The digital factory is nothing new to Siemens – the German company started digitising its own manufacturing plant in Amberg back in 2010 . In the following decade , that factory moved from being 25 % digital or automated to 75 %. The result ? Productivity rose by an incredible 1400 %. Previously , the Amberg plant could manufacture five products . Within 12 months , that number had risen to 1,300 different products , and 9,000 in total . By focussing on optimising the entire process or multiple processes rather than on individual products , such leaps forward are possible . Instead of having specised machines performing a single operation , smart factory robots complete multiple processes , all directed by the digital twin that decides what will be made each day . It sounds cunningly simple , but of course it is a feat of digital excellence and vision . “ Any product can go on any journey through the factory interacting with any combination of machines and people ,” said Alastair Orchard , vice president of digital enterprise for Siemens Digital Industries Software . “ The product can interact with one machine , 10 machines , 15 machines . We have introduced a completely new paradigm .”

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