Strategy

A robust and resilient supply chain is a critical success factor for the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. However, today’s supply chain faces various challenges, such as higher complexities and increasing dynamics coming from megatrends (i. e. globalization and sustainability). The medium-sized drive technology industry, with its global supply chains and high customer requirements, is particularly affected by these challenges. Therefore, digitalization initiatives are crucial. This article analyzes current digitalization projects in the drive technology industry in order to identify relevant trends and fields of application. Synthesized from the industry's target picture for higher resilience/ flexibility, greater transparency and more sustainability along the supply chain, these provide guidance for medium-sized companies and their digitalization strategies. (Only in German)

Automatization and Digitalization are keywords regarding innovative assembly of Smart Factories. Despite all, no Smart Factory is able to produce completely without blue color workers. To stay competitive in the global world companies they need to find the balance to hire only as less employees as possible to guarantee all assembly processes. Therefore, Labor Efficiency is the key figure to control attendance and output. This article explains the role of labor efficiency with regards to the Smart Factory. For this purpose, the input factors attendance and output are explained and illustrated by practical examples. Moreover, it explains how labor efficiency can influence competitiveness positively.

The increasing interconnectedness of production systems and the use of IoT devices generates a considerable amount of employee or customer data - whether directly or indirectly. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR), effective 25 May 2018, results in a massive increase in the rights of data subjects and documentation obligations arising from the processing of personal data [1]. Those who do not respect these rights and/or fail to comply with their obligations face painfully increased fines of up to EUR 10 million (in serious cases EUR 20 million) or 2 % (4 %) of the annual turnover.

Ideas become innovations if the intended product or service creates added value for the customer. Special features, an extraordinary design or tailoring to individual customer needs may represent a unique selling point in the competitive environment. RWTH Aachen in scientific cooperation with Fraunhofer offers advanced training programs on practical methods and best practices how to establish successful technology and innovation management.

Clearly defined objectives and a systematic risk assessment are the prerequisite for efficient customer integration. Here we show that the core to achieve this is: (i) a workshop-based process for planning and integration of customers into the development of services and (ii) a structured data base of customer integration methods. Out of this database an individual set of methods - depending on the task and the context - can be composed.

Volatile markets and global and inter-industrial networks are creating a radically more dynamic market environment calling for considerably greater on-demand flexibility and reductions in resource deployment. This results in a need for action in two further areas, namely increasing transformability and responding to demographic change. Today’s businesses have to respond to evolving these trends. Manufacturing will also have to adapt to the increasing dynamism of sales markets and the radical challenges thrown up by the innovation process, particularly in regard to energy and resource efficiency and the increasing hybridization of products using mechatronics, software and services. Innovative approaches are needed to accelerate the product creation process, optimize the transitions from product development to production, and ensure that the cost of manufacturing is competitive. This study examines constructive approaches in the area of urban production for sustainable added value in ...