Autor: Gisela Lanza

Digital product passports are becoming increasingly mandatory for monitoring saving targets within the framework of EU-wide emission reductions. DPPs can enable a standardized exchange of emissions data along the entire product life cycle. A framework for systematic introduction and targeted use can simplify their often difficult practical integration, especially for small and medium-sized companies.

A robust and resilient supply chain is a critical success factor for the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. However, today’s supply chain faces various challenges, such as higher complexities and increasing dynamics coming from megatrends (i. e. globalization and sustainability). The medium-sized drive technology industry, with its global supply chains and high customer requirements, is particularly affected by these challenges. Therefore, digitalization initiatives are crucial. This article analyzes current digitalization projects in the drive technology industry in order to identify relevant trends and fields of application. Synthesized from the industry's target picture for higher resilience/ flexibility, greater transparency and more sustainability along the supply chain, these provide guidance for medium-sized companies and their digitalization strategies. (Only in German)

Industry 4.0 and an increasing digitalisation make it possible to implement decentralised decisions in production and on the shop floor to an ever greater extent. Shopfloor Management is an important enabler for the assumption of decentralised responsibility on the shop floor. This article takes up the approach of autonomous assembly teams and explains how they can be realised step-by-step with the help of goal-oriented shop floor management.

Engineers are often uncertain about the application of machine learning (ML) due to the amount of different machine learning methods and the complexity of modeling. Thus, the use of ML applications in manufacturing companies remains behind the technical possibilities. This paper presents an intuitive ML guideline for engineers to reduce this uncertainty. The guideline comprises a process model with AI-based solutions to common problems of product development and production. An industrial example is used to demonstrate the functionality and the possibilities of the guide.

The use of key figures allows for a comprehensive consideration of the performance characteristics of a company and serves as basis for decisions. The mapping of systems in a Digital Twin increases the amount of data and also its timeliness. The paper describes a holistic, transferable KPI network that can be used to manage companies. Strategic goals can be operationalized through the KPI network. Using an industry example, advantages and possibilities of using such a network are demonstrated.

The present paper develops a process model that enables the user to derive companyspecific implementation sequences for Industry 4.0-Methods. The model is based on input parameters. They ensure a realistic simulation and relate the resulting implementation sequence of the Industry 4.0-Methods specifically to the applying company. By applying the developed process model, the uncertainty for companies regarding Industry 4.0 is reduced and a possibility to successfully implement Industry 4.0-Methods is created.

Due to the increasing demand for individuality, producer of capital goods offer a great range of different products. This product portfolio needs to be adjusted due to many reasons. Modifications may just include the ramp-up. However, modifications can also affect the termination of a production which can just contain single parts up to an entire series. This article provides a deeper insight into the phase-out process of multi-variant products of capital goods producers.

Medium-term order planning for the serial production of multi-variant products such as automobiles enables an integrated planning of procurement, production and sales as well as robust and optimized plans. In addition, continuity between medium-term and short-term planning can be achieved through a medium-term order basis. This article presents a planning methodology for the generation of planned orders to create a medium-term order basis, the assignment of planned orders to plants in a production network, and the assignment of incoming customer orders to planned orders.