Integrated Industry by Fraunhofer IPK

Research and Development at the Production Technology Center

FUTUR Vision Innovation Realization

Integrated Industry

Industry Cockpit E3-Production

Opening the Way to Customized Processes and Products

Efficient – Emission-neutral – Ergonomic

INSTITUTE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

INSTITUTE MACHINE TOOLS A N D FA C T O RY M A N A G E M E N T T E C H N I S C H E U N I V E R S I TÄT B E R L I N

Museum Waldenburg

Content Imprint FUTUR 1-3/2015 ISSN 1438-1125

Publisher Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann

Integrated Industry – Putting the Focus on what the Customer Wants

Industry Cockpit – Opening the Way to Customized Processes and Products

Diffractive Optics Adds Colour to the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and esign Technology IPK D

Sustainable Plastics – Products of Biodegradable Polymer

Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management (IWF), TU Berlin

Precision Mould Inserts for Dentistry

Editor-in-chief Steffen Pospischil

E3-Production: Efficient – Emission-neutral – Ergonomic

Direct and Safe – Novel Kinematics for Human-robot Cooperation

Focus on Environmental and Climate Protection: the Emission-neutral Factory

Interview: Developing Standards for Industrie 4.0 – a Conversation on the Digital Revolution in Industry

Company Portrait: Scholz – High-tech in Plastics

Laboratory Portrait: Innovative Concepts of Space for Developers

Events and Dates

Co-publishers Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Jochem Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Krüger Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Rethmeier Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günther Seliger Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Stark

Compilation, Layout and Production Claudia Engel, Ismael Sanou Contact Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK Director Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann Pascalstrasse 8-9 10587 Berlin Phone +49 30 39006-140 Fax +49 30 39006-392 info@ipk.fraunhofer.de http://www.ipk.fraunhofer.de Printed by Ruksaldruck GmbH + Co. KG Photos BMBF/Hans-Joachim Rickel: 9 bottom right Bundespresseamt: 29 bottom Bundesregierung: 21 Fraunhofer IPK/Angela Salvo González: 26 Fraunhofer IPK/Mitchel Polte: 27 top Fraunhofer IPK/Steffen Pospischil: 30 bottom Fraunhofer IPK/Xenia Udalova: 27 bottom Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Bibliothek – Niedersächsische Landesbibliothek: 30 top Scholz GmbH: 22 TU Berlin/Stefan Kühne: 8, 9 top left

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Editorial

Dear readers,

Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann

once again the Hannover Messe 2016 sets

In this issue we also put the spotlight on the

of people in a production environment. This

the course of industrial development. »Integ-

R&D work we are doing in the Fraunhofer

includes novel, lightweight, balanced kine-

rated Industry« is the keyword that encapsu-

lighthouse project »E3-Production«. Under

matics with intrinsically safe drive units needed for direct, safe human-robot cooperation.

lates the growing interconnection and com-

the three »E« of the project – Efficiency,

plexity Industrie 4.0 brings with it – from

Emissions-neutrality and Ergonomics – we,

machine-to-machine communication and

together with eleven other Fraunhofer insti-

Chancellor Angela Merkel, this year joined by

direct human-robot cooperation without

tutes, are laying the basics needed to achieve

the President of the United States of America,

the need for safety fencing to the globally

sustainable production. Our aim is to deve-

Barack Obama, will be opening the Hanno-

networked business models of the future. All

lop novel kinds of machine tools, technolo-

ver Messe 2016. In our interview she already

these are issues which Fraunhofer IPK has

gies and processes that will save energy and

gives her thoughts on some of the aspects

long been working on, because the philo-

resources, ensure emission-neutral factory

around Industrie 4.0 – find out about the

sophy of »Integrated Industry« is our daily

operations and re-evaluate the role of ergo-

opportunities and challenges she sees for

lived reality. In transdisciplinary projects our

nomics in the manufacturing environment.

Germany as an industrialized nation.

Together with Fraunhofer IWU in Chem-

With best wishes for some great reading,

scientists tackle the challenges of the future today to bring customers in the manufacturing sector forward-looking solutions.

nitz our experts are developing methods and solutions for the design and operation

With our »Industry Cockpit«, which had its

of energy- and resource-saving production

debut at the Hannover Messe in 2015, we

systems. Once more this makes use of our

follow a holistic approach. This model-based

integrated enterprise model which serves as

management system maps complex process

the basis for the capture and visualization

chains and interdependencies in the manu-

of resource consumption in a planning and

facturing process and customizes them to

control environment derived from the process

individual orders. This will enable future

model. In this context a factory’s production

enterprises to respond flexibly and without

and infrastructure systems are used for the

high extra costs to special customer wishes.

decentralized and self-organizing coordina-

Part of our scenario is a highly flexible indus-

tion of resource networks and optimization

trial robot which – integrated in a simulated

of the overall system.

process network controlled by the Industry Cockpit – executes processing steps like grin-

Last but not least, finding better ways to

ding and deburring with a high degree of

integrate personnel in the production pro-

precision. Read in this FUTUR how our Indus-

cess is another key focal point of our R&D.

try Cockpit in combination with an adapta-

In association with Fraunhofer IPA and IFF

ble machine park helps companies shape up

we are developing auxiliary tools and novel

to the challenges of customized production.

plant technologies for the ergonomic support

Eckart Uhlmann

Research and Development

Integrated Industry

Integrated Industry Putting the Focus on what Customers Want Products are becoming increasingly individualized. For a growing number of manufacturing companies, producing in »batch size 1« is now part and parcel of their day-to-day business. In this context, drilling an extra hole in a standardized workpiece is the least of the challenges they have to face. Meeting customer wishes increasingly involves delving deep into the production system and making the required changes to customize technological and business processes for every single order. This presents companies with a daunting challenge as the vast majority of their production processes are rigid and inflexible. An »Industry Cockpit« can now help to flexibilize production. In combination with an adaptable machine park, it assists companies in meeting the challenges of customized production.

Over the past few years production has

panies in both respects. The model-based

exact overview of the entire company at all

become more and more dynamic – through

»Industry Cockpit« from the Corporate Man-

times – over the totality of processes as well

shorter cycles of innovation and change,

agement division interlocks with machining

as over the status of the production facili-

but mainly because companies are now

robots developed by IPK’s Production Sys-

ties and supply network. The whole cast of

paying much closer attention to what cus-

tems and Automation Technology divisions.

players involved – machine operators, shift

►►Flexible production

agers – receive needs-oriented, descrip-

supervisors, sales representatives and man-

tomers want. Customer wishes are increasingly determining not just the appearance and characteristics of the end product, but also the particular production path taken

with the Industry Cockpit The Industry Cockpit was engineered in

tive and real-time information about those aspects of production that are relevant to

to reach it and the administrative proce-

a collaborative project with the MES ven-

them. And should they wish to make any

dures that help production on its way. In

dor Pickert & Partner in Karlsruhe. It was

changes to the processes in their own areas

other words, ever more customers want to

designed to give a clear view of complex

of responsibility, the Industry Cockpit will

see a large number of processes tailored to

processes in administration and production,

automatically adjust the dashboards of all

meet their needs, from approval processes

and to customize them for individual orders.

other affected processes to take account

and additional testing and verification pro-

This is no new idea and there are already

of the change.

cedures to certification and individualized

a number of industry cockpits in existence.

modalities for delivery, acceptance and

However, they are all quite inflexible and

accounting. This can amount to a whole

thus unsuitable for variable customized

If such a flexibly controlled process net-

raft of measures for a product which the

production. Yet it is precisely in customized

work is paired with an adaptable machine

►►Robots as machine tools

contractor might only manufacture once in

production that such cockpits are urgently

park, the whole company is ready to ful-

that particular form.

needed since retaining a total overview at all

fil individual customer requirements right

times is the key requirement for controlling

through to certified unique products. In this

To meet such challenges without risking

any flexible process network. With increas-

context machine tools, which used to be the

their own economic viability, industrial com-

ing complexity – that can come from a dif-

first choice for processing stages such as

panies need two things: firstly, flexible pro-

ferentiated product portfolio or an extensive

grinding, milling and deburring, frequently

duction facilities that can be configured and

heterogeneous machine park – retaining a

prove too inflexible while their high acqui-

reconfigured without too much effort for

permanent overview becomes much more

sition costs lead to high hourly operating

the production of ever new products and

difficult.

rates. Thus it makes sound sense to relocate lower value processes to more cost-effective

product variants. And secondly, a flexible process network that can be rapidly adapted

This is precisely the point where the Indus-

machining tools such as robots because in

to respond to changing scenarios. At the

try Cockpit comes into its own as it offers

this way lower manufacturing costs can be

Hannover Messe 2015 Fraunhofer IPK pre-

the means for reliable monitoring and con-

achieved on a long-term basis.

sented a solution package that equips com-

trol of flexible process networks. It gives an

FUTUR 1-3/2015

With this goal in sight, for some years now

quality, but can also affect the wear behav-

IPKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Automation Technology and Produc-

iour of the tool and the lifespan of the

tion Systems divisions have been driving

machine system. Compensating such nega-

forward the development of machining

tive factors forms a major part of the

robots that can execute such tasks with

research work undertaken at Fraunhofer IPK.

the required degree of precision. With

Such research ranges from development of

their modest investment costs, large work-

smart control and regulatory procedures

ing area and high mobility, they make an

that can do things like automatically rectify

alluring alternative to heavyweight expen-

deviations from the set path, to identifica-

sive machining tools.

tion of suitable process parameters as the parameters used by tool machines cannot

The drawback is that it is hard for robots to

be generally transferred to machining robots.

achieve the level of precision given by

Alongside this, research also focuses on the

machining tools. For one thing, their low

evolution of fit-for-purpose tools and the

degree of stiffness leads to the tool being

identification of configurations of robots that

pushed out of its programmed set path

offer a much higher level of precision.

which results in a component of less than accurate dimensions. Especially when

Your contact

Text: Katharina Strohmeier

Industry Cockpit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr.-Ing. Thomas Knothe

machining hard materials, this soon brings

Phone: +49 30 39006-195

robots to the limits of their capability.

thomas.knothe@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Another drawback is the appearance of

Robotics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sascha Reinkober

vibrations in the tool and machine which do

Phone: +49 30 39006-326

not just have a negative impact on surface

sascha.reinkober@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

Integrated Industry

Industry Cockpit Opening the Way to Customized Processes and Products Customized production is no longer limited merely to the realization of special product features in the fabrication of single workpieces. Customers increasingly wish to see large numbers of processes tailored to their specific needs, from administrative workflows such as approval processes and additional testing and verification procedures or certification to individualized modalities for delivery, acceptance and accounting. This can involve a whole raft of customized measures for a single product that the contractor might only manufacture once in that particular form. Companies can only meet such wishes if they are organized in a flexible process network.

Industry Cockpit in detail

The model-based »Industry Cockpit« was

on which to make their decisions. What is

be able to function in dynamic processes.

developed precisely to offer a reliable means

more, this solution makes each worker a

This can be done when process manage-

of controlling and monitoring such highly

»Process Controller« in their own right. If

ment and MES systems are combined in a

dynamic processes. It maps the structures

they make any changes to the processes

dynamic, holistic and context-sensitive moni-

of an intelligent and networked production

for which they are responsible, the Cockpit

toring environment. In this way all customer-

system and, using enterprise models, links

will automatically adapt all other processes

related process changes can be tracked for

up people, products, machines, informa-

affected by the change, thus enabling trans-

each individual product while model-based

tion systems and organization across the

parent communication and presentation of

filtering and processing reduces the amount

whole enterprise. The entire cast of play-

the upstream tasks together with adequate

of data produced. In the first stage a special

ers – machine operators, shift supervisors,

monitoring.

process management client creates an indi-

►►Customer-orientation in close-up

fined process modules. Thus in a few mouse

sales representatives and managers – receive needs-oriented and clear real-time informa-

vidual customer process model from prede-

tion about those aspects of order proces-

Business processes are the glue between

clicks the channels for information and data

sing that are relevant to them. The »Industry

products, organizations and roles as well as

within a company are defined – from sales

Cockpit« gives at all times an exact overview

support systems in and between organiza-

to production and accounting. At the same

of the overall operational situation in real-

tions. They represent the linkage or networ-

time their presentation in the dynamic cock-

time – an overview of the totality of proces-

king of all corporate activities. Customized

pit is also defined as the information from

ses as well as of the status of production

products can also lead to the customization

the process module to be visualized and the

facilities – so that users on all levels always

of business processes which is why planning

manner of its visualization is given a set defi-

have at their disposal an adequate basis

and control instruments in particular must

nition by an analysis generator so that it can

FUTUR 1-3/2015

be reused hereafter. Apart from the effects

and to be configured by the Cockpit. The

customer requirements have on the admi-

monitoring components – e.g. completion

nistrative process level, they also have an

dates, quality features and measurement

impact on those technical processes which

results – for the »prepare customer frame«

business process models do not factor in.

process module are defined by the analysis

To ensure that there, too, is complete con-

generator and have their display position

sistency, the process management client is

in the Cockpit defined. At the same time

connected up with the MES system. At this

allocation of roles to the single elements

point the process modules of the product

of information ensures filtered transfer of

flow can be connected to work plan contai-

data to the administrative process level.

ners which hold the individual specific steps

Should the referenced production order be

needed for the fabrication of a component

activated – for instance through a barcode

and which can be composed by process logic

scan – the Cockpit display of the order auto-

into general work schedules.

matically changes.

►►Configuration – not programming

Since the process module, once it has been

To give an example – a major bicycle manu-

created, can be reused again and again, this

together with Pickert & Partner. The company

facturer receives numerous requests from

leads to significantly shorter reaction times

develops and maintains a standard software

customers wanting them to integrate exis-

to individual customer requirements. Asso-

for production management (MES), quality

ting components in a new bicycle. In times

ciated monitoring mechanisms no longer

management (CAQ) and traceability. The RQM-

of growing environmental awareness, the

need to be programmed, but must simply

Software (Real-Time. Quality. Manufacturing.)

notion of reusing bicycle frames has gai-

be configured. And this means that custo-

integrates, supports and backs up in real time

ned widespread acceptance. If a customer

mized evaluations previously made by the

almost all operations and processes related to

wishes to use an already existing frame for

manufacturer can now be used to offer opti-

production along the entire value chain.

Partner

the first time, the first stage involves crea-

mal support for the analysis and execution

ting a process module for »prepare customer

of further production lots.

frame«. This module replaces the »manufac-

The »Industry Cockpit« is being developed

More information on Pickert & Partner: www.pickert.de

ture frame« module in the process sequence. The next stage involves taking the module and creating a new work plan container for it in the MES system. Work planning then gives the needed work stages - measure the frame and check the quality of its welding

Your contact

seams – plus data for manufacturing so that

Nicole Oertwig, M.Sc.

the work plan container is now ready to

Phone: +49 30 39006-176

be included in the general work schedules

nicole.oertwig@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

Microproduction

Diffractive Optics Adds Colour to the New BMBF Building Diffraction gratings are a key component in optical measurement and the centerpiece of many spectrometric measuring devices, from laboratory measuring instruments and satellite technology to »Robotic Exploration«, or robot-assisted space research. Their technical usefulness was recognized in the early 19th century by Joseph von Fraunhofer who also pioneered foundation research in this field. For instance, he succeeded in increasing the resolution of his refractometers and that of the prism spectroscope he invented. His precise observations of the optical spectrum of the sun, which led to his discovery of Fraunhofer lines, the absorption or spectral lines named after him, have had a lasting impact on the evolution of optics and precision mechanics.

Today ever increasing levels of integration density in products are intensifying the need for innovative optical solutions. Optical functionalities such as refraction and diffraction are being combined to create optical elements that have both imaging and dispersing properties. The idea is to minimize the number of optical components in a product in an effort to reduce the installation space and number of boundaries to increase the efficiency of components like optical lenses. Furthermore, such optics enable realization of particularly compact optical constructions such as optical arrangements of the Offner type. Optical elements with a blazed grating structure or a cyclical sequence of optical saw tooth-shaped structures have maximum

Mould insert for the moulding of lenses with variotherm injection compression, manufactured using ultraprecision machining. (Photo: TU Berlin/Stefan Kühne)

grating efficiency in a particular diffraction as a play of coloured light – was created

order. Their accuracy requirements in terms

ment and establishment of robust replica-

of form and equidistance lie in the nano-

tion technologies. Fabrication of what are

using white LEDs as light source and a linked

metre range. A complex production chain

known as »mould cavities« are one vital step

sequence of optical elements. Light entered

based on the key technology of ultra-preci-

in this direction.

the structure on the underside of the elements and exited through the curved top

sion machining is needed for the fabrication of such metallic reflection lenses. Yet, due

For an art project marking the inauguration

and on its trajectory was strongly dispersed

to the truly daunting demands such produc-

of the new building for the Federal Min-

according to its particular wavelengths and

tion makes in terms of temperature stability

istry of Education and Research (BMBF)

separated into its spectral colours. Optical

and low vibrations and pulsations, such effi-

on the Kapelle-Ufer in Berlin, scientists at

layout was organized by the HoloDimen-

cient reflective diffraction lenses have thus

Fraunhofer IPK created an 18 meter long

sions company. Vaporized water was used

far been the sole preserve of the high-end

structure made of replicas of imaging dif-

to make a particularly vivid display of the

technology sector. Lower cost lenses suit-

fractive lenses. The optical phenomenon

separate spectral colours with an ultra-

able for mass markets require the develop-

of dispersion – which manifests itself here

sonic vaporizer and ventilators creating the

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Science and the rainbow In the »Kunst am Bau« competition, scientists at Fraunhofer IPK supported the trio of artists Boran Burchhardt, Andreas Lippke and Marcel Stemmen with a high-tech solution for a light installation. The artwork called »Virtual Sculpture Untitled« is a fitting celebration of education and research. The 18 meter long installation of light, air and water takes the form of a straight staircase and simulates a rainbow. It is designed to entice the user of the staircase to reach out and touch, while at the same time eluding all form of contact.

This technically sophisticated project is based on the splitting and focusing of light using the Fabrication of the master structure using ultra-precision machining with mono-crystalline diamond tools. (Photo: TU Berlin/Stefan Kühne)

complex optics of refractive lenses and diffractive blazed-grating structures. Splitting the light produces the rainbow colours which become

desired effect as single coloured parts of

called for slow injection rates and medium

apparent in the artificial mist. The rainbow is

the spectrum were dispersed in the billow-

injection pressure. Offsetting of shrinkage

formed by diffraction of white light by the dif-

ing cloud of mist particles.

and warping effects then follows through

fracting grating on the upper part of the lens.

high holding pressure and long holding

Similar gratings are used in spectrometer sys-

Fabrication of the essential mould cavity

times. On the other hand, replication of dif-

tems for chemical and biomedical applications

first involved the high precision preparation

fractive optical structures generally requires

and exploit the phenomenon of the resonance

of the substrate mould and an electroless

extremely high injection pressure and just

absorption of light by chemical elements, better

coating with NiP with a layer thickness vari-

as high injection speeds. If such a set of

known as the Fraunhofer lines.

ance of ± 2 micrometers. This was followed

parameters were used for the overall struc-

by ultra-precision machining on a specially

ture, this would lead to extremely high shear

modified LT-Ultra ultra-precision production

rates and a level of damage to the plastic

facility. The major challenge was to man-

material intolerable in optical components.

ufacture the 40,000 optical structures of

To avoid such an outcome, Fraunhofer

the replication master, whose height lay in

experts selected a variotherm injection com-

the range of several hundred nanometers,

pression moulding process in which the lens

without any deformations and in a repro-

bodies could be precisely coordinated and

ducible manner. To this end, the facility was

slowly manufactured. At this point, the

given a constant temperature of around 10

mould is heated to a temperature above

millikelvins, together with active and pas-

the softening temperature of the material

sive vibrations management and tailored

which enables the required long holding

kinematics. The structures were fabricated

period. At the end of the holding period the

in a shaping process using diamond tools.

mould is then cooled down to demoulding

To avoid deformation, minimum process

temperature and a timed compression

force was used along with process-reliable

stroke ensures the safe moulding of micro

chip removal.

structures.

Minister Wanka with the rainbow art in the new BMBF building in Berlin. (Photo: BMBF/Hans-Joachim Rickel)

The problem in injection moulding of the lenses lay in the overlapping of contradictory requirements in terms of existing struc-

Your contact

tural elements. Replication of the macro-

Stefan Kühne

optical lens base body, taking into account

Phone: +49 30 314-29495

requirements of the geometric tolerances,

kuehne@mfg.tu-berlin.de

Research and Development

Microproduction

Sustainable Plastics – Products of Biodegradable Polymer Production and processing of plastics is a major European industry. In terms of a global comparison, Europe takes second place among plastic-producing nations, generating an annual export surplus in excess of 18 billion euro. Germany is well positioned within the European Union, producing one quarter of all European plastics, most of which goes into the production of short-lived packaging. In the current European context three quarters of all waste plastics are either not recycled at all or only used for energy conversion, which makes plastic waste a serious environmental hazard. Against this backdrop, the European Commission has defined a policy objective of having nearly all the plastic waste produced put through a sustainable recycling process by the year 2025. At Fraunhofer IPK this goal has been taken up by the Production Technology for Biotechnology working group who put the spotlight on degradable biopolymers from biogenic waste material with natural degradation.

►►Biotechnology meets plastics engineering

short-lived plastic products. Still, uses of

defined product lifecycles. Such products

such polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) based

must meet rigorous quality demands. Also,

Bioproduction of plastics is based on a com-

biopolymers are by no means limited to

highly specialized replication processes are

pletely biotechnological process in which

packaging applications, because they can

needed to meet their requirements in terms

polymers are synthesised by microorganisms

equally be used for the manufacturing of

of geometric tolerances, surface quality and

which turns biogenic waste like waste fats

technical high-grade plastic products with

reproducibility. For instance, plasticization

and grease into technically reusable polyester. Molecular-genetically modified microorganisms serve as bio-catalysers. Yet, there is no competition here with the food industry since biogenic waste materials are used as a substrate. Using chemical cleaning processes and extensive material optimization, the IPK working group is developing a new family of materials which meet the requirements of technical plastics. The scientists have succeeded in finding substitutes for all the petroleum-based parts of the synthesis process, moving one step closer to the goal of environmentally-friendly recycling.

►►Natural recycling The plastics thus developed are not only completely synthesized by microorganisms but can also be degraded by naturally occurring microorganisms. As such, plastics are not confined to specific degradation conditions as are found in industrial compost plants. This is a good way to avoid plastic waste, particularly when it comes to

A microstructured PGLA sample eroded by a picosecond laser

FUTUR 1-3/2015

A test facility based on a Battenfeld Microsystem 50 Micro Injection Moulding Production Cell

and processing parameters must be specially

►►Medical applications

ment of Production Techniques for the Pro-

adapted to satisfy material properties such

In another project technologies for the treat-

cessing of Degradable Polymers for Medical

as ductility. Furthermore, the IPK working

ment and processing of medically relevant

Applications« are but two of many in inno-

group is also developing tool and process

polyesters such as Poly (DL-lactide-co-gly-

vation fields of growing importance.

technologies which apply current trends

colide) are being developed. Since these are

in machining such as variotherm injection

rapidly broken down by the body, this opens

moulding and injection stamping to the pro-

up ways for totally new applications for

cessing of novel biopolymers. The machining

short-term implants. The project puts a spe-

technology applied in this context must be

cial focus on technologies for the generation

significantly more accurate than standard

of microstructures using ablative or proto-

commercial injection moulding systems. And

type part production processes. In this proj-

these new machine components are hardly

ect Fraunhofer IPK cooperates closely with

electrically heated as it is usually the case. In

research partners active in the field of

experiments with a range of molecular com-

human medicine which means that the Insti-

positions and purification processes, the bio-

tute is well positioned to transfer the latest

technologists succeeded in further adapt-

developments in production technology to

ing and modifying the material properties

innovative medical applications. Application

Your contact

to pave the way for replicative processing

cases such as «Use of Novel Biopolymers for

Christoph Hein

and application.

Optimization of the Product Lifecycle of

Phone: +49 30 39006-405

Everyday Plastic Products» and »Develop-

christoph.hein@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

Microproduction

Precision Mould Inserts for Dentistry One research focus of the Application Center for Microproduction Technology (AMP) is miniaturization and development of technical medical products and components. In one of the research areas within this focus scientists are investigating process chains for the fabrication of precision mould inserts for dental products, with international success. Working in cooperation with Brazil’s National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI), the SENAI Network for Mould and Tool Making, and the Brazilian Association of Tooling Industry (Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Ferramentais – ABINFER), they have qualified a variety of process chains for the commercial production of provisional dental prostheses and developed a combined micro-injection moulding technique for the production of disposable dental applicators. A

3,01 x0.4

M2 3

3,5

5 A

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+0,03 5 0 0,5

+0,05 3,5 0

3° ±0,25°

9,79

4,79

+0,02 2,53 0

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R0,4

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Microform for Dental Disposable Sticks

±0,0 5

1,80

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key technologies used in this context. This

SEÇÃO A-A

Dental Provisional Abutments

The commercial success of disposable medi-

To meet the requirements set on these pro-

of their mechanical properties such as

visional dental prostheses, dimensional tol-

hardness or elastic modulus. Furthermore,

erances of up to five micrometers should be

EDM can fabricate complex geometric con-

respected. In this project Fraunhofer experts

tours and freeform surfaces with the high-

compared micro-milling and micro-EDM manufacturing technologies for the fabrication of mould inserts from Böhler M340

NOME

Polido

ASSINATURA

DATA

DEBUR AND BREAK SHARP EDGES

NÃO MUDAR A ESCALA DO DESENHO

TÍTULO:

REVISÃO

tured by micro-injection moulding tech-

construction and design of EDM tools, opti-

Isoplast (54 HRC) stainless high-grade steel.

nology using a variety of plastics, depends

mization of the production technology, and

Technological studies analyzed the limits of

Jean Carlos

30/04/13

Pedro Aguilera

30/04/13

APROV.

Pedro Aguilera

QUALID

temporarily until the final prosthesis is ready.

trically conductive materials independently

est degree of precision. For these reasons

ACABAMENTO:

VERIF.

MANUF.

technique enables the machining of elec-

cal products, which are generally manufac- FGM Fraunhofer scientists are concentrating on

SE NÃO ESPECIFICADO: DIMENSÕES EM MILÍMETROS ACABAM. SUPERFÍCIE: TOLERÂNCIAS: LINEAR: ±0.1 ANGULAR: ±1º

DES.

(PEEK) that are placed in the patient’s mouth

0203.3520

30/04/13

MATERIAL:

on low-cost productsPeek and processes made

A4 measurement methods for the safe process

these two technologies in terms of their

possible by the low amount of energy and

fabrication of micro mould inserts as well

ability to reach desired component preci-

material used in its production. The form

as CFD simulation of the micro injection

sion, surface quality and fabrication speed.

and geometric tolerance of the mould insert

mould technique.

The results of the studies were then used to

►► Provisional dental prostheses

direct comparison of which revealed that

cal injection mould replications. Electrical

Dental provisional abutments are dental

micro-EDM with copper electrodes offered

discharge machining (EDM) is one of the

restorations made of polyether ether keton

more advantages than micro-milling and

PESO:

DES. Nº

ESCALA:10:1

FOLHA 1 DE 1

used is one of the critical factors that determine the precision of the technical medi-

evolve a number of production strategies,

FUTUR 1-3/2015

310 μm

a) Elektrode (Seitenansicht)

b) Elektrode (Draufsicht)

130 μm

120 μm

310 µm 130 µm 500 µm

500 µm

130 µm

120 µm

Copper tool electrodes (side view on the left, top view on the right)

c) Kavität in Formenstahl (Draufsicht)

226 µm 743 µm

739 µm

In future the AMP experts will focus on development of strategies for the efficient Top view of a EDM-machined cavity in mould steel

coupling of various production methods to reduce manufacturing costs. They provide their Brazilian project partner SENAI with

produced better conical shapes and sur-

materials: while the stick itself is made of

the whole spectrum of manufacturing tech-

face qualities in the fabrication of injection

polyether ether keton (PEEK), its tip con-

nologies and measurement techniques for

moulds for dental provisional abutments.

sists of thermoplastic polymer with a filigree

the fabrication and qualification of micro-

However, in consideration of the types of

structure for maximum absorption of liquids.

forms right through to injection moulding.

machine technology available to them, both technologies were offered to the Brazilian project partners.

They also give them on-site assistance to For the fabrication of Dental Dispos-

implement these technologies in a variety

able Sticks, Fraunhofer scientists decided

of machine systems. In this way SENAI itself

on a two-part injection moulding pro-

is well positioned to provide its industrial

cess whereby the tip is manufactured by

partners and customers in Brazil with state-

►►Micro-applicators for dentistry

micro-EDM while micro-milling is used for

of-the-art microproduction technology.

The fabrication strategies developed in the

manufacturing the actual stick. A further

project were subsequently transferred to a

fabrication strategy was developed for man-

second product example – Dental Dispos-

ufacture of the complex copper electrode

able Sticks. These disposable applicators are

for the tip which combined micro-milling

Your contact

used for rapid application of substances in

machining with wire-EDM machining. This

David Carlos Domingos

difficult-to-access areas of the mouth and

new combined strategy succeeded in reduc-

Phone: +49 30 39006-413

jaw, and also feature structures and toler-

ing the electrical discharge machining pro-

david.carlos.domingos@ipk.fraunhofer.de

ances in the micrometer range. A further

cess to just two processing stages, and thus

Tassilo-Maria Schimmelpfennig

challenge lay in the fact that Dental Dispos-

also reduced the manufacturing costs of the

Phone: +49 30 39006-416

able Sticks are composed of two different

injection moulding tool.

tassilo.schimmelpfennig@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

E3-Production

E3-Production Efficient – Emission-neutral – Ergonomic Scarce and expensive resources, rising energy costs, climate protection and demographic change – industrial production is facing a daunting array of challenges. With their »E3-Production« lighthouse project, Fraunhofer researchers are laying the vital groundwork for sustainability in production. The aim of the project, which brings together scientists from 12 Fraunhofer institutes, is to develop novel machines, technologies and processes that save energy and resources, eliminate emissions from factory operations, and integrate the role played by people in future production by re-evaluating the role played by ergonomics in production processes. In all of this Fraunhofer IPK is taking a leading part.

Like no other western industrialized nation,

step towards this goal the E³ lighthouse

energy- and resource-adaptive production

Germany’s economic performance is geared

project is developing methods and tools

systems in the context of a volatile energy

to the production of goods. Nearly one in

for the evaluation of novel concepts and

supply. An integrated enterprise model

two jobs in our country is in this sector. If

demonstrators which in the second stage of

serves here as the basis for the capture and

Germany is to keep its competitive edge in

the project will be researched and further

imaging of energy consumption in a plan-

times of increasingly urgent efforts for envi-

developed into products. The given results

ning and control environment derived from

ronmental and climate protection, increas-

will be brought together with national and

the process model. The production and

ingly scarce resources, and demographic

international trends to form the groundwork

infrastructure systems of a factory are used

change, a fundamental shift in thinking is

for the advanced development of scientific

for the decentralized and self-organizing

needed away from efficient, highly special-

production systems research in Germany

coordination of resource networks and for

ized single solutions to in-the-round sustain-

while at the same time creating the basis

the optimization of the system in its entirety.

able factories.

from which initiatives in this field can be

Results are demonstrated via mobile infor-

launched on the European level.

mation systems at the two Fraunhofer sites

This is why the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

in Berlin and Chemnitz.

sets the three basic elements of its

►►Emissions-neutral factories

»E³-Production« lighthouse project – effi-

Emissions-neutral production plants are

►►Production Assistance Systems

cient production, emissions-neutral produc-

playing an increasingly critical role in terms

Complex processes call for the cogni-

tion plants and ergonomics for industry –

of environmental and climate protection. In

tive and planning abilities of the human -

firmly in the context of synergies. The aim is

the future, manufacturing companies must

paired with the tireless high performance

to take a holistic approach and to research

have much greater recourse to alternative

of the machine. Assistance systems inter-

how flows of materials, energy and data can

and regenerative forms of energy for the

act directly with human operators and are

be better planned, executed and controlled

production of electricity and heat, and they

flexible enough to adapt to respective work

in future in emissions-neutral E factories

must also make use of energy management

situations. To do this effectively, new inter-

with more energy- and resource-efficient

systems. In this context Fraunhofer is work-

action mechanisms for ease-of-use, high

production and improved ergonomics. This

ing to harmonize architectures and supply

safety and high productivity first need to

requires the concerted use of integrative

systems with manufacturing processes, to

be developed.

approaches and the leverage of synergies to

drive forward the adoption of a self-suffi-

ensure that all future production processes

cient energy supply and the use of alterna-

Together with Fraunhofer Institutes IPA

will deliver the same, or even higher, out-

tive energy sources, and to close energy and

and IFF, Fraunhofer IPK is developing tools

puts whilst consuming a significantly lower

material cycles.

and novel plant technology for the ergo-

Together with Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz

environment. For direct and safe forms of

amount of energy and resources than it has been the case thus far. Moreover, these

nomic support of workers in the production

production processes should be capable of

Fraunhofer IPK is developing methods and

human-robot cooperation, IPK is research-

being evaluated and predicted. In the first

solutions for the design and operation of

ing and engineering prototypes for new

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Virtual demonstrator platform at Fraunhofer IPK

lightweight kinematics with intrinsically safe

demonstrator platform. This should help to

drive units.

evidence the possibilities for consistent endto-end digital support in the manufacturing

Partners

►►Virtual Demonstrator Platforms

of products. In this environment, tools with

–– Fraunhofer FIT, Sankt Augustin

To lose no time in bringing the solutions

various levels of observation for monitoring

–– Fraunhofer IBP, Stuttgart

proposed in the »E³-Production« lighthouse

resource-efficiency in engineering processes

–– Fraunhofer IFF, Magdeburg

project into real-world applications, and to

will be demonstrated together with options

–– Fraunhofer IGB, Stuttgart

sensitize key industry sectors to the host of

for the resource-efficient and sustainable

–– Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen

issues involved, by 2016 four Fraunhofer

design of products and for production sys-

–– Fraunhofer IML, Dortmund

sites across Germany will host demonstra-

tem planning.

–– Fraunhofer IPA, Stuttgart

tors and pilot applications for the testing

–– Fraunhofer IPK, Berlin

and demonstration of the technologies

–– Fraunhofer IPT, Aachen

and procedures developed, factory plan-

–– Fraunhofer IWU, Chemnitz

ning concepts and human-centric assistance

–– Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen

systems for sustainable production with a high potential for synergies between the three E³ pillars. At Fraunhofer IPK methods and tools for modelling, simulation, plan-

Your contact

ning and optimization as well as relevant

Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Hohwieler

libraries with parameters and decision-mak-

Phone: +49 30 39006-121

ing criteria will be composed on a virtual

eckhard.hohwieler@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

E3-Production

Direct and Safe Novel Kinematics for Human-robot Cooperation Nowadays robots which physically interact with humans in automated production are no longer a novelty. They do the monotonous work or help in handling heavy objects. In daily operations, however, the many shortcomings of conventional systems become all too apparent. Individual user settings are not possible, operation and programming is often a headache, while safety and the ergonomic workplace design leave much to be desired. One of the reasons for this is that previous generations of interactive robots were mainly just revamped and extended versions of classical industrial robots – and thus, too immature for genuine physical interaction with humans. For a human-robot interaction that is both direct and safe, Fraunhofer IPK is now researching and developing new prototypes of lightweight balanced kinematics with intrinsically safe drive units.

Creating innovations that will reinvolve humans, with all their experience and potential, much more closely in the production process is one of the goals of Fraunhofer’s »E3 Production» lighthouse project. The vision it seeks to realize is that of a world where people will use information technology and production-adapted end devices whenever needed to create control routines from higher-level databases and work with assistance systems to intervene flexibly in automated production sequences. To this end researchers at Fraunhofer IPK are developing a new cooperative robot system within the framework of the project that promises much greater safety and flexibility in its partnership with humans.

►►Robots in the automobile industry

Cooperative robots – different approaches

No other industry in the world uses as many industrial robots as the automobile industry.

tions. This is why human-centric automa-

plexity that need only short training times

In Germany alone, over half the robots in

tion starts to unfold its potential precisely

and pave the way for cost-effective flexible

industrial use are accounted for by vehicle

at the spot where full automation reaches

in-the-round system solutions.

manufacturers, where, particularly in body

the limits of its capability.

►►Better work together

shops, they perform a variety of welding jobs as well as assembly and handling rou-

As developed at Fraunhofer IPK over the

The great advantage of COBOTs lies in the

tines. Modern industrial robots are distin-

years, cooperative robots or COBOTs do

synergy effects they generate. They boost

guished by their precision, rapidity and high

not mimic human abilities but offer them

the performance of the human worker by

performance. Even so, human operators are

optimal support. They relieve human work-

combining the productivity, accuracy and

still superior to them in two respects – for

ers of physically demanding tasks while leav-

flexibility of conventional robots with the

their sure instinct and for their ability to

ing them with full control of movement. The

dexterity, intelligence and experience of the

adapt rapidly to changing ambient condi-

outcome is automation systems of low com-

human being. What is more, they also help

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Novel COBOT kinematics

to avoid repetitive strain injury in the mus-

oped kinematics are distinguished by their

cles and joints of the operator. With such

lightweight design in which all drives and

obvious advantages, COBOTs have recently

counterweights are installed on the portal

been exciting strong interest not just in the

construction. This means that in the event

automobile industry but in other industry

of an outage the whole system comes safely

sectors as well where handling systems

to rest in the upper rest position and stays

are deployed.

there. Axles with intrinsically safe hybrid drives also ensure simultaneous monitor-

One of the challenges to be faced here

ing and regulation of the robot’s speed

was, and still is, the closeness of contact

and momentum, and thus void rapid uncon-

that occurs between human and machine.

trolled movement which in turn helps mini-

For the operator and COBOT to interact in

mize the risk of injury to humans.

a common workspace without the need for protective fencing, additional sets of sensors

The first prototype of the new COBOT kine-

are called for which, for instance, monitor

matics will be built at Fraunhofer IPK in early

the speed at which the COBOT moves and

2016 and tested in a scenario emulating real

its distance from the human operator. More-

life conditions for the installation of car

over, safety standards such as ISO-10218

seats. Parallel to this, scientists will also be

also prescribe new interfaces for the safe

investigating the deployment of COBOTS in

manual control of COBOTs as well as addi-

the installation of panorama roofs at Volks

tional functions which restrict the power

wagen in the »KobotAERGO« project

and mechanical performance of the robot.

funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

►►Novel kinematics This is where the Fraunhofer experts come

Authors: Dr. Dragoljub Surdilovic,

in with their new cooperative robot system.

Jelena Radojicic, Philipp Heyne

Your contact

It is intrinsic, i. e. built-in, safe, simply and

Dr. Dragoljub Surdilovic

intuitive to use and adapts itself to a vari-

Phone: +49 30 39006-172

ety of individual users. Its specially devel-

dragoljub.surdilovic@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Research and Development

E3-Production

Focus on Environmental and Climate Protection: the Emission-neutral Factory There is already a broad range of partial solutions for optimization of material cycles and energy management in manufacturing industry. Their drawback is that none of them views companies, production systems and their possible interdependencies as a whole. To realize the goal of the design and operation of factories and production systems optimized for the best use of energy, Fraunhofer Institutes IPK and IWU are developing methods and technical solutions that take a holistic view of a company’s needs for energy and resources, plan them in accordance with supply and control them in accordance with needs.

►►Energy- and resource-adaptive production systems For the decentralized and self-organizing coordination of resource networks, and optimization of the overall system, the project maps production and infrastructure systems in an integrated enterprise model (IEM) extended to include them. This captures energy and resource consumption and merges it with a planning and control environment derived from production system. Demonstration scenarios at Fraunhofer IPK in Berlin und Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz compellingly exemplify this vision of energy- and resource-adaptive production systems.

Structure of the integrated enterprise model

►►Integrated Enterprise Models

machines in the test fields of Fraunhofer IPK

ponents categorized and analyzed in terms

One demonstration scenario uses integrated

in Berlin and Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz,

of their efficient use of energy and resourc-

enterprise modelling to visualize the organi-

delivers the requisite real-time data which a

es. In the future, algorithms developed by

zational and workflow structures of a virtual

cloud-based data management system then

the project will automatically generate the

service provider for the machining of single

makes available to all users.

analysis and make it available for production planning purposes. Furthermore, care

parts and small batches. For the machining of the reference workpieces the manu-

On the one hand, the sensor data can be

has been taken to take a holistic view of

facturing technologies primary forming, re-

used in connection with the enterprise mod-

production in which, among others things,

forming and machining are used.

el for derivation of a planning environment

machines can talk to one another and ex-

which monitors the performance of energy-

change information. This enables an opti-

This business process model will then be ex-

adaptive production systems in terms of the

mized load profile of the whole production

tended with the addition of individual tar-

particular set of machines needed to process

cycle to be made during delays in orders or

gets which address issues of energy and

a particular order. Presentation is based on

extended production times.

resource efficiency in the enterprise. The

the methods of integrated enterprise model-

modelling also includes valuations and per-

ling and is visualized with IPK's Mo²Go pro-

formance indicators for those parameters on

cess modelling tool. On the other hand, in

whose basis the adaptive production system

terms of energy-optimized production, ma-

can react to volatility in the energy supply. A

chine processes can also be recorded, and

for the operation of production systems is

sensor network, implemented on selected

operating conditions, peripherals and com-

made using a technology database. This sys-

►►A database for energy technologies Adequate selection of energy technologies

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Cross-institutional interaction

temizes technologies for the generation and

structured in virtual units which serve for

storage of alternative forms of energy based

the definition and design of resource net-

on a variety of parameters and their rele-

works as closed resource cycles. In a hybrid

vance for the use of the respective tech-

simulation model, these methods for order-

nology in production. Energy technology

led planning and needs-led control are test-

properties are coupled with the production

ed and refined.

environment through its targets, boundary conditions and characteristics. Even so, ad-

Furthermore, planning is underway for the

justments must be made to the production

development of an energy certificate based

infrastructure and business processes in or-

on comparison of the energy consumption

der to ensure successful integration of ener-

of reference workpieces across a variety of

gy sources and energy storage. This requires

institutes, technologies and machines. This

consideration of the company’s structure

will pave the way for an assessment of the

and workflows on the one hand, and mod-

energy consumption of energy- and re-

elling of appropriate energy sources on the

source-adaptive production systems.

other. Supplemented by integrated enterprise modelling as described above, and through leverage of the results of the business process analysis, such is the procedure by which appropriate technologies are selected. Selection is followed by a first »design«, in other words the sustainable reengineering of the company’s production system to exploit the potential identified by purposeful transformation of the production infrastructure and business processes.

►►The E3-Research Factory The E³-Research Factory at Fraunhofer IWU is methodically developing the »operation«

Your contact

of such energy- and resource-adaptive pro-

Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Hohwieler

duction systems. To this end, the produc-

Phone: +49 30 39006-121

tion environment is first described and then

eckhard.hohwieler@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Interview

Developing Standards for Industrie 4.0 A Conversation on the Digital Revolution in Industry In late February 2015, Eckhard Hohwieler, head of the Production Machines and Systems Management department at Fraunhofer IPK, visited Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and talked with her about the digital revolution in industry. The video interview has been published on the Federal Government’s YouTube channel. Below you can read the transcript as authorised by the government.

Eckhard Hohwieler: Chancellor, next

will be a major shift in what particular jobs

that women in particular take a closer look

Monday you will be visiting the Siemens

entail. Software skills will be in much greater

at the potential inherent in such careers,

‘smart factory’, a digital production facility

demand in the classic areas of manufactur-

because jobs in these fields often pay pretty

in Amberg, Bavaria. ‘Industry 4.0’ is pushing

ing. Some processes will be replaced by

well as well as being stimulating and inter-

innovation primarily in the direction of digi-

robotics and other things. Lifelong learning

esting. You mentioned demographic devel-

tisation, the melting of the digital and the

is therefore particularly significant – if I am

opment – if it is only ever the male members

physical in industrial manufacturing and the

a skilled worker, how do I keep my skill set

of our society, if you like, who play their

integration of all levels and processes within

up to date? I am very glad that the Federal

part in these fields, it might simply not be

a business. What do you expect the effect

Government is in conversation on this not

enough. On the contrary, we are also glad of

of this to be? What opportunities present

only with the business community but also

all girls who decide to pursue one of these

themselves for Germany as a center of man-

with the trade unions, which are likewise

careers once they leave school.

ufacturing, and for Europe?

thinking about these matters. Hohwieler: Data security and ownership

Federal Chancellor Merkel: Germany

Hohwieler: As you just indicated, although

are major priorities for many businesses,

is one of those countries which still have

Industry 4.0 designates a revolution in the

issues that any introduction of new solu-

a strong manufacturing industry, and we

industrial sector, it is not just a purely tech-

tions will need to accommodate. What can

want to keep it that way – around 20 per-

nological revolution; it will change things for

be done to prepare the ground for that, par-

cent of our GDP is generated by manufactur-

people working in the industrial or manufac-

ticularly in terms of the regulatory environ-

ing. That means we have to take that step

turing sector. Employees’ jobs and roles will

ment? How might services and other eco-

and digitise production; it is crucially im-

change. What does that mean in the light

nomic activity be developed in the face of,

portant to our prosperity. We have dubbed

of demographic developments?

for instance, the demands of European data

the whole thing ‘Industry 4.0’. What it involves in practice now is, for instance, devel-

security? Merkel: Well, first and foremost it means

oping standards. It involves finding the right

we will need young people coming out of

Merkel: You raise a very important point

partners we can work with to ensure that,

school with very good qualifications who

there. Alongside standardisation, it is above

first of all, SMEs and larger corporations

have been prepared – that is to say, familiar-

all essential that we have the requisite secure

share an equal platform. I am pleased to

ity with computers and a certain amount of

regulatory environment for large amounts of

say that Germany’s manufacturing sector is

programming skill are certainly expected in

data to be processed, as that will of course

playing a very active part in that. Secondly,

a much wider range of situations nowadays.

lead to the creation of new products. We

it of course also involves considering what

We keep having to encourage people to go

are not just talking about changes in indus-

effect all this is going to have for working

into the STEM subjects – science, technol-

trial manufacturing; these developments will

people. It goes without saying that there

ogy, engineering and maths. I would wish

also mean a lot more data being generated.

FUTUR 1-3/2015

So now you need to make sure, on the one

Economic Affairs Minister; there is a plat-

hand, that you are properly protecting data,

form being developed. The Research Min-

but at the same time ensure that you do not

ister, Ms Wanka, has been working with

take such a restrictive line on large scale

the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to develop a

data processing that you prevent new prod-

platform for industrial standards, which

ucts from being developed. The chief prior-

feeds into the general platform at the Eco-

ity here is to find the right balance of protec-

nomic Affairs Ministry. The business com-

tion and freedom in data processing – when

munity is on board; the trade unions are

it comes to people’s personal data. These

on board. In other words, a lot of work is

issues are being debated by European leg-

getting done. However, another thing that

islators as they draft a General Data Protec-

is always very important for us in Germany

tion Regulation. We need them to reach an

is to use the advantages of the European

agreement on that soon – and it particularly

internal market. We can fuel the develop-

needs to be an agreement that does not

ment of particular standards – and then we

impede the generation of economic activity

should try to embed them at the European

in the industrial sector.

level. After all, the 500 million people who make up the European internal market rep-

Hohwieler: Germany is currently setting

resent quite a market force. And that gives

the pace of this innovation. Other coun-

us good chances of holding our own on the

tries, like the United States and China have

world stage.

also recognised these opportunities and are investing in assistance programmes for their industrial sectors on a large scale. What can Germany do to maintain its pole position in hightech manufacturing in this global competition? What support is the Government providing, and what does it expect from stakeholders in industry, research and associations? Contact Name

Merkel: I think we have understood what

Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Hohwieler

needs to be done. The relevant capabili-

Phone: +49 30 39006-121

ties and remits are being pooled under the

eckhard.hohwieler@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Company Profile

Scholz – High-tech in Plastics Horst Scholz GmbH & Co. KG produces high technology in plastics. Technical

of Life for Generations to Come« initiative

precision parts and micro-, gearing and medical technology are the specialities of

and the »Initiative for a Healthy Workplace«.

this company from Kronach in northern Bavaria. Superb quality is written big at Scholz and the company has put in place extensive measures and a comprehen-

Ebert points out that innovation is an impor-

sive management system to ensure that this is what gets delivered. This owner-

tant theme in production just as it is in the

managed company boasts a highly qualified team of players and production sites

company’s relations with its employees.

in Germany which ship to customers across the world.

Over the past few years the trend has been in the direction of microtechnology which is also coming to the forefront in medical technology. However, microtechnology is not just about miniaturizing component dimensions, because much of it is concerned with meeting the demand for completely new kinds of manufacturing techniques – from mould-making to the demoulding and handling of products. Particularly in microtechnology, but in all other products as well, precision as the main criterion for quality is the be-all and end-all. In a very large measure Scholz owes its excellent reputation to the outstanding quality of its finished products, an outcome due to a number of factors. Obviously components are produced in clean rooms with

Scholz was founded in 1974 in Marktrodach

is expressed in the strong sense of togeth-

rigorously defined ambient conditions. With

and moved to Kronach in 1982. The sense

erness among employees and the strong

its own tool- and mould-making facilities

of tradition accumulated by the company in

identification of each and every individual

the company retains complete control from

over 40 years of operations can be felt in

employee with the company and its goals.«

the first idea right through to serial produc-

every department. On top of this come the

tion. And when it comes to documentation,

first-class experts whose know-how, com-

For Ebert the working climate at Scholz, the

risk management and so on, the company

bined with an exceptional level of dedica-

challenges posed by ever new cutting-edge

always goes one better than what the rel-

tion, gives the company decisive competitive

developments, and the company’s success

evant standards prescribe. And then there

advantages. »We see ourselves as belong-

on the global market are but some of the

are the high performance injection mould-

ing to one big family«, says technical direc-

elements which combine together to give

ing machines and state-of-the-art measure-

tor Karl-Herbert Ebert. »And family feeling

a powerful sense of motivation. So it is not

ment technologies, including computer

surprising that there is very little employee

tomography.

fluctuation in the team – Ebert sees this as an indication of the »balance of challenges

Quality management at Scholz is exemplary

and recognition« dear to the company. Since

for the company’s philosophy as it too

Scholz GmbH & Co. KG

knowledge is the most vital of the compa-

embraces concepts like sustainability, reli-

Nalser Straße 39

ny’s assets, Scholz attaches great value to

ability, transparency and a sense of respon-

96317 Kronach

on-going training and further education.

sibility. »All these shape our day-to-day

Phone: +49 9261 6077-0

What is more, employees also enjoy sup-

working lives«, says Ebert, »and, because

Contact

info@scholz-htik.de www.scholz-htik.de

port outside of their place of work since

we are conservative in such matters, will

Scholz is a regional partner in the »Quality

continue to do so tomorrow as well.«

Laboratory Portrait

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Innovative Concepts of Space for Developers Creatively designed spaces are ideal places for germinating and incubating ideas,

for current and future engineering use case

particularly when they come in combination with intuitive tools that support

scenarios. Its 84" multi-touch-display can

developers in visualizing their ideas without restricting them. And in other product

be used for working together on digital

creation processes too – right through to test runs on prototypes – innovative

product models in creative sessions. Link-

development facilities also play a decisive role. Scientists of the Virtual Product

age to other labs like DCTC and ZIP enables

Creation division at Fraunhofer IPK and the Industrial Information Technology

research and testing of novel collaboration

chair at TU Berlin are developing and implementing concepts of space for the

scenarios.

engineering workplace of the future and providing them to customers and part-

►►VELC – the Virtual Engineering

ners for use in their own projects.

Learning Center VELC – the Virtual Engineering Learning Center uses virtually supported methods of teaching and training future engineering activities in an integrated systems landscape where virtual tools support all phases of product creation from the first (digital) line of the conceptual phase through 3D design, computation, digital mock-ups (DMUs), and the digital factory. Product data management (PDM), virtual reality and augmented reality as well as process modelling complete the spectrum of VELC applications and technologies.

►►Virtual Reality Solution Center

ate complete vehicles or only subsystems, as

►►The iLab – Innovation Lab

The Virtual Reality Lab offers cutting-edge

well as technologies for smart hybrid pro-

The iLab – Innovation Lab offers both teams

technologies such as projection-based 3D

totyping (SHP) and smart hybrid process

and individuals an ideal environment for the

visualization in CAVE, 3D interaction tech-

planning for early validation of assembly

creative and innovative search for new ideas.

nologies and haptic interaction solutions. It

processes.

Creative techniques for the systematic development of ideas enhance innovative capa-

develops applications based on these technologies in the CAD / CAS domain, and also engineers new uses for virtual reality in the

►►The Center for Innovative Product Creation (ZIP)

bility, while virtual tools support all phases of product creation. The iLab also offers a

fields of fly-and-walk-through for technol-

The Center for Innovative Product Creation

broad range of options for communication

ogy and architecture, assembling/disassem-

(ZIP) can simulate the whole spectrum of

and presentation to discuss results in rounds

bling analysis, training platforms, informa-

creative engineering working methods. Its

of experts.

tion-enriched design review, and prototype

latest design uses state-of-the-art digital

development.

technologies focusing on creative collaboration. Its infrastructure supports the flex-

►►DCTC – The Digital Cube Test Center

ible wiring and connection of workstations as is usual in remote forms of collaboration.

As a multifunctional center for virtual product creation, the DCTC unites product and process development, validation and

►►The Engineering Collaboration and Control Center (EC3)

Contact

research on the basis of virtual prototypes

The Engineering Collaboration and Control

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Stark

combined with real components. Its facilities

Center (EC ) realizes a multifunctional con-

Phone: +49 30 39006-243

include a functional drive simulator to evalu-

cept of space that can be deployed both

rainer.stark@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Events and Dates

France’s Ambassador Underscores the Value of Culture In early March 2015, His Excellency Philippe Etienne visited Fraunhofer IPK to learn about the technology used in the project for the reconstruction of the torn documents of the Stasi, the State Security Police of the former GDR. Contact between the Ambassador and the Institute dates back to November 2014 when Dr. Bertram Nickolay, head of the department for Security Technology, took part in a forum on »The Digital Archive and Cultural Memory« held in the French embassy. In his welcome address to the forum, Monsieur Etienne remarked that, »If any project has bearing on the issues being discussed in this forum, it is the Stasi Fragments Project at Fraunhofer IPK.« Dr. Nickolay reacted promptly with an invitation to visit the Institute which the Ambassador and his delegation now have taken up. The Ambassador was especially interested in IPK's reconstruction technology for the restoration and preserva-

Ambassador Philippe Etienne (middle) with head of project Jan Schneider (left) and Dr. Bertram Nickolay.

tion of precious cultural artefacts. In association with the embassy, the technology shall be deployed in future in the libraries, archives

Your contact

and museums of France. Furthermore, in the second forum of the

Dr.-Ing. Bertram Nickolay

»Culture/Digital« series, representatives of Fraunhofer IPK will act

Phone: +49 30 39006-201

as speakers and also have their own workshop.

bertram.nickolay@ipk.fraunhofer.de

China’s Vice-Premier Visits Fraunhofer IPK On March 17, 2015 a flurry of activity swept through Fraunhofer IPK in expectation of a very high-ranking visitor: the Vice-Premier of the People’s Republic of China Ma Kai had announced that he was coming. Professor Uhlmann greeted the statesman and his delegation who wished to get an idea of how the Fraunhofer model worked and of the kind of work pursued at the Institute. After a general introduction given by Fraunhofer executive board member Professor Alexander Kurz, Professor Uhlmann discussed the structure and mission of Fraunhofer IPK, individual projects, as well as existing and potential partnerships between the Institute and Chinese partners. Mr. Ma Kai was impressed by the special application-edge of research at IPK. He also found words of praise for the cultivation of friendship between Germany and China in industry and science, and the efficiency of their partnerships in joint projects.

From left to right: Dr. Kraft, Professor Kurz, China's Vice-Premier Ma Kai and Professor Uhlmann

Your contact Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann Phone: +49 30 39006-100 uhlmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Brazil’s Ambassador Praises Excellent Cooperation Work Over the past years Fraunhofer IPK has built up strong bonds of partnership with players in the Brazilian research and industry landscape – reason enough for the Brazilian Ambassador, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, to pay our Institute a visit. On March 18 she viewed presentations of a variety of cooperative projects, including some draft proposals for projects in the pipeline. At the end of the event Mrs. Ribeiro Viotti and her delegation were still engaged in a lively discussion with our scientists on how the partnership could be further developed in the future. The Ambassador was impressed by the large number of collaborative projects already brought to a successful conclusion, and at the end of the presentation commented that this type of German-Brazilian relations in the field of innovation need to be strengthened still further. »The planned visit of the Federal Chancellor to Brazil in August of this year presents an excellent

Looking ahead together: Ambassador Ribeiro Viotti and Professor Kohl

Your contact

opportunity for the finalization of further partnerships between

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl

Fraunhofer and Brazil«, commented Professor Holger Kohl, director

Phone: +49 30 39006-233

of Brazilian projects for innovation management at Fraunhofer IPK.

holger.kohl@ipk.fraunhofer.de

In the Service of Human Rights A Delegation from Chile Learns about Fraunhofer‘s Reconstruction Technology At the beginning of May a delegation from Chile visiting different countries in the course of their human rights project visited Fraunhofer IPK. The delegation consisted of Dr. Patricio Bustos Streeter, national director of Chile’s Legal Medical Service, Jaime Madariaga, head of the Human Rights department at Chile’s Ministry of Justice, and Iván Couso, head of the International Cooperation Unit at the Ministry of Justice as well as representatives of the Chilean embassy. After a short introduction to the project for automated virtual reconstruction of the fragmented Stasi documents, the guests themselves were able to see how the technology worked in a live demonstration in the SecVerification Lab and at the editorial places. Afterwards, potential uses of the technology for investigating regimes of terror and for the restoration of cultural assets were the focus of talks. The Chilean guests were particularly interested in the application of image analysis and pattern recognition methods, such as facial and handwriting recognition methods, for identification of victims of military juntas. How the

IPK expert Jan Schneider (on the left) in conversation with Dr. Patricio Bustos Streeter, head of the Chilean Human Rights delegation (in the middle)

Your contact

reconstruction technologies developed by Fraunhofer IPK can help

Dr.-Ing. Bertram Nickolay

in the investigation of regimes of terror was also the subject of a

Phone: +49 30 39006-201

workshop held in Santiago de Chile in autumn 2015.

bertram.nickolay@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Events and Dates

Export Hit Industrie 4.0 Fraunhofer IPK and the Jiangsu Economic and Information Technology Commission Sign a Memorandum of Understanding

Prof. Holger Kohl, Prof. Eckart Uhlmann (both Fraunhofer IPK) and Xu Yiping, General Director JSEIC, signing the MoU (front row from left) in the presence of Li Xueyong, Governor of Jiangsu (back row, fourth from the right).

In a high ranking visit from the People’s Republic of China, the governor of Jiangsu province, Li Xueyong, accompanied by a delegation of representatives from industry and government, visited Fraunhofer IPK on June 15. Governor Li Xueyong came to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on future collaboration between Fraunhofer IPK und JSEIC – the Jiangsu Economic and Information Technology Commission – in the field of Industrie 4.0. In the Memorandum both parties agreed to develop joint strategies for the standardization of Industrie 4.0 within the next two years and to intensify exchanges and cooperation in the fields of smart manufacturing and ICT technologies. The aim is to establish an Industrie 4.0 application center in Jiangsu province as a showcase for the latest technologies and application scenarios. Furthermore, international conferences on smart manufacturing and Industrie 4.0 in Jiangsu province should bring together experts, scientists and entrepreneurs and promote dialogue between Jiangsu and Germany. Fraunhofer IPK will also support its Chinese partners in the development of an Industrie 4.0 training programme, and aid in overall strategic development for »Smart Production and Internet+« for Jiangsu province in the context of »Made in China 2025«. Your contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl Phone: +49 30 39006-233 holger.kohl@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Made a distinct impression on the Governor: the PTZ test field (in the front IPK director Professor Eckart Uhlmann, behind to the left Li Xueyong).

FUTUR 1-3/2015

AMP at the 15th International euspen Conference From June 1-5, the oldest and largest university in Flanders, KU Leuven, was host to the 15th International euspen Conference in Belgium. Each year the European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (euspen) brings together the world’s leading experts from industry and science in the field of micro- and ultra-precision-machining. The Application Center for Microproduction Technology AMP at Fraunhofer IPK also presented its latest R&D results in micromachining and machine development. Particular interest was excited by an innovative machine concept for double-sided machining of rotationally symmetric workpieces, and a novel cutting material from Japan which AMP uses for the machining of hard metals.

Your contact Dr.-Ing. Dirk Oberschmidt Phone: +49 30 39006-159 dirk.oberschmidt@ipk.fraunhofer.de

The Czech Deputy Prime Minister Visits Fraunhofer IPK On June 30, 2015 Fraunhofer IPK received a high-ranking delegation from the Czech Republic when Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Pavel Bělobrádek, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, accompanied by his Secretary of State Dr. Arnošt Marks and the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Berlin, Tomáš Jan Podivínský, visited the Institute. Professor Jörg Krüger and Dr. Bertram Nickolay greeted the Minister and his delegation who had come to get a closer picture of the workings of the Fraunhofer model and activities at Fraunhofer IPK. Apart from the structure and mission of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and individual projects at Fraunhofer IPK, talks also centerd on the Institute’s activities in the Czech Republic and existing cooperative projects with Czech partners. For the guests from the Czech Republic, the planned Fraunhofer Project Center in Prague, which is to be built in partnership with the Czech Technical University in Prague, was one key point of interest.

Your contact Dr.-Ing. Bertram Nickolay Phone: +49 30 39006-201 bertram.nickolay@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Dr. Bertram Nickolay, Prof. Jörg Krüger, Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Pavel Bělobrádek, Secretary of State Dr. Arnošt Marks, Ambassador Tomáš Jan Podivínský (from left to right)

Events and Dates

Industrie 4.0 – International Cooperation Symposium in Beijing A Conference of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) On March 17, 2015 the Vice-Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Ma Kai, visited Fraunhofer IPK (see page 24). Particularly impressed by the application-oriented research around Industrie 4.0 he had seen in Berlin, on his return to China the Vice-Premier commissioned China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) with organizing the implementation of Industrie 4.0 and coordination of cooperation with Germany. In a first step, the MIIT held a conference in Beijing at the end of August to gain an overview of the current state of development of Industrie 4.0 and to explore possibilities for partnerships with German institutions. Along with representatives of the German engineering association VDMA, the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media, BITKOM and the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association ZVEI, the executive director of Fraunhofer IPK, Professor Eckart Uhlmann, was also invited as a keynote speaker. He gave an overview of the way in which Fraunhofer worked and presented key technologies developed by IPK with Industrie 4.0 in mind – in an impressive auditorium to an audience of some 1,000 senior managers from the Ministry and regional authorities as well as managers from some of China’s major companies. This was followed by talks about possible forms of future cooperation in a smaller circle of Ministry representatives. Your contact Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann

»Industrie 4.0 – Pacemaker Technologies for Competitive Production Industries« was the title of the talk given by Professor Eckart Uhlmann (top) to an audience of some 1,000 conference guests (bottom).

Phone: +49 30 39006-101 eckart.uhlmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Professor Eckart Uhlmann with other speakers at the MIIT Conference.

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Training Strategies for Taiwan Minister of Education Wu Visits the Production Technology Center In many parts of the world right now, including Taiwan, Industrie 4.0 is a hotly debated topic. In early September the Taiwanese Minister of Education, Dr. Se-Hwa Wu, was given a general introduction to this area at Fraunhofer IPK. Professor Holger Kohl and staff from the Production Systems and Virtual Product Creation divisions talked with him about the opportunities and goals of Industrie 4.0 as well as related projects at Fraunhofer IPK. The Minister was particularly interested in the question of which training strategies should Taiwan profitably adopt to prepare itself for integrated production. In this context, discussion turned to the preconditions underpinning Industrie 4.0 and which technical courses need to be addressed much more in the future.

Your contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl Phone: +49 30 39006-233

Professor Holger Kohl and Eckhard Hohwieler talked to Minister Wu about Industrie 4.0 – in particular about the essential preconditions for successful realization of the concept.

holger.kohl@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer IPK and Jieyang Set up an Institute of Technology Transfer Fraunhofer IPK is advising the city of Jieyang on the establishment of an institute for applied research and development in the metalworking industry. The cooperation agreement was signed in early November 2015 in the presence of Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. According to it, Fraunhofer IPK and Jieyang will have established the »German-Chinese Institute of Technology Transfer IFT« by 2020, with a planned investment of three billion RMB (about 405 million euros). The institute will be a partner for local companies, supporting them in their technical regeneration, and foster cooperation between Chinese and German technology businesses to identify new joint innovation projects. Fraunhofer IPK is a cooperation partner of Metal Eco City, the German-Chinese city for medium-sized companies in Jieyang. »Since 2014, Fraunhofer IPK has been supporting MEC in planning and implementing the Zhongke Metal Institute of Science and Technol-

German-Chinese Cooperation: Professor Holger Kohl, director of the corporate management department at Fraunhofer IPK (left) and Jieyang Party Secretary Yan Zhichan (right) (© Bundespresseamt).

ogy, an institute for applied research in metalworking,« explains Professor Holger Kohl. »The new IFT will give German businesses the opportunity to quickly and methodically offer technologies

Your contact

required by Chinese companies. To set up the institute, we will put

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl

in our expertise in production technology as well as in planning

Phone: +49 30 39006-233

and implementing innovation systems,« says Kohl.

holger.kohl@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Events and Dates

Launch of the Leibniz Fragments Project Digital Reconstruction of Textual Contexts in the Manuscripts of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

A press conference held on October 23 in Hannover marked the

adding new notes to them and putting them in different places in

launch of the project to reconstruct the »Leibniz Fragments«. The

his body of manuscripts poses huge problems to contemporary

legacy of the great polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716)

research. In the past the correct place of single sheets in a com-

consists of some 200,000 pages of manuscript and is one of the

mon text grouping has only been discovered by chance. It is only

world’s biggest and most important scholarly legacies. Yet a very

now that the planned reconstruction of the joint text grouping can

large part of it comes in the form of fragments of leaves, loose

enable dating of the notes and jottings. Simultaneously, the digi-

slips of paper, and torn papers which makes chronological classi-

tization of the massive legacy needed for the project will open up

fication a daunting or even impossible challenge. For a long time,

the door to universal free of charge access and research through its

reconstruction of these text fragments was just wishful thinking.

inclusion in the digital collection of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

However, drawing on their work in the virtual reconstruction of the

Library. By promoting and facilitating public access to the world’s

torn documents of the former GDR State Security Police, scientists

largest collection of scholarly manuscripts, the project partners are

at Fraunhofer IPK are now developing a computer-controlled assis-

hoping to give a new impetus to international and interdisciplinary

tance system that is capable of digitally reconstructing unedited

Leibniz research.

manuscripts by Leibniz. The aim of this joint project between Fraunhofer IPK, MusterFabrik Berlin, the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library and the Academy Edition of the Complete Writings and Letters (the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities) is digitization of the mass of some 9,700 leaves making up the volume »Mathematica«. The project, which should be completed by March 2017, is funded by the Klaus Tschira Foundation, Heidelberg. Work on such a huge legacy of papers offers an opportunity unique in the history of science: never before has such a direct light been

Happy that the project is now under way: director of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library, Dr. Georg Ruppelt, Dr. Bertram Nickolay of Fraunhofer IPK, Prof. Dr. Michael Kempe, Head of the Leibniz Archive, and Dr. Siegmund Probst, head of project at the Leibniz Archive (from left to right).

shone on the inner workings of Leibniz’s mind and the evolution of his thinking. At the same time scientists are facing huge challenges

Your contact

in their examination of his papers, challenges which instantly start

Dr.-Ing. Bertram Nickolay

with the question of the chronological order in which the notes are

Phone: +49 30 39006-201

arranged. In particular Leibniz’s habit of cutting up his note papers,

bertram.nickolay@ipk.fraunhofer.de

FUTUR 1-3/2015

Save the Date: Hannover Messe 2016 Joint Exhibit on »Industrie 4.0: That's how We Manufacture Tomorrow« How is Industrie 4.0 changing production and what impact will this transformation have on the world of work? At the Hannover Messe 2016 Fraunhofer IPK will be taking the example of gearbox production to show how flexibly networked manufacturing is redefining the job requirements and activities of workers involved in the production process. Across a production chain that goes from process planning to work on individual machines, five specific areas of activity will be addressed that Industrie 4.0 makes more transparent, more effective and more ergonomic. At the same time we shall demonstrate how Industrie 4.0 enables manufacturing companies to efficiently realize changes in their production planning necessitated by individual orders – as when, for example, an individual order calls for the short-term replacement of standard gearboxes with racing gearboxes with special properties which need to be manufactured and assembled. This scenario merges research results from the MetamoFAB, iWePro and pICASSO projects with

Your contact

IPK’s own preliminary research. The presentation is in association

Katharina Strohmeier

with project partners.

Phone: +49 30 39006-140 katharina.strohmeier@ipk.fraunhofer.de

XV. INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY COLLOQUIUM

Digitized Production Potentials for Sustainable Urban Value Creation

SAVE THE DATE 15. – 16.9.2016

YEARS

PTK 2016

Profile Production Technology Center PTZ Berlin The Production Technology Center PTZ Berlin comprises of the Institute for Machine Tools and Factory Management IWF of the Technical University of Berlin and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK. The PTZ develops methods and technologies for management, product development, production processes, and design of industrial manufacturing plants. Furthermore, we also leverage our proven expertise to engineer novel applications in emerging fields such as security, transport and medical technology. The PTZ is equally committed to making its own contributions to applicationoriented basic research and to developing new technologies in close collaboration with industry. The PTZ works together with its industry partners to transform basic innovations born in research projects into fully functional applications. With the methods and techniques we develop or improve, we offer our partners comprehensive end-to-end support from product development and fabrication through to product recycling. This also includes the conception of means of production and its integration in complex production facilities, and innovation of all corporate planning and controlling processes.

Your Contact at the PTZ Berlin Corporate Management Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kohl Phone +49 30 39006-233 holger.kohl@ipk.fraunhofer.de Virtual Product Creation, Industrial Information Technology Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Stark Phone +49 30 39006-243 rainer.stark@ipk.fraunhofer.de Production Systems, Machine Tools and Manufacturing Technology Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann Phone +49 30 39006-101 eckart.uhlmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de Joining and Coating Technology (IPK) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Rethmeier Phone +49 30 8104-1550 michael.rethmeier@ipk.fraunhofer.de Joining and Coating Technology (IWF) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Stark (komm.) Phone +49 30 39006-243 rainer.stark@ipk.fraunhofer.de Automation Technology, Industrial Automation Technology Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Krüger Phone +49 30 39006-181 joerg.krueger@ipk.fraunhofer.de Assembly Technology and Factory Management Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günther Seliger Phone +49 30 314-22014 guenther.seliger@mf.tu-berlin.de Quality Management, Quality Science Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Jochem Phone +49 30 39006-118 roland.jochem@ipk.fraunhofer.de Medical Technology Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann (komm.) Phone +49 30 39006-101 eckart.uhlmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Innovation Cluster LCE Life Cycle Engineering Prof. Dr. h. c. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann Phone +49 30 39006-100 eckart.uhlmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de Next Generation ID Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Krüger Phone +49 30 39006-183 joerg.krueger@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Alliances

Competence Centers

AdvanCer Hochleistungskeramik Christian Schmiedel Phone +49 30 39006-267 christian.schmiedel@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Additive Manufacturing Dipl.-Ing. André Bergmann Phone: +49 39006-107 andre.bergmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de

autoMOBILproduktion Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Hohwieler Phone +49 30 39006-121 eckhard.hohwieler@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Application Center Microproduction Technology (AMP) Dr.-Ing. Dirk Oberschmidt Phone +49 30 39006-159 dirk.oberschmidt@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Additive Manufacturing Dipl.-Ing. Benjamin Graf Phone: +49 39006-374 benjamin.graf@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Benchmarking Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Oliver Riebartsch Phone +49 30 39006-262 oliver.riebartsch@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Numeric Simulation of Products, Processes Dipl.-Ing. Raphael Thater Phone +49 30 39006-375 raphael.thater@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Electromobility Dipl.-Ing. Werner Schönewolf Phone +49 30 39006-145 werner.schoenewolf@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Cleaning Technology Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Mankiewicz Phone +49 30 39006-154 johannes.mankiewicz@ipk.fraunhofer.de Water Systems (SysWasser) Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Schreck Phone +49 30 39006-152 gerhard.schreck@ipk.fraunhofer.de Traffic and Transportation Dipl.-Ing. Werner Schönewolf Phone +49 30 39006-145 werner.schoenewolf@ipk.fraunhofer.de

Working Groups Berliner Runde (Machine Tools) Dipl.-Ing. Fabio Meister Phone +49 30 314-24450 meister@iwf.tu-berlin.de Ceramics Machining Alexander Eulitz, M. Sc. Phone +49 30 314-24963 eulitz@iwf.tu-berlin.de Microproduction Technology Dr.-Ing. Dirk Oberschmidt Phone +49 30 39006-159 dirk.oberschmidt@ipk.fraunhofer.de Blasting Technologies Simon Motschmann Phone +49 30 39006-269 simon.motschmann@ipk.fraunhofer.de Tool Coatings and Cutting Materials Florian Erdmann, M. Sc. Phone +49 30 314-21791 florian.erdmann@iwf.tu-berlin.de

Advanced Training Claudia Engel Phone +49 30 39006-238 claudia.engel@ipk.fraunhofer.de PDM/PLM Dr.-Ing. Haygazun Hayka Phone +49 30 39006-221 haygazun.hayka@ipk.fraunhofer.de Process Management Dr.-Ing. Thomas Knothe Phone +49 30 39006-195 thomas.knothe@ipk.fraunhofer.de Simulation and Factory Planning Dr.-Ing. Thomas Knothe Phone +49 30 39006-195 thomas.knothe@ipk.fraunhofer.de Self-Organising Production (SOPRO) Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Hohwieler Phone +49 30 39006-121 eckhard.hohwieler@ipk.fraunhofer.de Virtual Reality Solution Center (VRSC) Dipl.-Ing. Uwe Rothenburg Phone +49 30 39006-125 uwe.rothenburg@ipk.fraunhofer.de Knowledge Management Dipl.-Kfm. Ronald Orth Phone +49 30 39006-171 ronald.orth@ipk.fraunhofer.de Center for Innovative Product Creation (ZIP) Dr.-Ing. Haygazun Hayka Phone +49 30 39006-221 haygazun.hayka@ipk.fraunhofer.de