Electricity and Control May 2020

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

The world’s first Shared Smart Factory

In this case study, Rob Goossens, CEO ofTechnologies Added, outlines five transformative lessons that the company learned through its first two years of operation as a shared smart factory. Beyond their value for industry broadly, these lessons, and the concept of the shared smart factory, hold particular relevance, potentially, for small industrial enterprises in South Africa looking to start production, accelerate or scale up their operations.

C reating a breakthrough business in the digital economy needs a fearless and inventive approach. It pays to be different, so businesses need to think about what they’re doing to push boundaries and stand apart. This is what we’ve tried to do at Technologies Added. As operator of the world’s first shared smart factory, we’ve continually striven to challenge conventional manufacturing models and apply a creative approach to how our factory operates. Working with Rockwell Automation to integrate its manufacturing execution system (MES) into our production facilities, we were supported in using automation software resulting in cutting-edge, Industry 4.0 innovation. A smarter model Based in Emmen, in the Netherlands, we opened the factory doors in early 2017. What sets the facility apart is our collaborative model: we host production for

multiple like-minded companies under one roof. This brings to a conventionally closed, proprietary industry, a WeWork-like model that allows the companies we work with to benefit from a ‘ready-to-use’ production model (the manufacturing equivalent of booking space on a subscription basis), shared resources and access to advanced technologies. The model allows our customers to set up configurable production lines fast, enabling ‘mass customisation’ – a flexible and highly scalable process for bringing products to market. The factory sets a new standard through the capabilities it provides, such as 3D modelling, smart robotics, digital twins and data-driven manufacturing, which our customers can use to experiment with new production models. Two years into our journey, we now have 10 companies active in the facility (in addition to our own production lines), and a further 20 companies ordering from us on a regular basis. Based on the experience of the past two years, here are some key lessons I’ve learned that may help other manufacturers seeking to adopt smarter capabilities. Lesson #1 – Make flexibility your advantage At Technologies Added, we use modular ‘flexible assembly’ capabilities to allow for multiple partners to operate simultaneously, with scope for rapid changes in what’s produced on the lines. Both major companies and start-ups use this; the former to test new lines (overcoming some of the issues they have with their legacy production facilities), and the latter to scale up production of goods that they have already validated demand for in the market. Lesson #2 – Challenge the status quo Innovation-focused companies should always look for false assumptions in both their own and their competitor’s existing business models, and probe deeply into whether a better way of operating exists. As an example, at Technologies

4 Electricity + Control MAY 2020