Internationalized markets are facing increasing individualization of customer needs. Handling product variety becomes more difficult as products become more complex and integrated. Current manufacturing systems show structural rigidity that makes it terribly cumbersome to cope with product model changes, product mix variation, and lot size reduction. High investments are usually required to streamline the assembly system. Production integrated software is often vague, doesn't offer complex scenarios occurrence and the result can drift immensely away from the real implementation.

Arculus offers an ICT integrated solution for an enhanced production system implementing a higher number of variants and, at the same time, increasing productivity by 30%-60%. Its software provides a virtual real-time shadow of all the elements in production getting a clear view on how Key Performance Indicators are affected. Smart Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are then exploited for material flow management. Car manufacturers, highly dependent on new technological processes to remain competitive, will be the first enthusiastic customers’ target.

Within the overall project, Arculus intends to optimize its ICT platform, customizing the navigation control and integrating both an enhanced software interface and an automatic communication protocol. Arculus will surely support the EC target to increase industry’s share of GDP to 20% by 2020. A forecasted global market for advanced manufacturing technologies of €750 billion by 2020, and a target industry representing a key pillar of the EU economy, will leverage this innovative solution.