How far has the concept of Industry 4.0 spread through the precast concrete industry? Which options are available for operators of precast concrete plants, mechanical engineering and software companies? During the future congress "PrecastSolutions", Unitechnik gave participants from six European countries answers to these key questions: in presentations and workshops, the expert for industrial automation focused on sustainable solutions that fill the phrase "Industry 4.0" with energy.
Unitechnik, jointly with s-contec, LAP, Ratec, and Trimble/Tekla, demonstrated potentials in the precast concrete industry and already available solutions to support the increasing level of digitalization. Several analogous topics were introduced, e.g. innovative construction elements made of autoclaved aerated concrete and intelligent formwork systems. Digital solutions like BIM (Building Information Modeling) were also a focal point. 3D models of a building created with the assistance of BIM contain all the information relevant for construction and throughout the full useful life of the building – from the foundation to the power outlet. Unitechnik, together with other representatives of the industry, is currently working on a globally uniform IFC interface between BIM and precast concrete plants.
Laser projection of geometries and instructions in pallet circulation systems also offer more added value to increase productivity. Large screens in production are to replace paper, and intelligent control algorithms can minimize waiting times in the production process through cycle time homogenization.
A few of the presented solutions were also available to participants for live testing in the Industry 4.0 course. Virtual reality glasses allowed a virtual tour of a state-of-the-art precast concrete plant. HoloLense also showed visitors a concrete wall where even details of the reinforcement were visible up close. On a Service 4.0 workstation, participants were able to experience the control system of a real precast concrete plant.
PrecastSolutions: Digitalization in Production
