‘Digitalization is not an option, it is a necessity’ – Vlad Cazan, co-founder of KFactory

KFactory is a cutting-edge Industry 4.0 solution, which digitalizes the manufacturing process, focusing on performance management. Designed to be accessible everywhere by operators, engineers, and managers, KFactory is built using modern technologies: IIoT for data collection and ML for understanding and optimization of the production process. It emerged from a simple need identified by its founders, Vlad Cazan and Adrian Dima, who recognized a massive opportunity in one of the most undigitized areas today - manufacturing.

The idea for KFactory emerged in 2018 as a result of a customer request for real-time solutions to monitor equipment performance. This initial collaboration, coupled with the founders' background in software development, led to the realization of the vast potential in the manufacturing digitalization space. The concept gained momentum, and in 2019, discussions with Cristian Patachia-Sultănoiu from Orange Fab highlighted the substantial scope of their venture. Soon, in December 2019, KFactory was officially introduced as part of Orange Fab startups in an interview with Ziarul Financiar. Now, KFactory's team consists of 14 members, and they've successfully raised €825,000 for international expansion.

After collaboration with hundreds of manufacturing companies to understand their requirements, KFactory came with a suite of tools tailored to the industry's needs. The company developed a complex platform built on the top of wireless sensor network, which collects various data (e.g., energy usage, temperature, light level) depending on the requirements. The platform consists out of 4 independent elements, which can be integrated in the industry ecosystem separately depending on its’ digitalization level:

Level 1. KFactory Core: gathers and monitors the required data in real time, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the performance and sustainability of the production lines.
Level 2. KFactory Analytics: performs an exhaustive analysis of industrial machines, orders, personnel, and support teams, assisting managers not only in reacting on the occurred situation but also in understanding, what led to it.
Level 3. KFactory Knowledge: engages ML to learn from gathered data and forecast industry-related aspects like potential equipment failures, what significantly aids managers in scheduling maintenance operations in a timely manner.
Level 4. Virtual Engineering Team: a pioneering concept of AI assistants for production, maintenance, supply chain, quality and green sectors, which monitor related parameters, analyses them, perform paperwork and deliver to the corresponding “real” team.

KFactory and Orange Fab collaboration has been a pivotal step in the former’s growth and an exciting experience for the latter. Over the past six years, KFactory has made remarkable strides both in developing cutting-edge technological solutions for the digitalization of industries and in its own evolution as a company. Meanwhile, Orange Fab has supported KFactory not only by distributing their solution but also by providing internet connectivity and cloud services. A natural synergy has formed between the companies, based on years of collaboration and participation in events such as Viva Tech, workshops, and demo days. Looking ahead, KFactory plans to incorporate more disruptive technologies and become a significant player regionally or internationally, in which Orange Fab will be happy to be part of.