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Site Assessment for Flexible Intralogistics in Brownfield Sites

Site Assessment for Flexible Intralogistics in Brownfield Sites

Innovative decision support in practice
Jolanda Schierbaum, Carsten Feldmann, Lars Renhof
Due to its dynamic environment, space planning in intralogistics is not a one-time task but a recurring decision-making process subject to numerous constraints imposed by existing infrastructure. Decisions are often based on incomplete data, resulting in a high risk of poor planning decisions and inefficient use of space. This paper presents a practice-oriented process model for space evaluation in brownfield projects. The proposed approach improves the standardization and consistency of space evaluation and promotes best practices among all stakeholders. By supporting systematic decision-making, the process model contributes to optimized planning and resource allocation, thereby reducing risks and avoiding costly implementation errors.The process model is demonstrated through a case study conducted at a commercial vehicle manufacturer.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 3 | Pages 124-133
Developing Virtual Reality in Learning Contexts

Developing Virtual Reality in Learning Contexts

Navigating efficiency, content relevance and scalability
Stella Kanatouri ORCID Icon, Oliver Sosna ORCID Icon, Alexander Kulik, Sina C. Truckenbrodt ORCID Icon, Friederike Klan ORCID Icon, Christian Erfurth ORCID Icon
While virtual reality can facilitate hands-on learning, its development faces barriers, including high costs and time demands and scalability challenges. This article presents two case studies that illustrate strategies for overcoming such barriers when training the next generation of skilled workers in environmental technologies. By examining approaches for streamlining development and increasing content relevance and scalability, we highlight lessons learned for future practice. We conclude by envisioning a future in which educational institutions can flexibly and cost-effectively prototype virtual reality in learning contexts, ensuring alignment with curricular goals and learners’ needs.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | Edition 3 | Pages 26-34 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.3.3
Immersive Human Digital Twins for Industry 4.0

Immersive Human Digital Twins for Industry 4.0

Supporting adaptive human-centric production by integrating cognitive and physical states
Tajbeed A. Chowdhury ORCID Icon, Eric Wagner ORCID Icon, Paul Motzki ORCID Icon, Martina Lehser ORCID Icon
The rapid advancement of immersive technologies has created new opportunities to transform human-machine collaboration in industry. This paper presents an immersive platform with a digital twin that combines both physical and cognitive characteristics of human dynamics. By integrating multimodal sensing, human biomechanics, and cognitive state into digital twin technology, the proposed system enhances operational safety and ensures better ergonomics. The main argument is that human digital twins are not only desirable but essential for next-generation industrial systems. We discuss the limitations of existing human modeling approaches, outline the conceptual foundations of human digital twins, and demonstrate their industrial relevance across safety, productivity, ergonomics and sustainability.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 3 | Pages 6-13 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.3.1
Industrial Application of Immersive Technologies

Industrial Application of Immersive Technologies

Exploring XR solutions for training, instruction, design review, and assembly planning
Andreas Straube ORCID Icon, Faikar Zakky Haidar ORCID Icon, Matheus Lenzi dos Santos ORCID Icon, Kussai AI Jairoud ORCID Icon, Eduardo Koscianski ORCID Icon
In recent years, the decreasing cost and improved usability of immersive hardware and software have made extended reality (XR) increasingly attractive for industrial applications. Stand-alone systems with inside-out tracking and camera-based pass-through enable accessible mixed reality (MR) solutions. At the same time, emerging no-code software platforms allow engineers to create XR environments without programming expertise, broadening adoption across production settings. This paper explores key industrial application areas of immersive technologies through selected commercially available XR software solutions for product and process training, spatial instructions and guides, collaborative design review, and assembly and production planning.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 3 | Pages 38-47 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.3.4
Collaborative Robots in Production Environments

Collaborative Robots in Production Environments

Employee qualification and acceptance for human-machine interaction
Tobias Wienzek, Mathias Cuypers ORCID Icon
The introduction of new technologies poses a major challenge, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). At the same time, SMEs must rise to this challenge in order to keep pace technologically and economically. Employee acceptance is an important factor in ensuring that both the introduction and the long-term use of a technology are successful. At the same time, the introduction process also has a central influence on acceptance in the long term. This article uses the implementation of collaborative robotics as an example for examining such an introduction process, identifying the key factors that influence employee acceptance and the important role played by advanced employee training. It serves to highlight how the introduction process and employee training are seamlessly interlinked.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 2 | Pages 14-21 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.2.14
Co-Determination Dialogues

Co-Determination Dialogues

A tool for human-centered AI implementation
Manfred Wannöffel ORCID Icon, Fabian Hoose ORCID Icon, Alexander Ranft, Claudia Niewerth ORCID Icon, Dirk Stüter
As part of the regional competence center humAIne, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), a process was developed using co-determination dialogues to establish a common understanding of the challenges involved in the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) between management, employees, and interest groups. Experiences from project partner companies such as Doncasters Precision Castings in Bochum GmbH (DPC) exemplify how co-determination dialogues not only help to develop legally binding regulations for manageable, operationally anchored, sustainable AI use but also initiate continuous qualification processes for all stakeholder groups in accordance with Articles 4 and 5 of the EU AI Act.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 42 | Edition 1 | Pages 92-98 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.26.1.84
Loam Construction and Wooden Shelving

Loam Construction and Wooden Shelving

A contribution to sustainability in warehouse logistics
Viviano De Giacomo ORCID Icon, Nathalie Fritsch ORCID Icon, Jakob Kennert ORCID Icon, Dieter Uckelmann ORCID Icon
This study examines the contribution of natural building materials, in particular loam and wood, to the sustainable development of logistics infrastructure, assessing ecological, economic, and technical dimensions across the entire life cycle. Potentials, restrictions, and supportive framework conditions are identified based on literature analyses and expert interviews. Wood proves to be technically mature and ecologically advantageous, especially in high rack construction, while loam offers high potential for energy- and resource-efficient construction. The study concludes with recommendations for research, policy, and practice to establish circular construction methods in logistics.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | Edition 6 | Pages 82-89
Quiz: Manufacturing in Space

Quiz: Manufacturing in Space

Test your knowledge!
Weightless production—just science fiction or already reality? Thanks to new space technologies, the first production processes are now emerging in space that enable materials and structures to be created that are virtually impossible to manufacture on Earth. From ultra-pure fibers to 3D printing of organs, weightlessness is opening up completely new perspectives for industries—and bringing space manufacturing closer to the present than many people think.
Potentials, Premises, Perspectives

Potentials, Premises, Perspectives

Using LLMs to reinterpret corporate knowledge management
Vanessa Kuks ORCID Icon, Pius Finkel ORCID Icon, Peter Wurster ORCID Icon
Demographic change is exacerbating the shortage of labor and skilled workers in the manufacturing industry, making knowledge management an increasingly important issue in many companies. Collecting and preserving tacit knowledge poses a particular challenge. This study examines the extent to which large language models (LLMs) can provide meaningful support in knowledge gathering through expert interviews. Three experts test and evaluate a personalized chatbot that has been developed using ChatGPT-5. The results of the interview are promising, but the summary shows room for improvement.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 41 | Edition 6 | Pages 48-56 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.25.6.48
Explainable AI – XAI

Explainable AI – XAI

Making AI work in business and not just clever sounding
 sponsored
European companies are investing heavily in AI. But many AI projects remain stuck in the pilot phase. The fault does not lie with the systems, but no one can explain their results. “The algorithm said so” is not a basis for costly decisions. Backwell Tech’s AI is both smart and transparent. This is how AI can give you a competitive advantage.
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