A stepwise implementation of the virtual factory in manufacturing industry

Paper in proceeding, 2018

A big challenge for manufacturers today is to create a flexible and efficient production system. One way of managing this challenge is to establish a virtual factory, a virtual model of the production unit. Working smarter by using the advantages that digitalization implies enables production of personalized products at increasing speed. This paper explores how to implement such a concept by stepwise increasing the maturity of the virtual factory. Evaluated at a large-scale Swedish manufacturer, local needs and enabling technologies benchmarked at industry leaders have been identified and strategically mapped to their corresponding maturity step. This paper shows that the implementation of a virtual factory relies on standardized work procedures, ensuring its use as a decision aid throughout the company. Implementing a virtual factory in this manner will facilitate user-driven development and more accurate decision making, generating support for efficient production systems.