The current challenges in manufacturing engineering are the integration of the product/process/factory worlds (data and tools) and the synchronization of their lifecycles. Major ICT players already offer allcomprehensive Product Lifecycle Management suites supporting most of the processes. However, they do not offer all the required functionalities and they lack of interoperability. An answer will be given by the development of a Virtual Factory Framework (VFF): an integrated virtual environment that supports factory processes along all the phases of its lifecycle. This paper will focus on the Virtual Factory Manager (VFM) that acts as a server supporting the I/O communications within the framework for the software tools needing to access its data repository. The VFM will ensure data consistency and avoid data loss or corruption while different modules access/modify partial areas of the data repository at different times. Finally, an industrial case study will show the potentiality of the VFM.
Interactive 3D virtual environments provide an enabling circumstances for innovation and evolution in education system, training, maintenance and repair operations of industrial plants. In fact, technique like complete 3D simulation of products processes and manufacturing facilities promotes a new approach to technical documentation and assistance, where the user can be easily guided even through the most complex and critical operations. This work introduces the main characteristics of the Virtual Environments in contexts of education-centred and training-centred. Also, it presents the work done in relation to the design and implementation of a SW platform integrating the very latest in 3D modeling, 3D animation and simulation, and human-machine interface technologies. The platform finds a vast number of applications: industrial system design, assembling, operation, training and maintenance. The study also reveals how virtualization of the maintenance environment allows off-site collaborators to monitor and assist with repairs.
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