Unlike the company’s conventional showrooms, where emphasis is on individual machines, the 5,500-square metre factory will be covering the entire customer process complete with material and information flow. It is aimed at demonstrating the interaction of people, machines, storage equipment, automation, software and Industry 4.0 solutions.
The Industry 4.0 offerings at Trumpf are all incorporated under the name TruConnect. All the key TruConnect modules will be in operation at the Chicago plant, enabling comprehensive demonstration of production according to the principles of Industry 4.0. New Industry 4.0 business models such as capacity pooling can also be experienced.
The production line is designed in such a way that the entire real production processes can be carried out so customers can dispatch their orders from the site itself.
Data and findings from the site will be collected and made available to the R&D departments at Trumpf.
Chicago was chosen as the location for the new demo factory because it lies at the heart of the North American market for sheet metal processing, where 40 percent of the country’s sheet metal working industry lie.
