Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS
The development towards flexible cell production means that even tools are not permanently installed, but can be used flexibly. Here, it is important for employees to know where the corresponding tools are located in order to reduce search times. In addition to the possibility of absolute positioning of the tool in the entire factory hall, 5G can offer added value, especially with its planned relative positioning capability (D2D), by allowing the positioning of tools relative to the worker or an assembly cell.
If the tool is a so-called intelligent tool that offers a wide range of functions by means of object recognition, machine learning, different sensors and a radio link to a central system, both the quality of the assembled products and quality control can be improved.
One example is the development of an intelligent tool for assembly in automotive production by Fraunhofer IIS in collaboration with BMW.