The collaboration is designed to enable manufacturers to design, simulate and validate production lines before actual construction, and then improve operations using real-time data from robots, sensors and controllers.
Dassault Systèmes and OMRON have announced a collaboration in the field of smart manufacturing, designed to connect design and simulation systems with industrial automation systems. The move will combine Dassault Systèmes' virtual twin capabilities with OMRON's control, robotics and automation technologies.
The collaboration focuses on one of the key challenges of modern factories: the gap between information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems. In many factories, product design, production line planning, machine control and robot operation are still handled in separate systems. This fragmentation can lengthen setup times, increase the risk of errors and make it difficult to make rapid adjustments to production lines.
Smart factories require the connection between data, machines and simulation
The transition to smart factories is not just about adding robots or sensors to the production line. It requires a seamless connection between engineering information, production data, control systems, artificial intelligence, and field operations. The central idea is to create a digital continuum where you can design the product, simulate the production process, test different scenarios, and then compare actual performance to the predictions created in the model.
Virtual twins play a central role in this process. They allow for the creation of a digital representation of a production line, machine, or entire industrial system. This representation allows for the testing of robot movement, material flow, cycle times, safety, loads, and potential failures, even before the physical equipment is installed in the factory.
Pre-construction inspection, post-operational improvement
According to the companies, the combination of Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform and OMRON's Sysmac industrial automation platform will enable manufacturers and machine builders to design, simulate, validate and deploy manufacturing systems in a virtual environment. Instead of discovering problems only after the line is installed, it will be possible to test robot performance, safety, maintenance and movement scenarios in advance.
Once the physical line is established, real-time data from sensors, controllers, and robots can be fed back into the virtual twin. This allows for comparison between design and actual behavior, identifying gaps, making adjustments, and supporting predictive maintenance. Such maintenance is designed to reduce unplanned downtime and improve equipment utilization, but its effectiveness depends on the quality of the data and integration between systems.
Another step in unifying IT and OT
The move by Dassault Systèmes and OMRON reflects a broader industry trend: a shift from rigid production lines to more flexible manufacturing systems based on software, data and simulation. For manufacturers, the potential value lies in the ability to make changes faster, reduce risks before investing in equipment, and improve processes as they go.
Pascal Delouze, CEO of Dassault Systèmes, said the partnership with OMRON is designed to connect the virtual and physical worlds, creating a continuous learning loop between design, simulation and operation. He said such a combination could help factories move from reactive systems to systems that can predict problems and make adjustments earlier.
Motohiro Yamanishi, President of OMRON's Industrial Automation Division, said that the collaboration strengthens the company's ability to integrate OT and IT systems, and provide customers with a solution that starts with simulation and continues through full implementation on the production line.
Short FAQ
What did Dassault Systèmes and OMRON announce?
The companies announced a collaboration designed to connect virtual twins, industrial simulation, and automation systems on production lines.
What is the benefit for manufacturers?
Manufacturers will be able to test production lines, robots and processes in a virtual environment before actual construction, thus reducing errors, risks and costs.
How does this relate to smart factories?
Smart factories are based on connecting data, machines, controllers, robots and artificial intelligence. Virtual twinning allows for comparison between planning and actual performance and improves operations over time.
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