NEXT-GENERATION INTRALOGISTICS IN PRACTICE
Transforming automotive manufacturing
Imagine a bustling factory floor, where the hum of machines blends with the steady rhythm of workers moving efficiently to assemble every component of a complex product. Even with a highly skilled team, small delays can cascade into production bottlenecks, reducing output and driving up operational costs.
Now, picture a plant where these challenges are not just managed, but systematically minimized through advanced automation. AUMOVIO’s Ingolstadt plant in Bavaria, Germany, exemplifies how innovation is reshaping industrial operations. While not a formal pilot facility, its initiatives align closely with the DIAZI project – short for “Digitalization of the Industrialization Process in the Automotive and Supplier Industries” (Digitalisierung des Industrialisierungsprozesses in der Automobil- und Zuliefererindustrie). This three-year project seeks to digitize production processes through advanced planning, simulation, and smart operation of production lines. The Ingolstadt plant’s integration of these concepts demonstrates DIAZI’s vision, driving tangible improvements in automotive manufacturing.
As one of over 505 AUMOVIO locations worldwide, the Ingolstadt plant offers diverse career opportunities while fostering a culture of innovation. Given the critical role of PCBs, the facility has adopted cutting-edge automation technologies to streamline production and optimize efficiency. At the heart of this transformation is the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform. This article highlights how NAiSE solutions are redefining material flow, automation, and operational efficiency, addressing the industry-wide challenge of managing complex production processes seamlessly.
By tackling these challenges head-on, AUMOVIO’s Ingolstadt plant not only leads in technological advancement but also sets a benchmark for modern industrial operations. Explore with us how the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform is transforming the plant’s workflows and elevating efficiency across every stage of production.
Enhancing efficiency with multi-level integration and precision
At AUMOVIO’s Ingolstadt plant, smooth material flow and precise coordination are critical to operational success. The facility spans multiple floors, each fully mapped in a detailed 3D model within the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform, enabling true multi-level integration. The platform provides a real-time, comprehensive view of all production areas, giving operators full transparency and control across the entire building.
The software orchestrates the seamless movement of materials between warehouses, production floors, and storage units, ensuring maximum efficiency while adhering to strict operational standards. For example, the production areas, which require rigorous cleanliness, are managed with meticulous care, while the warehouse environment is comparatively dustier. This contrast demands careful and precise material handling to maintain quality and prevent contamination.
Thanks to this sophisticated integration, the Ingolstadt plant not only upholds the highest standards of efficiency and cleanliness but also sets a benchmark for modern industrial operations. The NAiSE Intralogistics Platform’s ability to manage complex, multi-level workflows and provide complete oversight is a true game-changer, driving unprecedented levels of productivity, reliability, and operational excellence.
Seamless workflow integration: connecting AMRs, tugger trains, and human operators
The Ingolstadt plant operates a mixed fleet of autonomous and manual vehicles, together with human operators, including:
- 13 non-VDA 5050 Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs)
- 10 tugger trains
- Forklifts
- Human operators
- And, in the near future, 7 VDA 5050 Mobile Transport Robots
This mixed fleet is seamlessly coordinated through the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform. The software ensures smooth communication and precise orchestration across all participants, regardless of manufacturer or communication standard, enabling autonomous and manual vehicles to work harmoniously alongside human operators.
Material flow from AutoStore to production with smart automation
The material flow at AUMOVIO’s Ingolstadt plant starts in the automated storage system (AutoStore), fully connected to the facility’s ERP system for real-time tracking of inventory and production needs. When a production order is placed, the storage system triggers specific scripts communicated to the NAiSE Order Manager via MQTT, REST protocols, or manually generated messages from human operators through a GUI.
When a component is required, the ERP sends the order to AutoStore, which prepares the material, packages it, and notifies the NAiSE Order Manager that the item is ready for delivery. The NAiSE Intralogistics Platform then uses intelligent decision-making to select the nearest available AMR to transport the material to the production area. This entire process relies on seamless communication via MQTT, ensuring smooth information flow from ERP to AutoStore, and then to NAiSE software.
Delivery is not just a straight path: AMRs navigate through doors and coordinate with tugger trains, while non-VDA 5050 AMRs also handle empty boxes returning to storage. These interactions frequently involve human operators, who load and unload boxes and update their status in the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform, maintaining accurate routing and inventory tracking.
With its manufacturer- and communication-standard-independent design, the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform ensures that fleet, order, and traffic management operate efficiently, regardless of how orders are triggered or communicated. This intelligent integration guarantees a smooth, reliable material flow from storage to production and back.
Optimizing material transportation with localization and traffic management
At AUMOVIO’s Ingolstadt plant, material transportation is optimized through a combination of modular assembly systems, real-time localization, and intelligent traffic management. A network of rails installed throughout the facility enables efficient vertical and horizontal movement of boxes between production floors, ensuring smooth material flow across all stages. Human operators can interact with the system by scanning and moving boxes, automatically updating their status in the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform to guarantee accurate routing.
The plant leverages NAiSE Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) to track tugger trains and forklifts with high precision. This localization technology provides real-time position data, enabling the NAiSE platform to coordinate movements, trigger specific rules, and prevent collisions between automated and manually driven vehicles.
NAiSE Traffic Manager is further enhanced with a system of traffic lights and “STOP” signs, mimicking real-world traffic regulations to ensure safe and orderly navigation. In addition, fire alarm integration allows the NAiSE platform to immediately halt all robotic operations in case of an emergency, supporting safe human evacuation and maintaining operational safety.
Together, these technologies create a highly coordinated, safe, and efficient material transportation environment, demonstrating how smart automation and intelligent traffic management can transform complex production logistics.
Real-time notifications and issue resolution for uninterrupted operations
The NAiSE Intralogistics Platform includes a robust notification system that delivers real-time status updates for all participants in the material flow process. Through intuitive visualizations, operators can quickly identify potential issues and take immediate action. If an AGV experiences an unexpected stop or obstacle it cannot resolve autonomously, the platform instantly notifies the responsible personnel at the Ingolstadt plant. This ensures rapid issue resolution, minimizes downtime, and maintains uninterrupted operations throughout the facility.
Expanding robot fleet with seamless multi-interface integration
Looking forward, the Ingolstadt plant is set to expand its mobile robot fleet by integrating a second manufacturer using VDA 5050 standardization. This expansion will enable the new robots to perform the same tasks as the existing fleet, while operating seamlessly within the same material flow environment. The NAiSE Intralogistics Platform will unify both VDA 5050 and non-VDA 5050 interfaces, allowing smooth collaboration, task execution, and navigation throughout the facility. This multi-interface integration further enhances efficiency, operational flexibility, and overall productivity.
A success story of innovation and collaboration: NAiSE’s impact at the Ingolstadt plant
“My first contact with NAiSE was in March 2020, and since then, we have achieved remarkable results. What began as a pilot project has now evolved into a fully deployed solution: the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform is officially used for fleet, traffic, and order management across our plant—and many other AUMOVIO locations rely on it daily.
Without this platform, coordinating multiple AMR suppliers within a single facility and managing traffic between autonomous and manually driven vehicles would be extremely challenging. NAiSE enables seamless integration of diverse suppliers, making traffic management more efficient and significantly enhancing safety.
Another major advantage is the MQTT interface, which streamlines communication with external hardware such as I/O devices. For instance, we use MQTT to control traffic lights in narrow passages when an AGV is present, to secure escape routes during fire alarms, and to open gates via geofenced zones. This smart automation has reduced transport times on our ground floor by 15–20%, further improving overall efficiency.
In short, our collaboration with NAiSE has been a tremendous success, and we continue to explore new benefits and use cases together,” concluded Mr. Benedikt Branner, Smart Factory Engineer / Project Manager, Plant Ingolstadt.
The deployment of the NAiSE Intralogistics Platform at the Ingolstadt plant represents a major leap forward in industrial automation and material flow management. By integrating disparate systems and enabling seamless communication among all participants, the platform drives operational efficiency, productivity, and reliability. These advancements align with broader digitalization initiatives like the DIAZI project, supporting the transformation of production processes across the automotive and supplier industries.
The Ingolstadt plant’s ongoing commitment to innovation and expansion highlights the critical role of NAiSE in shaping the future of automation. As digitalization efforts continue to evolve, NAiSE will remain at the forefront, enabling new levels of operational excellence and technological integration.
