What is a digital factory?

A digital factory is typically characterized by the use of data and analytics to optimize production processes and minimize process errors. The use of networked technology and sensors makes it possible to collect and analyze real-time data to make fast and accurate decisions in production.

The name is composed of the words “Modular”, “Factory” and an “X”, which stands for “Cross Industry”. MORYX abstracts and integrates heterogeneous IT and OT systems in order to centralize and reuse logic and algorithms from digitization applications. MORYX thus aims to enable product- and process-neutral control and regulation of plants.

OPTANO is a Paderborn-based company that specializes in mathematical optimization technologies. With the help of operations research, software development and management consulting, complex decisions are mathematically optimized so that they are easy to apply.

Lutz Steinleger

December 7, 2023

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Making the distribution of orders to production systems even more efficient – partnership with OPTANO

Digital Factory

Digital Factory and Mathematical Analysis – there is no common denominator. Yes – there is. And the combination works, very well in fact. Find out why and how we have worked out this common denominator with our partner OPTANO in this blog post.

Presentation OPTANO

With the Paderborn-based company OPTANO GmbH, we have gained a new partner to further optimize the digitization of the factory so that we can make our customers’ factories even more future-proof.

The goal of OPTANO is to optimize complex processes with sophisticated mathematical methods from the fields of operations research and prescriptive analytics in order to increase efficiency and sustainability.

Aim of the partnership

The aim of the partnership between MORYX and OPTANO is to further optimize the distribution of orders to different stations of production plants through a jointly developed Booster. The aim is to increase OEE by increasing the cycle rate, reducing costs per unit and downtimes and improving profit margins.

Because manufacturers often only know the cycle rate of their production systems, it is not possible to predict what cycle rate the production system will have if a production cell, e.g. a laser, fails. At MORYX, we have exactly the data needed to calculate this question and also have the ability to incorporate the calculated answers directly into the production process. However, the knowledge of how the answers can be calculated is not within our area of activity.

This is where OPTANO comes into play with its mathematical optimization options. The calculation for the optimization is based on the current machine configuration. The optimum sequence of orders is calculated in a matrix production and the result is forwarded directly to the machine via an adapter developed for this MVP.

Technological Realization

By combining OPTANO’s mathematical optimization technologies and our flexible MORYX platform, we have developed an MVP. Based on the current machine configuration, this calculates the optimum order sequence in matrix production and forwards this information directly to the machine. As a result, the individual stations are optimally utilized, downtimes are reduced and the cycle rate is increased.

So how does it all work technically? The orders are either created in MORYX or imported by MORYX from another system. The order data is read out with the Optano module and processed accordingly. For each new order, the Optano module calculates the new optimal sequence and sorts the orders accordingly. The orders are then processed in MORYX as specified.

Further Information

If you would like to find out more about our partner OPTANO, you can find additional information at optano.com

OPTANO has also written a blog entry about our joint collaboration: Blogpost OPTANO

Our Director, Lutz Steinleger, and Sven Flake, Head of Solutions at OPTANO, have also recorded a joint podcast episode – it’s well worth a listen! [German] OPTcast – Driving forward the Digital Factory