The principles of the so-called lean production are widely used and established in the modern production landscape. The benefits for the manufacturing industry are undisputed, and contribute significantly to the competitiveness of German companies. The current discussion regarding Industry 4.0 is mostly on an academic basis and examples are often theoretical. To date, practical illustrative examples are realized under laboratory conditions without an adequate proof of usability under real-world conditions. In principle, Cyber-Physical Systems have the potential to increase the effectiveness of established Lean Production principles.
