"Digitization always makes sense."

In a manufacturing company, this digitization has been promoted for years and Industrie 4.0 has been a topic for some time. In this article, Markus Horn, CEO of Paul Horn GmbH for three years, confirms that digitalization plays a very important role in our society and industry.

At the precision tool manufacturer, digitization plays a role primarily in sales, marketing and production. "We now consider so-called 'vernetzte' production to be standard. To this we are currently adding cameras, sensors, continuous linking of all 'cyber-physical' systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Automation options, such as robots, are also helping us in our daily work," stated Markus Horn. "The integration of humans and machines is becoming more and more closely aligned. The big difference compared to a few years ago are the established and, in my opinion, important standards, which help us in the sustainable implementation of digitalization."

Breaking the automation pyramid

The manufacturing company changed its architecture, breaking the classic automation pyramid and ensuring integration between business processes and machine processes and at the PLC level. They now use a service-oriented architecture with a corresponding process platform as Manufacturing Service Bus. In doing so, they choose the standard OPC-UA, especially the now increasingly frequently used standard UMATI. The exchange of information is also considerably facilitated by standardized data formats such as GDX (Grinding Data eXchange). For retrofit and remote maintenance, the company mainly chooses open-source solutions. "The line between IT and automation is becoming increasingly blurred and at the same time new technologies such as 3D printing are being developed. There used to be manufacturing limits, but today almost anything a human being can imagine can actually be produced," the CEO continues. "To channel this huge imagination and develop it into a product within the HORN specifications, we use, among other things, a product configurator. For example, specially adapted cutting plates for wire whirling can be constructed within minutes using the configurator. The result is immediately available via the Manufacturing Service Bus at all levels of the classic automation pyramid - from the ERP system to the sensor. This saves time, which in turn leads to faster delivery."

'Digital twin'

The digital twin reduces transaction costs. This tool helps with tool selection and tool management, for example via HORN Tool Management, additionally simplifies integration into CAM solutions or supports process monitoring. This is only possible if it is user-readable, which makes standardized, digital exchange formats enormously important. "We are part of GTDE (Graphical Tool Data Exchange), the 'CAD data exchange' working group within the VDMA. The exchange of tool drawings via the GTDE server saves time and costs. In addition, the error rate decreases," Horn points out. "For this, the ISO 13399 standard is also very important. For our customers, the server is an ideal platform for the exchange of standardized data. ISO 13399 is the basis for a good digital twin."

Piezo Tool System (PTS).

When one thinks of digitization at HORN, the PTS system inevitably comes up. The company developed the Piezo Tool System together with the Kistler Group, the global leader in dynamic measurement technology for recording pressure, force, torque and acceleration. "This system consists of a force sensor, which is integrated into the turning tool and provides information about the state of the tool during machining. The machine operator can thus immediately identify incorrect materials and cutting materials or also a tool breakage," explains the CEO. "The solution is suitable for selected standard lathe holders from our range. A change to the CNC control is not necessary. It can also be used machine-independently. The sensors can be replaced quickly and without problems. The PTS leads to a reduction in production costs and an increase in production capacities."

The future

Today shows once again how important digitization is for society and industry. "In my opinion, digitization will continue to be developed wherever it makes sense," Horn concludes. "Standards and norms play an important role in this. In terms of production, this means that after the 'Vernetzung', the main focus is now the resulting cooperation between programs and systems and intelligent image processing."