Industrie 4.0

The topic Internet of Things (IoT) is omnipresent and has already found its way into many living rooms under the term Smart Home [1]. Be it lamps, heaters or the television set - everything is interconnected and easy to control from anywhere. The corresponding counterpart in manufacturing is Industry 4.0, sometimes named the Industrial Internet of Things. Companies and research institutions are working intensively on the possibilities offered by the so-called fourth industrial revolution. The forward-looking positioning of the German economy in international competition requires that the development and distribution of concepts and solutions in the context of Industry 4.0 be actively shaped by the industry itself and thereby to play a pioneering role in innovation [2]. Due to the rapid pace of development, it is essential for German companies to identify, develop and adapt new methods and technologies at an early stage and to transform them into marketable solutions.

Discrete-event simulation of logistics and production systems plays an important role in the context of digital transformation. Its integration into modern planning and control processes is urgently required in order to realize Industry 4.0 concepts. In addition, simulation models will be an important part of the so-called digital twin in the planning and operation. However, the requirements for simulation models and tools are not yet comprehensively defined, and technical solutions have not been adequately implemented. This article presents the fields of action for the implementation.

Managers across the globe discuss the impact of digitalization on their business models. Among many other functions, procurement is strongly impacted by this development. However, “Procurement 4.0” goes far beyond the increased use of IT systems. It also has an impact on strategic dimensions such as supplier relationships. Data in this context will have a more important, if not critical, role- whether as some sort of “currency” in negotiations or as the basis for many procurement decisions, from operative order processing to supplier selection.

Manufacturing companies, particularly small and medium-sized ones, should be supported in their Digital Transformation (Industry 4.0) and its implementation of necessary transformation measures. This article introduces a study on models and self-assessments for industry 4.0 maturity level analyses, together with a regulation framework for productivity management, which both helping companies to identify the potential that can be realised with Industry 4.0 considering their current economic activities and business options.

Digitisation offers enormous possibilities but also holds entrepreneurial risks such as data security aspects and misinvestments. Especially small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing problems by trying to keep pace with digital progress. A helpful tool would be a classification scheme specifically designed for SMEs that shows to which degree the company has already implemented digitisation technologies. Therefore we discuss why such a model is crucial, conduct a comprehensive literature survey and outline a new model.