Capacity optimisation for glass with a digital twin

What’s on the radar for your glass operation optimisation for 2019? As anyone in the glass industry will attest, capacity optimisation is an ongoing process. Whether it’s new products to launch, plans to invest in equipment such as robots, or even a rebuild; changes  take time and come with plenty of calculations for how the different components will work together. Not forgetting the inevitable, and seemingly endless, ‘what if’s of the planning process, testing the limits of both spreadsheets and the most dedicated of attention spans.

THE DIGITAL TWIN IN ACTION

The video below from Siemens gives a simple, visual overview of the different stages of glass production and how digitisation can help. This shows how a ‘digital twin’, an exact replica of an operation in the form of a simulation, can be used to run tests and make smart production decisions.

Plant Simulation is just one of the Siemens engineering software packages used at Simulation Solutions to help manufacturers review their production processes to optimise capacity and create cultures of continuous improvements. Simulation Solutions glass specialist sales manager, Stephen Adie said

At the Glasstec show at the end of last year we saw a huge interest in warehouse optimisation – it’s an area which can often benefit from investigation to work harder for the business. With the age of industry 4.0, more and more glass manufacturers are coming to us to find out about the digital opportunity and how it can best make an impact on the common industry challenges faced in their operations. The video brings to life how simulation can be used to run experiments and test ideas to target specific ares within a glass production – all in an environment with no risk. This means we can use the digital twin to help businesses with bespoke work which address specific needs, or to do an overall investigation to identify areas to test for the biggest efficiency wins. 

HAVE A CHAT ABOUT YOUR GOALS FOR GLASS IN 2019

With over 15 years experience in glass manufacturing, Stephen loves nothing more than talking glass production trends, common challenges and how simulation can help. To arrange a chat about your glass production challenges for 2019, drop Stephen an email here.