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New Software AC4DC for NextGen Shop Floor Connectivity

New Software AC4DC for NextGen Shop Floor Connectivity
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Lifting Manufacturing Efficiency to the Next Level: New Software "AC4DC" for Shop Floor Connectivity

  • FORCAM ENISCO presents next generation of shop floor connectivity at HANNOVER MESSE
  • "AC4DC can significantly increase flexibility, scalability and reliability in production"
  • Showcases with Mini-PCs, robots and augmented reality guidance at SAP booth in hall 15/E17

Böblingen (Germany), April 2024 - Sustainable value creation, stable processes, robust supply chains: data is the foundation. As partner of SAP, FORCAM ENISCO is presenting a next generation software for shop floor connectivity at this year's HANNOVER MESSE ( April 22-26). It´s name: AC4DC – Asset Connectivity for Data Collection. As SAP partner, FORCAM ENISCO team is presenting in hall 15, stand E17. In total, two connectivity demos with FORCAM ENISCO solutions are showcased at SAP.

"The AC4DC solution offers exactly what this year's HANNOVER MESSE motto demands: Energizing a Sustainable Industry," says Oliver Hoffmann, Managing Director (CSO) of FORCAM ENISCO. "AC4DC ensures secure data flows from machine level to management systems. AC4DC offers reliable data for sustainable management with systems such as SAP Digital Manufacturing (SAP DM) - with real-time analyses of energy consumption, performance and quality."

AC4DC runs on industrial Mini-PCs, configured via the cloud – speed counts

Dr. Ullrich Ochs, CTO of FORCAM ENISCO, adds: "With AC4DC, we are launching a completely new generation of software for digitally networked factories. The solution can significantly increase flexibility, scalability and reliability in production." Special feature: AC4DC works in industrial Mini-PCs. Users configure and operate the software centrally via cloud. "Central software-control of many Mini- PCs: This allows companies to manage machines worldwide easier and more fail-safe than before."

With AC4DC, the networking of machines can be quickly scaled worldwide using templates for the same machine types. Werner Gruber, CFO of FORCAM ENISCO: "Short implementation and scaling phases enable rapid optimization results. This means considerable added value for companies with large international factory networks. They can get a faster return on investment for factory assets that often cost hundreds of millions of euros."

Two showcases with Mini-PCs, robots and augmented reality guidance at SAP in hall 15/E17

At HANNOVER MESSE from April 22 to 26, FORCAM ENISCO will be represented at the SAP partner booth (Hall 15, Stand E17). In live showcases with two connectivity solutions, interested visitors can experience the combined shop floor expertise of FORCAM ENISCO.

  • Showcase ,AC4DC – the next generation shopfloor connectivity’ – In line with the #HM24 motto "Energizing a Sustainable Industry", the FORCAM ENISCO team presents AC4DC solution, the NextGen software for shopfloor connectivity. Running in industrial Mini-PCs, it enables reliable data streams that are fast and easily available in SAP Digital Manufacturing (SAP DM).
  • Showcase ,Digitally connecting components of manual workstations’ – The team of SAP showcases a manual workstation with various digitally connected components: a collaborative KUKA robot with a gripper from SCHUNK, a camera from SensoPart, a cordless screwdriver from Bosch Rexroth and an augmented reality worker guidance system from Arkite. All components are integrated by the FORCE EDGE EDGE solution into SAP Digital Manufacturing. Learn more

Similar showcases are in place at SAP Industry 4.0 Pop-Up Factories in Walldorf (Germany) and Philadelphia (PA/USA).

Paradigm shift – AC4DC is based on microservices

Dr. Ullrich Ochs (CTO) adds: "We are experiencing paradigm shifts: Microservices, containerization and Kubernetes are enabling more flexible IT architectures than ever before. And on the hardware side, industrial mini PCs enable new approaches. Our answer: We offer a new generation of software that runs on smallest industrial PCs which ca increases flexibility and reliability in production significantly."

Technologically, AC4DC meets all the requirements of the software paradigm shift towards microservices, containerization and Kubernetes. In terms of technology, AC4DC meets all the requirements of the software paradigm shift towards microservices, containerization and Kubernetes. Dr. Ullrich Ochs: "The new solution is based on microservice technology and once again underlines the innovative strength of our company. Our thanks go to all the teams involved."

The added value of AC4DC for companies at a glance:

  • Greater reliability - thanks to data buffering in the event of network disruptions and the simple use of redundant hardware (cluster technology)
  • Increased data security - thanks to the option of easily encrypting data close to the machine (software runs on compact industrial mini PCs)
  • Fast connection - accelerated digital machine connection using standardized templates and a central control center
  • Scale easily - configure and manage the machine connection centrally via the cloud with standard templates from a library

Up to 50 percent higher efficiency thanks to machine data acquisition (MDA)

"Connectivity remains the supreme discipline in factory management," summarizes Managing Director Oliver Hoffmann. "Without signals, there is no smart data and no smart factory. Heterogeneous machine parks and state-of-the-art applications need state-of-the-art connectivity - fast connection, simple scaling, smart data for real-time analysis in downstream systems. We offer all of this."

The added value of efficient machine data acquisition (MDA) is enormous. McKinsey calculates that companies can increase efficiency in factories by between 30 and 50 percent simply by increasing the availability of machines. One prerequisite: connectivity with cloud technology.

About FORCAM ENISCO

FORCAM and ENISCO are pioneers of Industry 4.0: as a group of companies under the umbrella of FORCAM ENISCO GmbH, they support SMEs and corporations in sustainably securing their competitiveness through smart, data-driven manufacturing. FORCAM ENISCO's modular solutions - for shop floor connectivity and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) solutions as well as for consulting and services for SAP Digital Manufacturing - cover all stages of digital transformation in discrete manufacturing: from entry into the smart factory and automated control of entire production and logistics processes to cross-plant and cross-national rollouts. Customers include Audi, Bizerba, Borgwarner, Evobus, IKEA, Jungheinrich, Liebherr, Siemens Energy, Swarovski Optik and Voestalpine. FORCAM and ENISCO have around 200 employees worldwide in the DACH region at the Böblingen, Heidelberg and Ravensburg sites. International offices are located in France, the USA, China and India. The main shareholder of the group is Dietmar Hopp's family office.

www.forcam.com www.enisco.com

Press contact

Matthias Kasper . Mobile +49 (0) 160 / 9014 35 19 . matthias.kasper@forcam.com