Pratt & Whitney (P&W) is modernizing and transforming its operations with Industry 4.0 technologies to create a fully integrated manufacturing environment, the company said at the Farnborough International Airshow. The advanced manufacturing technologies include the intranet of things, connected devices, robotics, virtual reality, and closed-door machining.
“This is the next evolution in lean manufacturing,” said Praba Baptist, v-p of operational excellence. “We’re driving higher levels of process capability, optimized with lean principles, automated where appropriate, in a connected environment that collects data, runs analytics, and provides information to operators and leaders in real-time.”
Raytheon Technologies’ CORE operating system (Customer Oriented Results and Excellence) provides the common language, toolset, methodology, and framework for the process transformation. P&W has connected more than 40 percent of its total machines to date and plans to connect all of its original equipment manufacturer machines and 75 percent of aftermarket machines throughout the enterprise by 2024. All machines procured henceforth will automatically be added to the connected system.
Automated workflows, materials and data tracking, scheduling, and energy optimization rank among the ways a connected factory can improve efficiency. P&W is focusing on automating repetitive motion situations such as torquing and directly loading and unloading heat treat operations. The process transformation has increased productivity and asset turnover, according to the company.