A collaborative effort for digital transformation
As the lead consortium partner, Iskraemeco partnered with ADD, GL Charge, Iskra AMS, 3 Project, and Q-Mins to bring this project to life. The Digital Twin for Digital Lean project is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which aims to strengthen the economy and society in a sustainable way.
Introducing advanced technologies
The Digital Twin for Digital Lean project represents a significant step forward in digitizing various business functions, including production, assembly, packing, warehousing, equipment and internal logistics, testing and quality, and purchasing. We’ve significantly upgraded our existing digital products and services by introducing digital innovation, automation, robotics, and 4IR and 5IR technologies.
Here are some of the key technologies implemented:
- Robotics and process automation
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Artificial intelligence (AI) for decision-making
- Digital twins (production and knowledge)
- Big data
- AR/VR
- 3D printing
By implementing advanced technologies such as the digital twin, robotics, automation, IoT, and AI, we’ve significantly improved our internal and external processes.
Benefits throughout the chain
The project’s primary benefit is improving both Iskraemeco’s internal and external processes across the entire supply chain (supplier – Iskraemeco – customer). Developed in collaboration with ADD, the digital twin platform captures vast amounts of data from production lines (IoT feeds) and other sources. Through visualization interfaces, we can monitor production line performance in near real-time and analyze lean manufacturing parameters. This allows for improved throughput, production utilization, and reduced costs.
“With the digital twin, we have gained insight and understanding of what is happening on the production lines. This will enable us to take timely action and continuously improve production and support processes, which impact the overall efficiency of machines and plants, reduce production costs, manage quality and ensure delivery reliability. Digital twins, with their ability to connect the physical and digital worlds, enable a completely new view of how processes work and are becoming increasingly important for optimizing operations, improving business decision-making and increasing operational efficiency,” says Aleš Tancer, Director of Information Technology at Iskraemeco.
Sustainability was also a key objective when designing solutions. Thus, part of the development of the digital twin platform was also carried out with the aim of efficient use of resources (raw materials, energy and labor). In addition to other functionalities, the digital twin can predict in real time which products on the production line are problematic and need to be checked or eliminated from the production process as soon as a defect is identified. In this way, the objective of reduced rejects and lower consumption of raw materials and components was achieved.
The project also involved the purchase of new production equipment at Iskraemeco, which represents an important source of information for further processing in various digital tools. The new automation, which includes a robotic cell, an automatic inserter for electronic components and automatic quality control devices for a smart counter, has enabled Iskraemeco to optimize the production process. The new acquisitions have reduced waiting times, improved quality assurance levels and increased the productivity of their production process.
“The DT4DL project has made a significant contribution to product development, while at the same time we have upgraded our production processes with solutions based on various digital technologies. The improvements are already visible in everyday tasks, such as, among others, fewer repetitive tasks, fewer errors and, above all, fewer unforeseen stoppages. At the same time, we also see significantly improved traceability, real-time insight into production events and thus better conditions for further improving our products and processes. In addition to all this, the project has significantly raised the level of digital competences among our employees and further connected us through joint work in interdisciplinary teams,” explains Miha Kern, Head of Manufacturing Engineering and Production.
A solid foundation for the future
The introduction of new technologies often necessitates process changes. For the procurement area, we developed a solution to forecast material price trends and improve strategic raw material and supply positioning. Over 300 Iskraemeco employees and consortium partner personnel participated in training programs to develop new skills and expertise in handling new technologies, technical skills development, cybersecurity, and resilience.
The Digital Twin for Digital Lean project represents a major milestone in Iskraemeco’s digital transformation journey. By implementing advanced technologies such as the Digital Twin, robotics, automation, IoT, and AI, we’ve significantly improved our internal and external processes. This project exemplifies how companies can leverage digital technologies to enhance their business and gain a competitive edge. With this solid foundation, Iskraemeco is well-positioned for continued growth and development in the digital age.
