DIGITAL FACTORY – FOR BETTER FUTURE

The “Digital Factory” concept is one of the key tools of success on the market. Today it can be treated as a highly actual issue in the conditions of manufacturing plants. “Digital Factory” concept is a generic professional terminology for a comprehensive network of digital models, methods, techniques and tools, including simulation and virtual-reality visualization; which are integrated by a continuous data management system. The objectives of a “Digital Factory” concept are different; for example re-organization of the production lines and optimization of the production through the simulation of the production cycle; training of the workers; working on a virtual prototype in design phase; virtual environment is a good network place where people can virtually meet to co-design the product or the production line. The “Digital Factory” concept application has become more and more important for complex design of products that are tailoring for customers.

This paper is divided into four main parts. In the first part, the literature is reviewed in the field of Digital Factory, and some basic and key terms are defined. In the second part, the research design and research methodology is described. The paper is based on an extensive review of secondary sources, including analysis and synthesis of domestic and foreign professional literary sources. The methods for preparation of scientific research are applied, the methods of gaining new data, methods of data processing. Additional methods used are the analysis and interpretation of the concept of “Digital Factory” characteristics and published data. In the third part of this paper, an overview of the project int. Nb. 6111 entitled „Increasing Technical Knowledge Base and Practical Skills of Teachers and Students of the Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management within the concept of "Digital Factory“ is presented. This project supports new possibilities for cooperation and creates the networks between educational institutions and manufacturing enterprises within the "Digital Factory" concept. The target groups of this project are qualified university teachers, students and industrial enterprises operating in Slovak Republic and abroad, mainly operating in the manufacturing industry. In the final part, the findings are clarified – firstly, the key results are summarized and secondly the limitation of the work are discussed; areas for future development are suggested.

The following paper is one of the outcomes of the research work for the project int. Nb. 6111 entitled „Increasing Technical Knowledge Base and Practical Skills of Teachers and Students of the Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management within the "Digital Factory" concept, (acronym: DigFacVWproject); which is currently being dealt at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Institute of Industrial Engineering and Management. The project is co-funded by the Volkswagen Slovakia Foundation from the grant program "to Develop Technique“.