SME

Learning Factories as Innovative Training Locations for SMEs

Learning Factories as Innovative Training Locations for SMEs

Qualitative analysis of concepts and cooperations
Kathleen Warnhoff ORCID Icon, Simon Dabrowski ORCID Icon, Lea Müller-Greifenberg, Denise Gramß, Monika Stricker
In the context of Industry 4.0, learning factories are important places for company-based learning. Studies show that they have continued to develop since their emergence and are no longer limited to vocational and academic education. This leads to the question of how much the concept of the learning factory represents an innovative approach to further training in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This article focuses on three selected learning factories relevant to continuing education that were analyzed using qualitative methods with regard to their concepts and cooperation. The findings are embedded in a theoretical framework that links the scientific discussion on learning locations and educational cooperation. The empirical findings from three learning factories illustrate relevant learning locations for continuing education in SMEs.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 4 | Pages 32-41
Modular Learning Factories for Industry 4.0

Modular Learning Factories for Industry 4.0

Acquisition of a target-oriented acton competence to accelerate industrial implementation
Maximilian Dommermuth ORCID Icon
Industry 4.0 requires new teaching content due to its innovation potential. Skills profiles currently in demand often aren't reflected in vocational and tertiary education. Additionally, conventional further education and training often costs considerably money and time. Tailor-made learning opportunities and teaching targeted problem-solving skills in a modular learning factory are a more effective approach.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 4 | Pages 24-30 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.4.24
Digital Platform Frameworks for Manufacturing Companies

Digital Platform Frameworks for Manufacturing Companies

A review
Marcel Rojahn ORCID Icon
In recent years, digital platforms have established themselves as a central concept in the IT field. Due to the wide variety of digital platforms available on the market, there is still a need for clear comparison with criteria to enable interested parties to select, change, operate and further develop these platforms. The following paper aims to contribute to the facilitation of this comparison by undertaking a systematic literature review of digital platform frameworks in the context of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) for manufacturing companies and thus providing a basis for a number of potential ways to effectively compare current digital platforms and ecosystems.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 2 | Pages 8-15 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.2.8
Lean Empowerment in the Digital Ecosystem

Lean Empowerment in the Digital Ecosystem

Translating cultural values into technical requirements
Frank Bertagnolli ORCID Icon, Sabrina Karch ORCID Icon, Arndt Lüder ORCID Icon
With the advent of digitalization, prevailing paradigms – such as product centricity, face-to-face collaboration and hierarchical structures – are giving way to the vision of data-driven business models, digital, collaborative ecosystems and an agile, holacratic way of working in flat hierarchies and self-managing teams. Collaboration is made possible through the use of software solutions. In addition to adapted management concepts, the digital space also requires a digital cultural understanding on part of the companies involved. Lean empowerment is a pioneering approach to collaboration based on cultural values. In expert workshops, ideas were developed to explore how these values can be lived in a digital culture and thus in terms of global digital collaboration. This article presents concrete solutions from which requirements for digital collaboration and for implementation within IT structures and software solutions in particular can be derived.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 2 | Pages 32-39 | DOI 10.30844/I4SE.24.2.32
Energy Efficiency Through Intelligent Electricity Data Acquisition

Energy Efficiency Through Intelligent Electricity Data Acquisition

Wireless retrofit solution based on IoT technologies and open-source software for existing industrial buildings
Sergej Kreber, Kevin Kutzner, Dieter Uckelmann ORCID Icon
Facility managers for industrial properties are faced with the challenge of optimizing the energy efficiency of their facilities in the face of ever-increasing energy demand and rising energy costs. Digital processes that enable the comprehensive monitoring, analysis and control of energy demand offer an effective way to reduce costs, increase energy efficiency and make optimal use of resources. Based on IoT technologies and open-source software, a cost-effective, wireless and flexible retrofit solution for real-time energy data collection has been developed.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | Edition 2 | Pages 87-93
Sustainable Materials as a Strategy for the Future

Sustainable Materials as a Strategy for the Future

Key elements for corporate materials management
Dirk Scheer ORCID Icon, Janine Gondolf ORCID Icon, Olaf Toedter ORCID Icon
The flow of materials along regional and global value chains has far-reaching environmental, economic and social effects. The sustainability profile of materials should therefore play a central role in management. Adapting material flows to adhere to sustainable principles requires an integrated approach that includes all areas of the company. The decisive factor is that sustainable materials management ultimately requires the entire life cycle of a product to be taken into account – from design and produc- tion through to sales and aftercare measures.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 1 | Pages 44-49
Resilience and Sustainability in the Supply Chain

Resilience and Sustainability in the Supply Chain

How SMEs can prepare for the changes to come
Jonas Fuchs, Lasse Bo Ladewig, Wolfgang Kersten ORCID Icon
More than 99% of German companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which therefore represent an important part of industrial supply chains. New regulations are increasing the pressure on companies to create transparency along the supply chain so that the role of SMEs is also coming into focus. However, they are often confronted with limited financial and human resources. Based on a quantitative survey and a literature review, this article deals with the question of what SME-friendly approaches could look like.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 1 | Pages 57-62
Open Innovation

Open Innovation

Strengthening Innovation in SMEs
Annette Henn ORCID Icon, Dirk Sackmann
Despite the fact that SME innovation is critical to a country’s economic success, SMEs spend less than 50 % of their budget on R&D when compared to large companies. “Open innovation”is seen as helping SMEs to improve their competitive position. For regions dominated by SMEs it is important to develop an ecosystem that supports open innovation processes. Universities can be key enablers within these ecosystems. They support SMEs with their expertise in science and engineering as well as in innovation and project management. In this article we present a case study to demonstrate the role of a university of applied sciences in an open innovation ecosystem.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 39 | 2023 | Edition 6 | Pages 17-21
Effort and Benefits of IIoT Platforms

Effort and Benefits of IIoT Platforms

A systematic approach to identifying when to implement common use cases in SME
Rainer Eber, Steffen Schwarzer, Yannik Müller, Dennis Kollmann
SME often encounter risks and obstacles when implementing IIoT solutions, but these challenges can be mitigated with the use of an IIoT platform. To select the appropriate platform, a decision- making approach has been developed. By choosing the right use cases, companies can directly benefit from IIoT implementation and gain a competitive edge in the market. Our research indicates that at least three applications have a favorable balance between benefits and effort. Once successfully implemented, these applications can be expanded and scaled as the company becomes more digitally proficient.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 39 | 2023 | Edition 5 | Pages 22-26
Digital Twinning in Product Development

Digital Twinning in Product Development

Development and use of experimental digital twins
Heiko Matheis ORCID Icon, Guido Grau, Florian Mews, Lukas Schüller
The development of textile products is associated with high material, time, personnel and cost expenditure. The paper describes the digital twinning for materials and processes and their application in a digital product development process, which can accelerate the ramp-up phase and thus reduce development costs by up to 60%.
Industrie 4.0 Management | Volume 39 | 2023 | Edition 5 | Pages 37-41 | DOI 10.30844/IM_23-5_37-41
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