Technology Magazine July 2025 | Page 68

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The approach enables centralised management of automation systems whilst providing the computational resources needed for advanced manufacturing applications including AI.

The technology addresses core IT challenges in manufacturing environments: system scalability, maintenance overhead and integration complexity. Virtual controllers operate as software applications on industrial edge computing infrastructure, providing equivalent functionality to physical systems whilst enabling capabilities that hardware-based approaches cannot support.

“ A virtualised shop floor is a key enabler for a flexible production,” explains Gerd Walker, Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics.“ Siemens’ software-defined automation portfolio empowers us to rapidly respond to market changes and optimise our manufacturing for more efficiency and flexibility.”

Siemens virtual controllers enable centralised automation management The virtual controller deployment transforms system administration from distributed hardware management to centralised software operations. Traditional automation requires technicians to access individual controllers for programming changes, updates and troubleshooting. Virtual systems consolidate these functions through software interfaces that manage multiple controllers simultaneously.

Henning Löser, Head of Production Lab at Audi, highlights the key operational benefits:“ If you want to change part of the libraries that, for example, send data out of all PLCs into some kind of data pool – because you figure out that if I collect this data centrally, I can do some kind of algorithm that

HENNING LÖSER, HEAD OF PRODUCTION LAB, AUDI AG

TITLE: HEAD OF PRODUCTION LAB COMPANY: AUDI AG INDUSTRY: AUTOMOTIVE

Leads Audi’ s Production Lab since 2016, testing innovative manufacturing technologies. Joined Audi 2004, focuses on Smart Factory development and digital production concepts.

68 July 2025