Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has launched its new Digital Factory digitalization solution to help manufacturers create highly accurate digital replicas of their factories. It enables manufacturers to optimize their floor plans, quickly change production lines and operate smarter and more sustainable factories of the future with open interfaces connecting digital twins of production assets.
Hexagon is positioned to solve this problem by bringing experience in providing high-precision reality capture and surveying equipment, software to visualize, explore and simulate scenarios in 3D, and highly productive, cloud-native collaboration workflows. Digitization technologies are a proven technology and have been used in civil infrastructure, architecture and public safety for over two decades. However, their potential has not yet been fully realized in the manufacturing space, where significant disruption is now forcing manufacturers – especially brownfield owners – to rethink their manufacturing facilities and use of space.
According to a Forrester study commissioned by Hexagon, 32% of manufacturers believe that outdated or ineffective manual processes and workflows hinder productivity and collaboration. Digital Factory is a future-proof alternative to traditional factory planning that enables manufacturers to not only increase productivity but also improve efficiency during redesigns – thus avoiding costly mistakes. In addition, it enables more efficient collaboration between manufacturing and operations teams from anywhere in the world. At the core of this solution is improved access to up-to-date data in immersive virtual environments that reflect reality – removing a major obstacle facing smart factory initiatives today.
Digital Factory leverages a comprehensive portfolio of hardware and software solutions that includes Hexagon’s range of reality capture technologies – such as the Leica BLK2GO portable imaging laser scanner, the Leica BLK ARC autonomous scanning module for robots and mobile carriers, and terrestrial laser scanners such as the Leica RTC360 – to enable manufacturers to capture and create dimensionally accurate point clouds of the factory floor. Using the Leica Cyclone software portfolio and Hexagon’s Reality Cloud Studio, which is powered by HxDR, manufacturers can easily collaborate and quickly process data from Hexagon or a customer’s preferred scanning hardware to quickly and flexibly recreate actual 3D spaces.
Hexagon offers complete workflows to ensure manufacturers get maximum value, from scanning the factory floor and processing the data into actionable 3D models for various applications to managing the data in the cloud, making it easier for team members and external stakeholders to provide feedback and make informed decisions.
By using Digital Factory, manufacturers can conduct virtual tours to remotely monitor their factories, collaborate with teams remotely, plan and redesign factory layouts with precision and detail, easily upgrade and install equipment, create operational test benches, and innovate faster.
“Hexagon has developed a deep understanding of manufacturers’ needs. Digital Factory makes it possible to bring the physical world into an accurate virtual sandbox of their factories on demand. Working with their team and suppliers, they can think through ‘what if’ scenarios to develop more effective factory designs and layouts and monitor implementation with irrefutable and accessible 3D plans. We are making the digital factory more affordable and accessible and are excited to see how our customers apply this to grow and maintain their competitiveness with smarter factories,” said Nicolas Lachaud Bandres, VP of Industry Solutions at Hexagon.
Digital Factory is designed for integration into existing customer workflows. It is compatible with Building Information Modelling (BIM) applications, Hexagon’s HxGN EAM Enterprise Asset Management solutions, and CAD software from AutoCAD and Bentley.
