning level. The digital simulation factory based on the virtual simulation technology is based on the relevant data of the product's entire life cycle. The virtual simulation technology is used to simulate, analyze, evaluate, verify and optimize the different links in the manufacturing process from factory planning, construction to operation, and guide the factory. Planning and site improvement. Because simulation technology can deal with complex systems that cannot be handled with mathematical models, can accurately describe the real situation, and determine the key factors affecting system behavior, this technology has an important role in the planning, design, and verification stages of production systems. Because of this, digital analog factories have been widely used in modern manufacturing enterprises. Typical applications include:

(1) Machining simulation, such as machining path planning and verification, process planning analysis, cutting allowance verification, etc.

(2) Assembly simulation, such as human factors engineering check, assembly cycle design, space interference verification, kinematic analysis of assembly process, etc.

(3) Logistics simulation, such as logistics efficiency analysis, logistics facility capacity, and logistics path planning for production areas.

(4) Plant layout simulation, such as new plant planning, production line planning, storage and logistics facility planning and analysis, etc.

Digital workshop based on manufacturing process control and optimization

In manufacturing companies, the workshop is a key link in turning design intent into a product. The digitization of the workshop manufacturing process covers the automation, digitization and intelligence of equipment and processes at different levels in the production field such as the workshop, production lines, and units. Its development trends are also reflected in the three levels of intelligence of the bottom-level manufacturing equipment, optimization of the middle-level manufacturing process, and visualization of the top-level manufacturing performance.

In terms of low-level manufacturing equipment, digital factories mainly solve the problem of autonomy of manufacturing capabilities. Equipment manufacturers not only continue to make progress in improving the high-speed, high-precision, high-reliability performance of the equipment itself, but also pay more and more attention to the sensing, analysis, decision-making, and control functions of the equipment, such as various adaptive processing control and intelligent Processing programming, automatic processing detection and real-time status monitoring and self-diagnosis / self-recovery systems are widely used in production line work centers and workshop processing units. For example, the operating system MAPPS installed on the latest machine tool products from Japan's Moriseiki. This system has Mori Seiki's operating programming and maintenance software built in. It has a high degree of openness, has interactive programming, 3D cutting simulation and maintenance guidance screens, and provides remote monitoring Features are convenient for maintenance services, and cutting simulation can be performed directly. Another trend of manufacturing equipment is to integrate machine tools and related auxiliary devices (such as manipulators) to form a flexible processing system or a flexible manufacturing unit. There are also many manufacturers supporting the integration of multiple CNC machine tools into a production line, which can be operated by one person with multiple machines, and can also be networked. The MAPPS system mentioned above can use the CAPS-NET network software to establish an Ethernet-based network, which enables unified management of operation conditions and production plans ^[2] .