At this year’s Digital Factory conference we’re bringing together companies that represent the future of flexible manufacturing so that attendees can walk down a real factory line and build a customized radio that tunes into their favorite channel.
Manufacturers have always turned to new technologies in order to reduce costs, increase productivity, improve their products, and maintain flexibility. In the last decade, manufacturing has advanced rapidly, with digital technologies like 3D printing, the Industrial Internet of Things, advanced automation, and artificial intelligence transforming the factory floor, as well as the business models that manufacturers are able to execute.
Our pop-up factory blends several of these technologies into a 15-minute demonstration. First, guests will customize their radio when they register the morning of the conference. Once inside, attendees will be greeted by a wall of Form 2 and Form 3 stereolithography 3D printers creating custom knobs in real time. Next, guests will program and assemble their own radios, with Tulip apps guiding the process. Finally, a robotic arm will distribute boxes for guests to take the radios home with them.
The pop-up factory is a collaborative effort between several companies at the forefront of digital manufacturing. The entire production was designed and run with Tulip’s app platform, which guides the workflows and collects real-time data of the production line. Powerful Formlabs SLA 3D printers fabricate mass-customized parts. The assembly line itself is powered by Vention’s customized workstations. RightHand Robotics is providing an intelligent automation solution for the packing station. Finally, the entire factory is made possible by AWS’s cloud infrastructure powering the backend.
The factory floor has come a long way since the first consumer radios rolled off the assembly line. Today’s clean, efficient, smart, and modern digitized factories have the opportunity to drive real change and profits for their business.
We’re excited to create this experience and hope to see you at the Digital Factory on May 7!
