Since 2016, Marco Sprenger has been head of Education Network Technology. We spoke with him about the strategic partnership with SmartFactoryKL, the economic benefits for his company, and his hopes for the new demonstrator.
Why did B&R become a Gold Partner in the development of the new demonstrator?
As a supplier of industrial automation systems, B&R provides key enabling technology in the areas of machine and factory automation for Industrie 4.0, IIoT, and digital transformation. The added value for our customers is easy to recognize in a “productive demonstrator.”
Why is the Technology Initiative important to B&R as a (strategic) partner?
B&R is an innovation driver in the automation market and wants to be up-to-date at all times with the latest research trends in order to align our products and technologies today to the market requirements of tomorrow!
What (economic) benefits does B&R gain from its membership in SmartFactoryKL?
The major advantage to B&R is the establishment and expansion of our networks with potential customers and technology partners.
What is B&R’s technical contribution to the new demonstrator?
ACOPOStrak is a modular transport system that provides the greatest productivity and flexibility with maximum scalability and minimal engineering effort. Real-time simulation shows the diverse possibilities of B&R Track Technology, from a productive system to a digital twin. Furthermore, our integrated vision system acts as smart agent in the QA module of the demonstrator. The control accuracy of the camera down to the micro second via EthernetPOWERLINK enables real-time quality inspection in a running process which guarantees the highest OEE! Our smart, modular integrated safety systems show that functional safety and a smart factory are contradictory terms and can already go hand in hand today!
What does B&R expect from SmartFactoryKL regarding future cooperation?
B&R seeks continuity in terms of the demonstrator, so that it can be continuously adapted to the – very rapidly – changing requirements in the dynamic world of IIoT. We expect a corresponding evolution of the demonstrator and look forward to working with the SmartFactoryKL to define solutions and products for tomorrow’s requirements today!
About B&R
B&R is an innovative automation company with headquarters in Austria and offices all around the world. On July 6, 2017, B&R became a business unit of the ABB Group. As a global leader in industrial automation, B&R combines state-of-the-art technology with advanced engineering to provide customers in virtually every industry with complete solutions for machine and factory automation, motion control, HMI and integrated safety technology. With Industrial IoT communication standards like OPC UA, POWERLINK and openSAFETY as well as the powerful Automation Studio software development environment, B&R is constantly redefining the future of automation engineering. The innovative spirit that keeps B&R at the forefront of industrial automation is driven by a commitment to simplifying processes and exceeding customer expectations. www.br-automation.com