NVIDIA and Schaeffler, the Motion technologies Company, have partnered on technologies. Schaeffler should be able to further digitize its production processes and, in the end, make them more agile and efficient thanks to the alliance. Schaeffler is using NVIDIA Omniverse to extend its manufacturing elements, which will be simulated and merged as digital twins. By 2030, the business hopes to have half of its operations integrated into Omniverse.
“Schaeffler is consistently and persistently driving the digitalization of its plants,” says Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer at Schaeffler AG. “To be able to shape the production of the future, you need strong partners like NVIDIA. Together, we will create a digital ecosystem for our more than 100 plants that will sustainably revolutionize production processes. The Omniverse and the use of digital twins will make our value chains more efficient and agile.”
(From left to right) Sebastian Jonas (Senior Vice President Advanced Production Technology), Roberto Henkel (Senior Vice President Operations Digitalization & IT), Andreas Schick (Chief Operating Officer) from Schaeffler, and Rev Lebaredian (Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology), Madison Huang (Senior Director of Product Marketing), and Philippe van den Berge (Vice President Automotive EMEA) from NVIDIA, entered into the technology collaboration at GTC Europe in Paris, France. (photo: Schaeffler)
Industrial metaverse for the factory of the future
Schaeffler will develop digital twins, or digital representations of plants and machines, using the NVIDIA Omniverse platform. With AI-supported solutions, employees will be able to simulate physical properties of materials, processes, and production processes and optimize them more quickly. In addition, Omniverse will make it possible to deploy future technologies such as humanoid robots flexibly in production environments. Complex, fully automated assembly processes such as mounting of sealing elements will also be able to be improved with the use of AI in Omniverse. Real-time simulations will make adjustments possible during the product life cycle. Through standardization, production processes throughout the global plant network of the Schaeffler Group will become more efficient.
“As global manufacturers seek to modernize operations, a simulation-first, AI-driven approach is essential to drive efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage,” says Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA. “Our work together will enable Schaeffler to simulate and optimize its manufacturing and robotics operations before making changes in the real world—accelerating innovation while reducing risk and cost.”
Roberto Henkel, Senior Vice President Operations Digitalization & IT at Schaeffler, adds: “The technology collaboration with NVIDIA makes realistic, well-functioning representations of digital twins and physical AI possible. Schaeffler aims to play a key role in shaping the development of the Industrial Metaverse for the manufacturing industry together with NVIDIA. For this, we are contributing our decades of knowledge in the fields of manufacturing and vertical integration for the further development of Omniverse.”
