With open automation into the electrified future Audi relies on PLCnext Technology from Phoenix Contact at its Ingolstadt location in Germany for the body shop of the all-electric Audi Q6 e-tron series. In addition to numerous functions for IIoT applications, the open ecosystem also features integrated cybersecurity in accordance with the international IEC 62443-4-2 standard.

It is important to keep the energy footprint as neutral as possible, right from the vehicle production stage. Audi has therefore set itself the goal of achieving carbon-neutral production at all sites by 2025. This target was achieved at the Ingolstadt location back at the beginning of 2024. In the body shop in particular, it is important to improve emission values through influencing factors such as quality, availability, and adaptability. Every time there is no load or a car body is rejected from the manufacturing process, not only are costs incurred. The production-related GHG balance is increased.

To prevent this from happening, Audi uses numerous measures such as shutdowns during no-load times and the use of communication-capable energy meters – for example, the multifunctional EEM-MA 370 measuring device from Phoenix Contact – to monitor consumption. To increase optimization even further at this point, transparency about the energy flows and information that indicates a malfunction as soon as it occurs is needed. Even the smallest deviations from quality, which are indicated at an early stage, can make a decisive contribution here. Identifying additional potential for improvement in the process flow results not only in shorter cycle times, but also in the optimization of the energy balance of each individual car.

In the Ingolstadt project, the block standard under development since 2004 based on the predecessor platform, PC Worx, has been converted to the new PLCnext Technology control technology. As a result of the new developments, the library now contains more than 600 blocks for the optimized control of the many processes required in a body shop. The RFC 4072S PN PLCnext Control also supports the safety of machinery in accordance with IEC 62061 SIL 3 and EN ISO 13849-1 PL e. The new automation platform provides a web visualization to increase the consistency and integration of information.

A visualization assistant specially developed for this purpose generates around 98% of the operating displays automatically. To do this, it accesses information from the user program and creates the system visualization with the help of more than 700 icons from the newly created system library. This also applies to the conveyor systems, where employees may only operate the areas that are visible. Here, the generator creates an individual user interface for each system part. With this approach, it has been possible to reduce the installation time to a third of the time previously required: a considerable advantage for adaptations and commissioning.

The constantly increasing number of information sources – such as sensors and cameras as well as technologies for ensuring processes and quality – leads to ever larger amounts of data and, consequently, inevitably to points of attack that must be protected against unauthorized access. Audi therefore always considers such projects from a cybersecurity perspective. In concrete terms, this means that Audi and Phoenix Contact, as a TÜV-certified IEC 62443-3-3 Security Service Provider, have already developed a holistic security concept in the planning phase of the project. The concept implements the functional system requirements of IEC 62443-2-4. Furthermore, a threat analysis was used to define and implement measures to increase the security of the production area.

The optimization of production and the associated sustainability of the resources used require data that can be used safely. Through smart electrification, effective networking, and open automation, Audi is laying the foundations for sustainable, future-proof production, and the flexible integration of new technologies such as machine learning.