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Climate neutrality and digitisation are two future-relevant and interlinked topics that are gaining in importance for manufacturing companies. However, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it is often difficult to get an overview of the concepts and practical measures in these fields. This article presents a maturity model that offers companies practical assistance in combining the goals of climate neutrality and digitisation and in identifying suitable (digitisation) measures for the company to support the transformation towards climate-neutral production. (Only in German)

In the production and operation of complex, one- of-a-kind products, disruptions inevitably occur. In practice, there are often deficits in terms of transparency and information flow when it comes to disruption management. Digital assistance systems facilitate disruption documentation: they increase the quality of information by locating it in the CAD model and in the overall product plan, thus accelerating targeted fault elimination. A generic data model makes it possible to use digital assistance systems for different products, trades and processes and in different product life phases. (Only in German)

The use of industrial robots in additive manufacturing has been increasing in recent years. Particularly due to the voluminous installation space and the great flexibility, they are predestined for the production of large-volume, individualised components. The multi-axis movement options of the print head attached to the end effector in conjunction with a swivel-tilt unit of the build platform mean that support structures can be dispensed with, which represents a major economic advantage.

The Circular Economy (CE) is a form of economy that extends the use of products and resources by developing the linear supply chain (SC) to a circular SC. However, additional input factors are required for remanufacturing and recycling. Furthermore, these processes generate additional environmental impacts. It is questionable whether the circulation of products is only worthwhile from an economic point of view or whether it also brings environmental advantages. An approach that relates the economic impact of a product to its environmental impact is the Green Productivity Index (GPI). In the following, this index is developed for CE. Furthermore, this article examines how digitalization can positively affect the Green Productivity (GP) of CE. (Only in German)

Artificial intelligence has the potential to bring companies and entire industries to a completely new technological level. The prerequisite is data with a high degree of maturity, with which companies can automate complex processes, calculate forecasts or create analyses. With the right data strategy, structuring and achieving the necessary data quality are no longer dreams of the future.

The digitization of processes is complex and error-prone. That is why manufacturing processes are monitored using statistical process control methods. The aim of the presented project was to answer the questions how the data basis for the use of the quality control chart (QRC) can be extended from random samples to near real-time data and how the implementation of the solution should be done. The software solution was developed and tested in the Fischertechnik learning factory. It could be shown that the data from the learning factory is suitable to be displayed in a closely timed manner and to be evaluated by means of process indicators of the QRK. In this way, errors can be avoided and capacities saved. (Only in German)

The realization of reorganization projects represents a complex and independent planning task within the framework of factory layout planning. Only little methodical knowledge exists, which considers the temporal, spatial and organizational restrictions in the creation of a schedule. This paper aims to present the interdependencies in the planning and execution of realization projects and thus to provide a basis for discussion for further investigations in the field of scheduling factory relocations for the reorganization of factory objects.

The competitive pressure in the contract logistics industry is intense. Logistics providers must respond to tenders quickly and with convincing concepts. This article presents initial approaches to how logistics process planning in tender management can be supported using supervised learning methods. Under the premise that similar processes from past projects can be transferred and adapted to a project to be planned, an AI-based assistance system suggests appropriate process steps and MTM (Methods-Time Measurement) codes during planning. This procedure can accelerate process planning and lead to an increased quality of logistics processes to be planned. (Only in German)

Many departments have already recognized the enormous increase in efficiency and personnel relief from routine activities through process automation. These digital thought leaders have begun to automate office processes using new technologies such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), low code in the Microsoft Power Platform or in SAP. However, the positive experiences often remain in individual departments. Due to the lack of a strategic superstructure, companies as a whole have not yet succeeded in systematically transferring the added values to all areas. The organizational solution for this is called a "Center of Automation". Sometimes it is enough for the team to consist of two members to bring an overarching, digital process mindset into a company. (Only in German)

Abrasive blasting is often used to clean work pieces. During the process an abrasive medium is propelled with compressed air toward a given surface. Common abrasives are sand, glass beads, steel or corundum. For safety reasons the blasting process is carried out in closed blast cabinets or rooms. Abrasives and cut off material are filling the air so that the visibility is limited. Quality assurance and safety monitoring of workers in blast rooms are therefore difficult which is essential e. g. in atomic power plant demolition. This article describes the development and test of a camera to improve this situation. Compressed air flows through the camera housing to keep particles away from the lens. The air flow was optimized by computational fluid dynamics. A prototype was made by 3D printing and tested in an blast cabinet.