Lightweight Material with Advanced Technology
For over twenty years, the factory planner HÖRMANN Rawema has been supporting Bharat Forge, the leading supplier of forged chassis and engine components, in its metal forming activities, particularly in forging. What does the layout of the forging facilities look like? What costs should be expected for technical building equipment? What automated process solutions are available? And what requirements must be met by the measurement technology? These are questions that will be answered. Bharat Forge relies above all on the factory planner’s expertise—from plant concepts to product implementation, we work together to develop efficient solutions.
For several years now, a key feature of this collaboration has been the consistent use of 3D planning. Since HÖRMANN Rawema, as the general planner, consistently consolidates data from multiple sources, standardized interfaces are integrated into the planning process alongside known data from established partners to provide the customer with a customized yet reliable plan.
3D Design for More Efficient Factory Planning
During the planning phase, HÖRMANN Rawema integrates architectural data—such as structural members and walls—with data on building services, such as cooling and ventilation. This data is then linked, for example, to the production facilities. All of this must result in a unified, efficient, and functional design during the planning phase and is therefore coordinated intensively with all parties involved. Based on the comprehensive 3D model, the factory planners then establish, for example, schedules and detailed coordination plans.
After the planning phase, HÖRMANN Rawema uses the models for the implementation phase to coordinate installation sequences with suppliers. Since many processes on the construction site take place sequentially, comprehensive on-site project management is also required to ensure optimal workflow on the construction site. For longer renovation projects, the factory planner has also been performing 3D modeling using 3D laser scans since 2015, which can also serve as a starting point for digitizing existing structures.
Factory of the Future
General planning is increasingly relying on comprehensive 3D planning to help customers better understand the planning process and to provide even more detailed insights into the process. “In the coming years, we will also enable our customers to collaborate with us on factory planning in virtual spaces,” said Holger Füssel, Managing Director of HÖRMANN Rawema.
To this end, HÖRMANN Rawema is expanding its expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) in collaboration with strong partners, participating in the development of the VDI guideline for BIM-based factory planning, and defining potential applications for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems with a focus on collaborative work, and is working on the “AgilPlanBZ” research project to develop a flexible, adaptable factory for the production of fuel cells, with the goal of promoting efficient factory planning in the era of digitalization in manufacturing.