Brownfield development through digital twins

Modern industry is characterized by the networking of various components in the manufacturing system. Modern machines already have built-in functions for digital communication and monitoring, while older machines have to do without digital communication.

To increase production efficiency, it is necessary to also connect these older machines with each other. Since building new factories is very expensive, in many cases it makes more sense to improve the existing infrastructure with digital functions rather than replacing it completely.

However, such retrofitting requires certain prerequisites such as evaluating the existing system, the level of digitization, as well as the development of technologies and connectivity.

Another important factor that will continue to play a role in the future is people and their requirements for the retrofitted system. The VDE provides a systematic overview of the development of brownfields, i.e. existing industrial plants, and supports modernization with digital applications.

The VDE's Brownfield Service ensures that industrial plants can be transformed into intelligent spaces by taking into account the digital preparation for the upcoming development.

Our solutions are based on precise capture of the existing infrastructure using 3D laser scanning technology. On site, we capture the system and digitally record it as a high-resolution point cloud. Based on this data, we create precise digital 3D twins of the systems.

These digital twins allow you to visit and effectively manage environments virtually. With the digital copy of your system, you have a full overview to organize management or retrofitting while taking into account all factors on site.