Spotted: Industry 4.0 by ifm and BENTELER

In an Industry 4.0 Learning Factory developed by the BENTELER trainees, a production process is controlled using a tablet. Many ifm sensors are used in it.

BENTELER is a globally acting family-owned business enterprise for customers from the automotive, energy and mechanical engineering industries. As a strategically innovative partner, the group of companies develops, produces and distributes safety-related products, systems and services. At more than 140 locations in 40 countries, about 30,000 employees offer first-class production and sales competence - with passion and close to their customers.

In 2018, more than 150 trainees and combination students trained in ten technical and four commercial and IT professions as well as in six combination studies programs, started their career at 19 different BENTELER locations.

One training centre is located in Paderborn. Here, every year in November, BENTELER invites to an open day. Pupils, students, parents, etc. can inform themselves about an apprenticeship at BENTELER. On the open days, the trainees present exhibits they have developed and built themselves. In 2018, the event attracted about 2,500 visitors.

The training centre includes the Learning Factory for trainees, which is actually an Industry 4.0 exhibit. Everyone who feels like it can build their own boat, car or truck there. The BENTELER logo can then be printed with a 3D printer to perfectly match the created vehicle. Using smart glasses, you can even experience how information and images are transmitted over great distances by integrating them in the glasses' field of view. Many ifm sensors are used in the installation:  Among others, ifm cylinder sensors are used for the magazine, inductive IA-type sensors for the detection of the interim and end positions of the workpiece carriers, KG-type touch sensors to start the machine or the individual process steps, O2D vision sensors for position verification of the parts used in the installation.