II1668B - DX for Non-mechanized/Automated Medical Device Manufacturing at Olympus

Olympus is a Global MedTech company that develops and manufactures endoscopes and surgical instruments and has a 70% share of the world endoscope market. The manufacturing process for endoscopes is ultra-precise and involves a lot of delicate manual work by high-skilled mechanics; For example, soldering under a microscope. Due to these precise and delicate processes, Olympus has had difficulty keeping up with industrial evolution and was limited in mechanization and automation. This session will show how Olympus is transforming its manufacturing processes, by supporting its highly skilled workers with the latest digital technologies. By leveraging ThingWorx, they were able to tap into the power of Industry 4.0 to meet increasingly sophisticated specifications, stricter regulations, and a shortage of human resources to be competitive in the rapidly growing medical device industry.