In this episode of the Smart Metals podcast, we (Denis Gontcharov and Luke Van Enkhuizen) had the pleasure of hosting Wim Dijkgraaf, founder and CEO of Quotation Factory. We discussed the challenges and solutions in high mix, low volume manufacturing, focusing on the impact of Event-Driven Architectures (EDA) and Unified Namespace (UNS) in transforming the metalworking industry.

Wim shared how Quotation Factory leverages advanced systems to estimate production times, streamline operations, and enhance responsiveness.

We also dove into the concept of semantic hierarchy and explored the potential for AI in building autonomous, smart factories. The episode wraps up with insights on how these architectures can make manufacturers more agile, reliable, and ready for digital transformation.

Timestamps:
- 00:13 Introduction and Guest Welcome
- 00:32 Wim Dijkgraaf's Background and Quotation Factory Overview
- 02:07 Challenges in High Mix, Low Volume Manufacturing
- 03:31 Manual Processes and Data Integration Issues
- 10:42 Event-Driven Architecture and Its Benefits
- 18:19 Unified Namespace and Semantic Hierarchy
- 35:31 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Notable Quotes:
1. "If you create point-to-point connections, both parties should understand the world on the other side. This creates complexity and increases the time and cost of integrations. That's why event-driven architecture adds value." – Wim Dijkgraaf
2. "Many metalworking companies believe they have a lot of data because it’s in their ERP. But to become a smart factory, the critical information is actually the events happening in real time." – Wim Dijkgraaf
3. "You want to observe and store events as they happen, with all the necessary data tied to that moment. That's what a good data strategy is about—capturing events." – Wim Dijkgraaf
4. "When there’s a manufacturing issue, like a standstill or quality concern, you need data from several systems to identify the root cause. If you rely only on the ERP, you lose real-time insight." – Luke Van Enkhuizen
5. "The Unified Namespace allows all your data—whether from sensors or MES systems—to be unified in one place. This semantic hierarchy makes it easy for both humans and machines to navigate and understand the data." – Denis Gontcharov

Relevant Links:
- 🔗 Follow the show: [https://smartmetals.transistor.fm/](https://smartmetals.transistor.fm/)
- 🔗 About Denis Gontcharov: [https://gontcharov.eu/](https://gontcharov.eu/)
- 🔗 About Luke Van Enkhuizen: [https://sheetmetalconnect.com/](https://sheetmetalconnect.com/)
- 🔗 About Wim Dijkgraaf and Quotation Factory: [https://www.quotationfactory.com/en/](https://www.quotationfactory.com/en/)