Friday, December 13, 2013

Ford and Siemens test virtual navigation in auto plants

Ford is partnering with Siemens on a pilot for new technology that facilitates virtual navigation in its auto assembly factories.

The new software, IntoSite, is currently being tested at Ford’s assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan.

Meant to improve global coordination and best practices, the cloud-based application uses a Google Earth infrastructure, featuring a 3D version of assembly plants that lets users virtually navigate through the plants.

Janice Goral, a Ford vehicle operations manufacturing engineering manager, said that using Google Earth will allow them to increase the speed of adoption and implementation for their manufacturing teams worldwide.

Engineers and other staff can add pins at any virtual location and upload contents like videos, documents and images to those pins.

"The information, then harnessed and transferred, would build on our existing efforts to enhance alignment around the globe, and cater to a world where visual communication now can be more effective than email," Goral said.

More: automotive-business-review.com



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