Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a United States-based automaker, is developing a complete virtual factory to simulate the full assembly line production process.
This move will allow the company to improve quality and reduced costs in real world manufacturing facilities by creating and analysing computer simulations of vehicle production procedures.
Jose Terrades, simulations engineer, Ford of Spain, said, ‘We have already started work on our virtual factory project, so that we won’t have to go to the real assembly line to conduct tests or research possible plant upgrades. Virtual factories will enable Ford to preview and optimise the assembly of future models at any of our plants, anywhere in the world. With the advanced simulations and virtual environments we already have at our disposal, we believe this is something Ford can achieve in the very near future.’