assistant systems

Globalization led to a continuous increase of international sourcing-strategies. The saving potentials that can be realized with these strategies are however bought with less flexibility and high order lead times. In order to support the expediter in planning and controlling global supply chains, a holistic approach has been developed in order to show disposable inventories in the supply network and to make future inventory level changes transparent for the expediter and the sales department. The basis for this solution is a variable assistant system framework which makes a dynamic stock range monitoring possible and therefore offers available-to-promise (ATP) functionalities for global supply relations.

Between the manual workplace and highly automated production systems there are niches, in which the degree of automation can be increased by new concepts. The concept of assistant robots can explore these potentials together with the worker: increasing productivity and flexibility regarding lot sizes and product variants. Simples systems are being used today, for example in trajectory controlled handling of heavy workpieces. Systems with a high degree of interaction between man and machine are in the need of further research and development. Nowadays, challenges are in the area of safety, but also in the man machine interface. Apart from these technical questions the area of application has to be broadened to guarantee an economic use of assistant systems. In spite of these problems evaluations show that lots of manufacturers and users of automation systems see great potentials in this line of development.