# Savonia IoT students visited Mercedes-Benz Car Factory - Experiences Gathered - Savonia AMK

> Eight IoT students and three teachers from Savonia University of Applied Sciences visited the Mercedes-Benz car factory situated in Rasttat, Germany in March 2023.

## Overview
In March 2023, eight IoT students and three teachers from Savonia University of Applied Sciences visited the Mercedes-Benz car factory in Rastatt, Germany. This visit was integrated into the first-year course "Industrial Internet of Things and Digital Health Ecosystem," providing students with practical insights into smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and digital twin technologies.

## Factory Operations and Efficiency
The Rastatt factory spans approximately 1,473,000 square meters with a production capacity of roughly 250,000 vehicles per year. Modern assembly lines have evolved significantly since the introduction of the moving assembly line; today, parts are supplied in a continuous, automated flow, arriving at the assembly line in precise sequence. This efficiency allows the factory to produce a new car approximately every 80 seconds, totaling over 800 cars per day, with a total production time of 24 hours per vehicle.

## Technical Highlights: Robotics and Automation
A key highlight of the visit was observing KUKA robots, which perform dangerous and repetitive tasks such as welding and painting. These robots are designed to work collaboratively with human workers, ensuring high precision and safety. The integration of these systems demonstrates how automation enhances both productivity and quality control within the manufacturing environment.

## Digital Twins in Manufacturing
The use of digital twin technology was a central focus for the students. The factory utilizes virtual representations of vehicles and production processes to:
*   Create virtual prototypes of new cars.
*   Test various production scenarios.
*   Identify potential issues or errors before they occur in the real world.
*   Optimize factory processes to reduce errors and improve overall system quality.

## Conclusion
The visit provided students with a clear understanding of how IoT sensors and digital twins are revolutionizing the industrial sector. By combining traditional production methods with modern technological solutions, the factory achieves high-quality output at scale. The experience served as a source of inspiration for the students, motivating them to apply their IoT knowledge to complex real-world processes.

## Authors and Affiliation
*   **Md. Sajib M Pramanic**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Md.Sajib.Pramanic@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Bishwatma Khanal**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Bishwatma.Khanal@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Md. Z Khan**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Md.Khan@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Stanislav Kolosov**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Stanislav.Kolosov@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Shahil Sharma**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Shahil.Sharma@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Suubi Lubaale**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Suubi.Lubaale@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Asmita Thapa Magar**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Asmita.ThapaMagar@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Tahsina F Tasmi**, IoT student, Savonia UAS (Tahsina.Tasmi@edu.savonia.fi)
*   **Pasi Lepistö**, Senior Lecturer, Savonia UAS (Pasi.Lepisto@savonia.fi)
*   **Arto Toppinen**, Principal Lecturer, Savonia UAS (Arto.Toppinen@savonia.fi)
*   **Rajeev Kanth**, Senior Lecturer, Savonia UAS (Rajeev.kanth@savonia.fi)