Virtual workplaces for supervision of manufacturing systems

The application of new information and communication technologies in manufacturing gives companies the possibility to create value-added services in the usage phase, for example through remote operations or virtual facility management. In this regard a communication platform for a digital factory was developed to make diagnoses of the machine, changes of programs or process optimizations possible in less time by using an integrated control system, visualization and surveillance. The precise reproduction of the production system in a virtual world makes it possible to analyze and optimize all influences on the real production in that virtual world or virtual workplaces. Especially the integration of virtual reality applications to provide 3D visualizations of machines operations leads to a higher level of immersion for the user.