The Medtech Factory of the Future

The new High-Energy Photonics (HEP) Center of Siemens Healthineers will now be manufacturing the core parts for many of the Siemens Healthineers imaging systems. The X‑ray tube assemblies made at the HEP Center are installed in X‑ray, mammography, CT, and interventional radiography systems of Siemens Healthineers enabling catheter and other applications for neurological and cardiovascular care. 

The HEP Center was built to promote growth by raising output and enabling quality and precision at the same time. “It’s a high-end field,” notes Horst Schmidt, Head of Power & Vacuum at Siemens Healthineers. “Our customers are doctors from around the world who want the best possible care for their patients, and are also increasingly interested in mobile units. They’re constantly seeking even better quality and higher resolutions to be even quicker and more accurate in their diagnoses and actions.”

A key part of this trajectory consists of automating and digitalizing production. The entire HEP Center is digitalized and connected, and every part of it is digitally mapped. The dimensions, physical properties, and performance data are all known, forming a digital twin of the factory. In 2019, Siemens Healthineers worked with Porsche Consulting to develop its vision of a smart factory. “The HEP Center is our first completely digitalized factory and a crucial part of our smart factory network,” says Dr. Peter Schardt, Chief Technology Officer at Siemens Healthineers. “A reliable and connected production environment is of crucial importance in the medical sector,” he adds.