What Lenze learned from the gaming industry for its NUPANO Suite
The gaming industry is always changing and adapting to the latest trends, as for example shown at Gamescom, the world’s biggest games trade fair. Gamers and industry representatives visit the exhibition – and not just because gaming engines are used in industry. Lenze is also taking a close look. Automation experts are more interested in the innovation, customer focus, and fast pace of the games industry than in the game mechanics.
Last year, the gaming sector earned over 180 billion US dollars worldwide – more than the music and film industries combined. The main driver of this success is the platform strategy of the major game studios and console providers. This is because it enables gamers to have quick and easy access to new games without having to read a manual – simple plug & play. Lenze transfers these guarantees of success from the gaming industry to the life cycle of machines. It enables the machine builder to quickly develop a new generation of machines, packed with digital added value.
The Lenze NUPANO Suite is the answer to the engineering questions of mechanical engineers. It's a bit like platforms in the gaming industry: as gamers, we buy a console and the software that comes with it helps us set it up – all in one place, without system interruptions. Then I can start as a player. If I want to, I can just insert a disc and play offline. I can go online to buy new games or expansions, play against others, invite friends to play, connect streaming services for movies or music, and surf the internet – all without any interruptions.
Selecting hardware, simple set-up, programming, activating and efficiently operating additional functions and collaborating with partners – this is also possible with the Lenze NUPANO Suite. What's more: I run updates for better performance and more security on my device. And it's all possible because everyone involved, like the software developers, uses IT standards. Machine builders can develop data-driven applications on their own or with the support of their Lenze colleagues and run them on the machine. This starts with a service ticket system and ends with OEE optimization using AI algorithms. This will be the future of mechanical engineering – engineering at the highest level over the entire life cycle of a machine.
From planning and operation to digital sales
It's all about speed in development, commissioning, collaboration, and new business models – via one platform. With the support of the Lenze NUPANO Suite, the customer starts the engineering, buys his drives or his automation system and can minimize his effort with the application software, because Lenze provides the complete toolchain – from the initial idea for the machine to operational use by the machine operator. The automation specialists have based the architecture of the suite on the product life cycle – from planning to operation and, in future, recycling of the machine. The user currently has access to three blocks.
1. Planning phase
During the planning phase, users of the suite have full access to planning and design tools such as the System Designer. The idea: The assistant supports the user in planning everything, from single-axis applications to complex machine solutions (with Lenze and third-party components). Based on Lenze's in-depth domain knowledge, and the calculation models based on concrete experience. Drive systems can also be designed to be energy efficient. Everyone involved in the planning process works collaboratively. The machine process is modularized, and the user can select solution elements or use wizards. Lenze provides the connection to digital services such as CAD and EPLAN. It also supports the user in creating a PLC template.
2. Build phase
The Build phase centers on engineering, commissioning and series production. He accesses a ready-made software framework in order to integrate, test and scale ready-made software modules from Lenze into his machine software, for example. Commissioning is initially carried out virtually, while the control cabinet and the machine are under construction. Lenze relies on the parallel development of software for mechanical and electrical systems. This shortens the development time. When deploying the IT software, Lenze supplies a tool that simply and efficiently installs and manages containerized software on series machines. The supplier does not have to reprogram its applications, because Lenze wants to support the digitalization of its customers simply and efficiently. The customer's software should simply run, because: IT capacities are scarce everywhere, which is why the industry is working together. The platform must be secure, open, simple and comprehensible for the machine manufacturer.
3. Operate phase
In the Operate phase, the machine manufacturer supports its own customers in operating the machine. Thanks to the centralized machine management in the suite, they can offer them service ticketing applications for machines or add anomaly detections, for example. In this phase, the aim is to continually improve the availability of the machine and increase its productivity, because that is what counts on the market today. There is also transparency for the machine manufacturer, as they have an overview of all machines, including software versioning.
In the near future...
...industry-specific platforms will also be able to dock onto the Lenze NUPANO Suite. Take the Marketplace of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, for example. A customer could then download and use applications for their machine that Lenze does not offer on the NUPANO Suite. Just as if they were streaming Netflix on their PlayStation. The gaming industry is inspiring the industry to develop new business models.