"A smart factory is driven by data and powered by learning," said Norbert Hanke, president of Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence (MI) division during his keynote "Building a Smart Factory" at this year's HxGN LIVE.
After ruminating on several examples of how smart factories will change manufacturing, from automotive design to advanced materials and real-time feedback loops for robotic automation, Hanke announced that Hexagon is investing approximately 90 million EUR (100 million USD) to build a new production facility in Hongdao, China.
The new site will manufacture metrology systems for Hexagon's MI division, utilizing the company's smart manufacturing technologies to produce and calibrate the systems. It will also house software development and customer support teams covering the wider Hexagon portfolio, as well as office and meeting space, recreational areas for employees and a Hexagon solution center.
Construction will be managed by Hexagon's own enterprise construction solution, HxGN SMART Build, and is slated to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2020.
For more information, visit the Hexagon MI website or follow me on Twitter for live updates from HxGN LIVE 2017.