Digital, Scalable Manufacturing - A Sustainable Production Scenario Using Collaborative Robotics and Additive Manufacturing

Industry 4.0 has become a well-known production paradigm over the last decade. It represents innovation and creativity in research and industry but also aims at including digital innovation into the manufacturing area. Robotics, automation and handling of large data sets are key to fully exploit the potential of Industry 4.0. Within this work, a novel production approach combining collaborative robotics, additive manufacturing and a state-of-the-art control and data acquisition approach is conceptualized and implemented. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, an exemplary setup is implemented based on the use of four identical robotic systems, fused filament fabrication and databases to capture data from sensors and machinery in real-time. The setup will show the capabilities of state-of-the art flexible, scalable manufacturing concept in order to release the full potential of Industry 4.0 and enhance the flexibility and sustainability of current and future value chains.