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I4S 4/2026: Dynamics of Digitally Networked Value Creation Systems

I4S 4/2026: Dynamics of Digitally Networked Value Creation Systems

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts—exploring digital ecosystems together
Digital platforms and data spaces are transforming industrial value creation and creating new opportunities for cross-organizational collaboration. At the same time, new requirements are emerging regarding data sovereignty, security, and governance. This issue of Industry 4.0 Science provides insights into the DynaVer research program, in which 15 interdisciplinary projects are investigating the dynamics of digitally networked value creation systems.
Enabling Digital Trust in Green Hydrogen Markets

Enabling Digital Trust in Green Hydrogen Markets

Trust-Building Information Systems and Mechanisms
Johanna Voß, Jens Pöppelbuß ORCID Icon
Building a global hydrogen economy requires more than technology and investment; it requires trust. As information systems (IS) increasingly mediate collaboration among unfamiliar, distributed actors, the question of how trust can be deliberately built becomes critical. This study systematically maps how IS enable different types of trust and reveals how these mechanisms can support trusting collaboration in emerging hydrogen value chains.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 82-90 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.9
The European Dream of a Single Market for Data

The European Dream of a Single Market for Data

Common European Data Spaces: The gap between aspiration and reality
Nils Wiedemann ORCID Icon
With their European strategy for data, the EU aims to improve access to and promote the exchange of data in order to create a European single market. Key instruments in this effort are Common European Data Spaces intended to remove legal and practical barriers to data sharing. This article analyzes selected legal obstacles to data sharing, in particular a lack of oversight, uncertainties regarding data protection law, and regulatory fragmentation. The focus is on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), the first implementation of such a data space. Using the EHDS as a case study, the article examines the extent to which Common European Data Spaces are suitable for enabling data sharing, what limitations exist, and under what conditions a transfer to other sectors is conceivable.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 14-20 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.2
I4S 3/2026: Immersive Technologies in Production

I4S 3/2026: Immersive Technologies in Production

VR, AR, MR, XR: Catalysts for the next industrial revolution?
Immersive technologies are fundamentally transforming manufacturing. VR, AR, MR, and XR merge physical and digital worlds into interactive work environments. In Industry 4.0, they enable more intuitive access to planning, production, maintenance, and training. This issue of Industry 4.0 Science shows how immersive technologies are becoming a central building block of resilient, flexible, and innovative production systems.
Open-Source Implementation of the Industrial Metaverse

Open-Source Implementation of the Industrial Metaverse

Case study and best practices
Henning Strauß ORCID Icon, Tim Johannsen
The digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector is hampered by vendor lock-in, high cloud costs, and stringent data sovereignty requirements when implementing Industrial Metaverse solutions. Although the Industrial Metaverse is quickly becoming a key concept in Industry 5.0, SMEs are often at a disadvantage when using proprietary solutions. This paper demonstrates how Industrial Metaverse applications can be realized by combining proven communication standards with open web technologies, thereby reducing barriers. This makes immersive applications for training, maintenance, and monitoring feasible even in SMEs. Using an open-source-based prototype as a best-practice implementation, the paper illustrates how the Industrial Metaverse can be made technologically and economically accessible to SMEs.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | Edition 3 | Pages 68-73
Production Control in Space

Production Control in Space

An AI-supported approach for industry in orbit
Dominik Augenstein, Lara Jovic
Production in space, of semiconductors for example, offers many advantages for companies. At the same time, high transport costs mean that careful consideration must be given to the production materials being transported. The use of Kalman filters enables (real-time) control from Earth, making space production a cost-efficient option. Machine learning could make it a viable approach even for highly complex production systems.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | 2025 | Edition 6 | Pages 22-29

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Foundation Models in Industrial Robotics

Foundation Models in Industrial Robotics

Requirements for AI-supported assistance in production and logistics
Bernd Kuhlenkötter ORCID Icon, Daniel Syniawa
Foundation models are increasingly changing the way robots are used in industry. Instead of writing complex programs line by line, programmers will soon be able to collaborate more closely with AI systems, describe tasks, and review generated solutions. This shifts their role from purely generating code to conceptual, supervisory, and validation activities. This article highlights the new possibilities that large AI models create for robot programming and the changes they entail for work and required skills in industrial practice.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 44 | 2026 | Edition 5 | Pages 16-23 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.5.2
AI-Driven Organization as a New Work Paradigm

AI-Driven Organization as a New Work Paradigm

Implications for individual and organizational change
Wolfgang Beinhauer, Josephine Hofmann, Leonie Krauch, Katharina Morsch, Carsten Schmidt
Is it sufficient to train employees in the use of AI tools, or does the AI organization require an entirely new set of competencies? This paper introduces a digital enablement model comprising three competency dimensions and demonstrates, through an upskilling program implemented at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, how organizations can sustainably bridge the AI adoption gap.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 44 | 2026 | Edition 5 | Pages 94-100
Designing Effective AI Certification

Designing Effective AI Certification

Insights from established certification domains for the standardization of human-centered AI
Katharina Morsch
Certification for human-centered AI is becoming increasingly important—as a source of competitive differentiation, a response to regulatory expectations, and a mechanism for fostering human-centered work environments. But how can organizations determine whether the underlying requirements are truly embedded in practice? Drawing on expert interviews from established certification domains, this paper shows that the decisive question is answered not during the audit itself, but in the period between audit cycles. Ultimately, it is not the certificate that matters, but the commitment of organizational leadership and the organization as a whole to engage seriously in the certification process and its continuous implementation.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 44 | 2026 | Edition 5 | Pages 86-92 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.8
Industry 4.0—Progress and Digitalization in Limbo

Industry 4.0—Progress and Digitalization in Limbo

Status of sustainable transformation and digitalization in production engineering
Christian Donhauser ORCID Icon, Daniel Riepl
Digitalization projects help users represent complex processes more simply and efficiently. However, there are many obstacles to implementation. Reluctance to implement these projects is palpable. This affects, among others, employers and employees, who may fall behind economically by waiting or avoiding change. These observations can be traced back to an overarching research question: What barriers and systemic challenges hinder sustainable transformation within the context of Industry 4.0, particularly when considering human labor in production engineering? What questions are the affected stakeholders asking? The primary goal of this long-term research project is to define these questions decisively and in detail in order to develop a conceptual foundation that integrates research, teaching, and technological development and thus combines the potential of digital technologies with the experiential and practical knowledge of production workers.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 3 | Pages 56-60
Optimized Manual Processes in Automotive Production

Optimized Manual Processes in Automotive Production

A module-based approach for the efficient creation of work system simulations
Barbara Brockmann, Tobias Jurk, Beate Stoffels, Jochen Deuse ORCID Icon
In the manufacturing industry, the integration of digital human models into the product development and manufacturing process is becoming increasingly important. Particularly in assembly, which is characterized by a high proportion of manual tasks, motion simulations enable a realistic representation of human work and thus make a significant contribution to the evaluation of motion economy, process validation, and efficiency improvement. However, widespread application in production planning faces various challenges, such as the high initial effort required to create human simulations as well as volatile planning conditions. This article presents a practice-oriented solution from the automotive assembly sector that enables the creation of simulations with reduced effort as well as their early and consistent use in the planning process.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 3 | Pages 48-55
AI-Powered Lubrication Strategies for Thread Forming

AI-Powered Lubrication Strategies for Thread Forming

Adaptive spray jet control to increase process reliability and tool life
Reinhard Schmied, Marco Susic, Christian Donhauser ORCID Icon
Thread forming requires precise lubricant application because high contact pressures and process temperatures strongly influence tool loading, friction, and process stability. Although minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) systems are widely used, current spray-based approaches can still suffer from spray losses, insufficient wetting of the thread grooves, and unstable droplet transport. This article presents a concept for adaptive precision lubrication in thread forming based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-supported flow analysis, experimental validation, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted optimization. The focus is on droplet size, spray jet geometry, nozzle position, ambient flow conditions, and their influence on wetting intensity. Preliminary simulation-based investigations indicate that data-driven optimization can help identify wetting deficiencies and support the development of future control strategies for resource-efficient lubricant application.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2027 | Edition 3 | Pages 76-83

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Open Access

Foundation Models in Industrial Robotics

Foundation Models in Industrial Robotics

Requirements for AI-supported assistance in production and logistics
Bernd Kuhlenkötter ORCID Icon, Daniel Syniawa
Foundation models are increasingly changing the way robots are used in industry. Instead of writing complex programs line by line, programmers will soon be able to collaborate more closely with AI systems, describe tasks, and review generated solutions. This shifts their role from purely generating code to conceptual, supervisory, and validation activities. This article highlights the new possibilities that large AI models create for robot programming and the changes they entail for work and required skills in industrial practice.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 44 | 2026 | Edition 5 | Pages 16-23 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.5.2
Designing Effective AI Certification

Designing Effective AI Certification

Insights from established certification domains for the standardization of human-centered AI
Katharina Morsch
Certification for human-centered AI is becoming increasingly important—as a source of competitive differentiation, a response to regulatory expectations, and a mechanism for fostering human-centered work environments. But how can organizations determine whether the underlying requirements are truly embedded in practice? Drawing on expert interviews from established certification domains, this paper shows that the decisive question is answered not during the audit itself, but in the period between audit cycles. Ultimately, it is not the certificate that matters, but the commitment of organizational leadership and the organization as a whole to engage seriously in the certification process and its continuous implementation.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 44 | 2026 | Edition 5 | Pages 86-92 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.8
Cooperation Routines of Complementors in Digital Ecosystems

Cooperation Routines of Complementors in Digital Ecosystems

A microfoundation of integrative dynamic capability
Christian Zabel ORCID Icon, Tahir Schmidt ORCID Icon
Complementors are central to value creation in digital ecosystems yet have limited leverage and must adapt through dynamic capabilities. Building on the Profiting From Innovation Framework, this study examines how integrative capabilities manifest for complementors through cooperative routines. Based on a systematic literature review of Scopus-indexed studies from 2020 to mid-2025 focusing on the microfoundation “orchestrating ecosystem actors”, we identify two routine clusters. Complementors cooperate with other complementors via partner sensing, scouting, coalitions, resource sharing, and risk allocation while protecting critical assets. They cooperate with platform owners via multichannel boundary spanning, quality signaling, governance compliance, boundary resource integration, and co-development, while facing the risk of owner entry. Research gaps concern the formalization of cooperation routines, taxonomy, and B2B contexts.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 22-28 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.3
Data-Driven Supplier Selection in Industry 4.0

Data-Driven Supplier Selection in Industry 4.0

Towards an industrial platform for selection and configuration
Purushothaman Ganesh ORCID Icon, Baris E. Albayrak ORCID Icon, Jörg Franke ORCID Icon, Till Sindel ORCID Icon, Jens Fürst, Sebastian Lang ORCID Icon
Industrial supply chains must repeatedly reconfigure sourcing strategies in response to disruptions, yet supplier capability information remains heterogeneous and difficult to operationalize. Existing research addresses supplier selection, simulation, and interoperability standards separately, treating discovery, evaluation, and optimization as disconnected steps requiring manual data transformation. This paper presents a framework for a data-driven industrial platform integrating three components: Asset Administration Shell-based supplier profiles structured by an Actor-Service ontology for semantic discovery, automatic discrete-event simulation model generation from layout data for performance evaluation, and KPI-driven configuration using optimization algorithms. The main contributions are an end-to-end interoperable workflow, a two-tier supplier profile concept separating semantic descriptions from simulation parameters, and a standardized KPI interface maintaining consistency ...
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 50-61 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.6
Replacing Organizational Trust with Technical Guarantees

Replacing Organizational Trust with Technical Guarantees

Privacy-enhancing technologies for dynamic industrial value networks
Hajeong Jeon ORCID Icon, Johannes Lohmöller ORCID Icon, Klaus Wehrle ORCID Icon, Jan Pennekamp ORCID Icon
Long-term relationships are now insufficient to ensure trust in digitalized and dynamic industrial networks where sensitive data sharing is prevalent. While organizational trust mechanisms, such as contracts, remain significant, they are often slow and challenging to scale within evolving digital platforms. This article thus proposes privacy-enhancing technologies as a foundation for embedding technical and verifiable guarantees alongside organizational trust mechanisms. As a result, secure industrial collaboration can be achieved without the persistence of data silos.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 72-80 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.8
Open Source as Enabler for Smart Data Ecosystems

Open Source as Enabler for Smart Data Ecosystems

How collaboration shapes sovereignty and interoperability across industrial applications
Anna Maria Schleimer ORCID Icon, Julia Pampus ORCID Icon
From automotive supply chains to smart factories, data ecosystems promise seamless collaboration across company boundaries. But how can industries build the necessary infrastructure without creating new dependencies? This article explores how open-source software can serve as a foundation and impactful tool for sovereign, interoperable technologies and standards. Yet, open-source software is not a silver bullet; rather, it poses challenges for digital sovereignty in burgeoning data ecosystems.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 4 | Pages 6-13 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.4.1
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