Hexagon‘s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the launch of its new solution, Digital Factory, which has been developed to help manufacturers rapidly create digital twins of facilities.
The system was designed to optimise floor plans, streamline production lines and help create conditions for smart, sustainable factories.
The solution could potentially save global manufacturers up to £35m annually by reducing costly mistakes and cutting travel and on-site training costs by 50%, Hexagon said.
Hexagon is experienced in high-accuracy reality capture, 3D visualisation software, as well as cloud-native collaboration to offer a comprehensive digitalisation solution.
Although digital technologies have long been used in civil infrastructure and public safety, their potential in manufacturing has only been realised in recent years.
Disruptions have highlighted the need for manufacturers, especially those with brownfield sites, to rethink their equipment and space utilisation.
Research by Forrester, commissioned by Hexagon, reveals that 32% of manufacturers see outdated manual processes as major barriers to productivity.
Digital Factory could address these issues by providing a future-ready alternative to traditional factory planning. Its features enable enhanced productivity, efficiency and collaboration, allowing global teams to work together seamlessly using immersive virtual environments.
Digital Factory incorporates Hexagon’s own reality capture technology, including the Leica BLK2GO handheld laser scanner and the Leica RTC360 terrestrial laser scanner.
Using these tools, manufacturers can create precise 3D models of factory floors, which are processed through Hexagon’s Reality Cloud Studio. This enables swift and flexible data collaboration and virtual factory monitoring, eliminating the need for on-site visits.
Nicholas Lachaud Bandres, VP of Industry Solutions at Hexagon, said: “Digital Factory brings the physical world into an accurate virtual sandbox, allowing manufacturers to simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios and implement effective plant designs. We’re making smart factories more accessible and competitive.”
Digital Factory seamlessly integrates with existing workflows, BIM applications, Hexagon’s HxGN EAM solutions, and popular CAD software, all of which are useful across the manufacturing sector.
