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At the “Hannover Messe” trade fair Optima presented a machine system for “Lot Size 1”. The first “customer” at the Siemens booth was the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was presented a personalized perfume with the name “Angela’s Dream” by Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser. The Optima Machine has the new multi-carrier transport system, developed in joint cooperation with Festo and Siemens. On the Optima line, any unique perfume can be produced at the press of a button – welcome to Industry 4.0.
During the tour of the trade fair by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Modi of India, the visiting politicians received information about production on Lot Size 1. A cause for amusement was a quip by the Siemens CEO Mr. Kaeser: “The next time the German Chancellor meets the US American presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, she should present her with the perfume.” “But first of all, we’ll create a fragrance for Angie”, was the Chancellors equally clever response, which contributed to the joviality at the trade fair booth.
The Optima Moduline machine was fitted as a pilot machine line with the multi-carrier system. In this system, conceived and developed jointly by Festo, Siemens and Optima, the linear motor driven transport carriages move forward automatically to the different processing stages such as filling, closing and labeling as required. They can be inserted into or removed from the system for easy modification. This way the line is easily adjusted to different formats, other product types or seasonal requirements.
A module for CO2 laser engraving has been integrated in the Moduline. Via tablet PC, visitors were able to enter their “order” to the Optima machine on a user interface and design their own labels. Further functions are also possible in order to provide customized, marketable products.
To continue with the example of perfume: A few years ago, Optima had already built a machine for the complete packaging of personalized perfumes including their folding cartons. This process incorporated the selection of a flacon according to the respective order, an individually designed label, personally customized perfume compositions with basis, top and heart notes at the appropriate dosage levels and specific closure tops for atomizers. Even the folding cartons are individually designed on the machine line. The machine, also based on an Optima Moduline produces up to 1,800 individual units per hour.
From Visualization to Automated Services
“Industry 4.0” incorporates the intelligent digital interlink of multiple processes. Many experts believe that this application is rather an “evolution” than a “revolution” with many other, yet unforeseeable, application possibilities. The development in many branches and industries is growing rapidly.
For instance in the service area of the packaging machine industry: machines are equipped with “intelligent” sensor technology that recognizes the need for service, necessary service assignments and initiate purchase orders. Optima Nonwovens’ “TCAM” offers new service modules that apply this technology: condition monitoring and status-oriented maintenance has become reality with “TCAM”. Especially operators of high-performance machines that run 365 days a year around the clock and process over 1,500 diapers per minute benefit from the automated diagnostic system greatly.
Another feature of “Industry 4.0” is the “Virtual and Augmented Reality” used by Optima Pharma’s engineering department at the start of the value chain. In the design phase these technologies lead to profound realizations: flow patterns for the upmost hygiene requirements, for the pharmaceutical industry, can be optimized – even before the machine is designed. In addition substance exchange, vibration analyses and much more can be displayed virtually.
Many developments, manufacturing and service processes are not conceivable today without interlinked digitalization.
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