Industrie 4.0

This article deals with the presentation of a concept that shows new possibilities for a holistic improvement in the company’s internal resource efficiency by using Industry 4.0. Subsequently, the structure of a resource management system will be shown. To attain a holistic improvement of the resource efficiency, the viewing frame will be extended to the whole product lifecycle to show which potentials a coupling along the entire value-added chain provides.

Due to a lack of energy consumption transparency, manufacturing companies are struggling to identify the energetic cost drivers within a factory. Energy transparency can be reached through the aid of suitable measuring technologies. However, the gained transparency must be used intelligently to obtain economic benefits. One possible solution is the use of modern information technologies that are provided by the Industry 4.0. Maximum synergies can only be achieved through a holistic implementation of Industry 4.0, by taking the business model, the operational processes, the technology and the employees into account. A corresponding strategy for the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the context of energy transparency is introduced in this article.

Considering the background of the Energiewende challenges like energy efficiency and flexibility become more important for the industrial production. A smart building automation system is able to decrease energy costs and improve the performance of supply systems. Model-based predictive control (MPC) is a suitable approach to optimize complex energetic systems as presented in the ETA model factory at Technical University of Darmstadt.

In the context of Industry 4.0 the change and digitalisation of technical information move more closely in the focus of research. During the whole life cycle of a product, relevant information arises, that has to be stored appropriately. Future industrial applications require adaptive information management, e.g., individual and appropriate delivery of data, connection of information, target-oriented search or visualisation of information. The focus of this contribution is on challenges of the digitalization of technical documentations with respect to Industry 4.0 paradigms. The handling of the technical documentation over the complete lifecycle of a product is discussed.

Digitization opens extensive opportunities to gather real time information, exchange them and use them for a variety of different purposes. In industry, the related developments are referred to as the transition to Industry 4.0. They relate to the workplace design as well as to the alignment of business strategies and the underlying business models.

The developed Readiness Model supports enterprises to determine the current state in relation to Industry 4.0 as well as the target state. Based on strategy improvement measures are derived to succeed in attaining the target Industry 4.0 state. Enterprises profit by individualized understanding of Industry 4.0 and specific project proposals. The dissemination of Industry 4.0 is supported through this Readiness Model. In addition a benchmark data base is filled to enable comparisons of enterprises and to observe the historical development of the industry 4.0 readiness of several industries.

The importance of efficient logistics as a key success factor for companies is well known. Efficient logistics processes can help to gain competitive advantage and to secure market positions of companies. The supplier industry is not exempt from this trend taking responsibility of diverse activities for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) in providing ready modules and systems. However, complex supply chains cause high logistics costs. As various supply concepts are possible for parts and materials produced in upstream stages of the supply chain, each of these concepts entail differing costs. The identification of an economically optimal supply concept through comparison and evaluation of alternatives is therefore of strategic importance. The article demonstrates the use of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) concept for this purpose.

Industry 4.0 not only changes products, processes and work organisation, but also the understanding of leadership. Manager in future are visionaries, analysts and mentors who develop the strategy and new business models, designer and moderators for virtual and intercultural teams, self-reflected personalities..

As the digitization of production processes advances, it influences many areas. In addition to the intra corporate structures and inter enterprise supply chains, it even has an impact on social structures. The progress includes the whole range of changes from the digitization of production processes to their data-driven optimization using intelligent feedback processes. In the end it will result in the combination of the real world with the digital world. To build up this digitization of the value chains, the human relations departments, the forms of communication and cooperation as well as the process management have to change. But to be successful on the way of digitization, new skills are necessary. To obtain these skills, the forms and techniques of the qualification acquisition need to be adapted.

The article deals with competences for the implementation of the Industrial Internet whose further development is rather open. Statements on competences are made in the context of extreme scenarios. Concrete requirements depend on combinations of technology and organization which companies choose. So, an - supported - adaptable continuing training is important in which employees learn to carry out changing tasks in the actual work process. The article points to training forms which support competence development for digitalization of industry.