Schaeffler wins German Innovation Award for Industrial Metaverse

Schaeffler has been awarded the German Innovation Award in the ‘Large Companies’ category for its development and implementation of an Industrial Metaverse. This digital ecosystem bridges physical production plants with virtual environments, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), simulation, and automation to optimize manufacturing processes.

The platform integrates three-dimensional digital maps of facilities with realistic physical process simulations. It serves as a learning environment for autonomous systems, including automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and humanoid robots, allowing them to be trained and tested virtually before physical deployment. This approach enables the company to anticipate problems and adjust production sequences to improve efficiency.

Currently operating in ten production centers, Schaeffler aims to expand the implementation to 50% of its global plants by 2030. CEO Klaus Rosenfeld stated that the Industrial Metaverse creates a manufacturing learning ecosystem that helps ensure long-term competitiveness and lays the foundation for the factory of the future.