e-F@ctory Alliance grows

The collaboration has already developed an innovative carriage technology designed to operate with a dedicated linear transfer system. The Smart Carriage delivers integrated power for on-board intelligence and carriage equipment. This allows assembly information and production data specific to each work piece to be retained. It also provides the ability to switch between parallel tracks on production lines, which enable multiple operations on different products, offering more flexible and efficient ‘production on demand’ driven assembly sequences.

Commenting on the announcement, Hartmut Pütz, president Factory Automation EMEA at Mitsubishi Electric Europe, said: “We hope that the Smart Carriage technology signals the start of a long and productive high-tech relationship between our two businesses. It will strengthen our range of solutions supporting the needs of a ‘Smart Factory’ for Industry 4.0.”

The Smart Carriage technology package was demonstrated on the Mitsubishi Electric stand at the most recent SPS/IPC/Drives event in Nuremberg.