Innovation

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.

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.

Conveying the complexity and multifaceted nature of the energy transition to a broad audience is a challenge. This article demonstrates how interactive serious games on a multitouch table can help make connections tangible and comprehensible. The games and the table were used in various conversational contexts. These are presented here in three case vignettes based on participant observation of the different applications, as well as situated and shared reflection. The vignettes demonstrate how interaction can trigger epistemic processes, enable shifts in perspective, and foster collective thinking, all of which are necessary for shaping the future of society as a whole.

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.