Digitization continues to gain momentum
Several years ago, RNA started giving high priority to the digitization of processes and products in order to increase customer benefits and improve internal processes. Consequently, extensive financial resources and development capacities are being made available to ensure RNA's future viability and to position the company even better in the face of growing competition. Looking back on 2022, numerous projects were initiated, piloted and completed.
In addition to our internal search engine ‘SolutionFinder’, which helps identify correct solutions based on an AI algorithm during the project planning phase, an application has been developed for creating detailed concepts and will be rolled out in early 2023. Thus, in a few years, RNA aims to have simple sorting solutions and system concepts generated automatically by AI. This will enable our technical experts to concentrate fully on complex applications to provide you with a competitive advantage. As a result, we can speed up the process, increase your certainty and ours, and thereby significantly reduce the risk on both sides.
Our simulation programs - Digital Motion for drive tuning and Digital Feeder for part simulation - were also in focus in 2022. In particular, we have made huge progress in optimizing these two applications, which were developed several years ago by what is now RNA Digital Solutions, thus significantly increasing the performance of these systems. Now, by simulating the sorting elements, almost every system in the FlexType category can be digitally validated during the design phase before any parts and components are manufactured. This saves on resources, avoids capacities being duplicated and enables systems to be certified more efficiently.
Digital Motion, which is used to design our drives on the basis of simulations, has already been licensed by the first customers. They can now digitally adapt the RNA drives to their specific requirements. This gives the customer performance certainty at an early stage and saves time by eliminating tedious iterations in the workshop. If you are also interested in a Digital Motion license, get in touch (https://rna.de/de/kontakt.html)!
For more information on our digital technologies, please visit our homepage at: https://rna.de/de/technologie.html
Once again in 2023, we have numerous topics on our agenda. For instance, we are continuing our efforts to digitize our various order processing steps by developing specific software modules for individual areas such as sample parts management, quality assurance, etc. This will allow us to streamline our processes. We are also developing a tool based on the simulation software, which will enable us to optimize the design of a hopper by determining hopper volume and weight by simulating the parts.
We will also achieve further Condition Monitoring milestones in 2023. By digitally mapping the systems as described above and by implementing a new type of data-based and sensor-controlled testing/acceptance procedure for the systems, we will create a final module to close the digital process chain. As a result, when the system is handed over, we can provide our customers with automated reports of the real operational tests carried out in our company, thus documenting the ‘heartbeat’ of the system for you. In this way, we can take a focused and targeted approach to finding solutions in case of after-sale service requests.
In 2022, we developed and built the first SystemBasis machines and are currently launching sales. The aim behind this is to produce and keep in stock standard components of our systems such as FlexType S, FlexType Q, FlexType L, etc., so that, when an order is placed, all that remains to be done is to design the sorting system by simulation and to develop and manufacture milled components. At the same time, you retain flexibility as regards pickup height, hopper position or autonomy. This reduces throughput times and increases the reproducibility of your feeding systems. Furthermore, we can already supply you with a layout of the system during the inquiry phase, which you can integrate into your overall system.
In the course of 2023, this concept will be extended to include all relevant types of RNA systems so that we can offer you an alternative solution with numerous advantages in all areas. If you have any questions about our new SystemBasis, do get in touch (https://rna.de/de/kontakt.html)!