A metaverse for the factory of the future
It’s quiet in the factory hall. An engineer is standing in the facility by himself, his eyes hidden behind a virtual reality headset. Floating in front of him as if it were weightless is the virtual image of a machine component weighing several dozen kilograms in the real world. The engineer lifts his hand, rotates the model, steps aside to view it from a different angle. With a few moves, he simulates loads, checks if components can be assembled – and gets stuck at an edge, detecting a design flaw long before a real-world part will be produced.
What still sounds like science fiction has become routine in many industries, including at motion technology company Schaeffler that has been working with digital twins for years. Thanks to the latest technology collaboration with U.S. tech giant NVIDIA, another chapter of digital progress has begun at Schaeffler. What used to be isolated digital copies of machines and equipment is now becoming a connected, AI-supported ecosystem: In the virtual industrial worlds of NVIDIA’s Omniverse highly dynamic simulations of entire plants are created that thanks to AI not only visualize but actively optimize processes.
About NVIDIA
NVIDIA is an American tech company established in 1993, based in Santa Clara in the U.S. state of California. The company acquired fame for its graphic processing units (GPUs) used in computers, games, AI applications, and data centers worldwide. Today, NVIDIA is driving digitalization in areas like autonomous driving, robotics, and Industry 4.0 with platforms such as Omniverse and AI solutions.
Digital twins connect themselves to create digital ecosystems
By collaborating with NVIDIA Schaeffler is making a consistent move toward a fully digitalized, flexible factory floor. In the NVIDIA Omniverse, all elements of the shop floor are represented, being integrated and simulated there as digital twins.
“Schaeffler is consistently and persistently driving the digitalization of its plants. To be able to shape the production of the future, you need strong partners like NVIDIA. Together, we will create a digital ecosystem for our more than 100 plants that will sustainably revolutionize production processes. The Omniverse and the use of digital twins will make our value chains more efficient and agile.”
Using the American tech company’s platform, Schaeffler is planning to develop digital twins, i.e., digital images of factories and machines. AI-supported solutions enable employees to simulate and optimize physical properties of processes and manufacturing workflow at an accelerated pace. In addition, the Omniverse makes it possible to flexibly deploy forward-thinking technologies such as humanoid robots in the manufacturing environment. Plus, complex, fully automatic assembly processes such as the installation of sealing elements can be improved in the Omniverse based on AI. Real-time simulations enable modifications to even be made during a product’s lifecycle.
“As global manufacturers seek to modernize operations, a simulation-first, AI-driven approach is essential to drive efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage,” says Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA. “Our work together will enable Schaeffler to simulate and optimize its manufacturing and robotics operations before making changes in the real world – accelerating innovation while reducing risk and cost.”
25 percent
less development costs are incurred by companies using digital engineering, i.e., virtual, model-based planning and AI-supported optimization, according to a recent study by consulting firm McKinsey.
30 to 50 percent
shorter time to market can be achieved by digital product development.
Up to 75 percent
fewer physical prototypes are needed, which saves materials and energy – making a measurable contribution to sustainability.
Up to 60 percent
of the typical CO₂ emissions in the development process can be eliminated by digital engineering processes, according to an analysis by Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation.
Up to 50 percent
of the typical design and manufacturing flaws before the first physical prototype can be identified and eliminated by simulation-based development and validation, according to auditing firm PwC.
Roberto Henkel, Senior Vice President Operations Digitalization & IT at Schaeffler, adds: “The technology collaboration with NVIDIA makes realistic, well-functioning representations of digital twins and physical AI possible. Schaeffler aims to play a key role in shaping the development of the Industrial Metaverse for the manufacturing industry together with NVIDIA. For this, we are contributing our decades of knowledge in the fields of manufacturing and vertical integration for the further development of Omniverse.”
