Connected Factory Demonstrator

Join Digital Catapult as we undertake an industry-first project with Dyer Engineering and Special Metals Wiggin. This Project sets to unlock productivity, streamline processes, improve yield and increase quality control in the manufacturing environment.

The Connected Factory Demonstrator brings together Digital Catapult with the two innovative manufacturing businesses and the UK startup community to explore how future networks technologies including LPWAN (low-powered, wide area networks) can drive improvements throughout the product lifecycle.

Why you should get involved

In September 2018 Digital Catapult was awarded funding from Innovate UK to establish the Connected Factory Demonstrators. Digital Catapult will procure suitable solutions on behalf of Dyer Engineering and Special Metals Wiggin within the allocated funds.

Consequently, we are now seeking innovative partners to help solve real world challenges related to indoor and outdoor tracking for the location of assets, equipment and components, as well as process measurement, optimisation and control.

Who should apply

We’re looking for IoT and LPWAN enabled startups able to deploy their asset tracking solutions in a live manufacturing environment. Respondents to this brief are invited to provide a cost-effective proposal to remotely monitor the location of assets including metal components and containers across the facilities.

Next steps

The RFP (Request for Proposal) will be open from the 21st January where potential participants can register their interest in taking part and receive the RFP application documents.

Applicants are welcome to submit proposals for one or both challenges.The deadline for receipt of proposals is 17:00 Monday 11 February 2019.

While there are similarities between both use cases, the following key differences should be noted:

Special Metals Wiggin: Require assets to be tracked across the entire manufacturing facility (approximately 47 acres/190,000 square meters) in both indoor and outdoor environments. Initial studies by Digital Catapult have found that GPS signals are available on site, both indoors and outdoors.

Dyer Engineering: Require assets to be tracked around multiple warehouses over two sites with a total combined footprint of 8,361 square meters. Only indoor tracking is required. GPS signal is not available inside the warehouses.

Further details on the facilities, use cases and requirements can be found in the RFP documents.Shorlisted applicants will be invited to present their proposals to a panel from Digital Catapult, Dyer Engineering and Special Metals Wiggin; the selected supplier(s) will be procured to work with these proof of concepts.

Timings

The following timings apply to the RFP process:

• 21 Jan – Open Call opens
• 11 Feb – Deadline for receipt of proposals
• 11 – 22 Feb – Presentations and demonstrations
• 28 Feb – Selection of supplier
• 31 March – Deployment complete
• 1 Apr – 30 Sep – Trial periodThis work is supported by Innovate UK