Congress “Fertigung 4.0”: Unique solutions presented

Becoming active together, joining forces and getting started: that was the credo of the congress “Fertigung 4.0”. The second meeting of the event in Bad Wörishofen, Bavaria, focused its full attention on Industry 4.0-compatible solutions with added value for small and medium-sized businesses. At the summit of the most important players in the field of industrial digitization, senior representatives of the platform Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet Consortium focused on the latest developments in the field of the digitization of small and medium-sized enterprises – in addition, associations and SMEs presented current challenges and new technologies. First and foremost, Industry Business Network 4.0 e.V.: The association presented the new  industry standard IF4.0  and a unique solution for cross-producer networking of plants in industrial production.

IndustryFusion: cross-producer solution for a Smart Factory for medium-sized businesses

This is exactly what Industry Business Network 4.0 has been pursuing for roughly a year now. The association of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises was launched at the first manufacturing congress “Fertigung 4.0″ in order to jointly exploit the potential of digitisation in production – from SMEs to SMEs. In the course of the past year, the network developed a unique solution for cross-producer networking of systems in industrial production facility, which has now been presented: IndustryFusion. The system, which has been developed in close cooperation with the TÜV Süd and the Fraunhofer IGCV, is based on existing principles with the maxim of small, rapid steps. ”In the development phase, we have always focused on SMEs and their specific added value. We are focusing entirely on tangible improvements that promise benefits for the user. We are not going to wait until we have a complete solution,” says Igor Mikulina, CEO of Industry Business Network 4.0 e.V. Konstantin Kernschmidt, Project Manager Industry 4.0 in Industry Business Network 4.0, presented the industry standard IF4.0 developed by the association, which defines relevant data and methods for individual categories of plants, devices and components. On the basis of this standard, Smart Factory can exchange precisely the information needed to achieve direct added value. The association is currently working on specific functionalities and building reference plants, which will be introduced to the public in the coming year.

“Small and medium-sized enterprises are not in denial about digitization.”

The association is thus responding to the challenge of Ilse Aigner, patron of the congress: ”With “Industry 4.0″, Germany has succeeded in establishing a worldwide reputation for German manufacturing excellence and innovative strength. The Industry Business Network 4.0 Association is an excellent example of how Industry 4.0 can succeed in practice and represents a promising approach to leveraging the great potential of Industry 4.0,” said the Deputy Prime Minister of the Free State of Bavaria and Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology. That’s exactly what Markus Ferber noted in his final lecture: ”Digitization is a joint task”- politics and business are being challenged by science. Criticisms of small and medium-sized businesses were strongly opposed by the MEP: “They are not deniers of digitization “- the SMEs have a multitude of tasks as employer, driver, instructor, promoter of the local associations, even despite small personnel and financial resources. Nevertheless, he called for interests to be brought in and needs to be articulated. ”It makes sense to network not only the machines, but also the people. With the Industry Business Network, you have created an excellent network that is capable of great things,” said Ferber.

Group of experts sees opportunities in the alliance of SMEs and calls for joint activity

Working together, seizing opportunities and getting started: that was the tenor of the expert panel discussion at the congress. Representatives of the associations VDMA and DVS, Fraunhofer IGCV as well as various platforms on the topic of Industry 4.0 with roots in large corporations but also in medium-sized businesses discussed tangible solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. ”I need the courage to begin, think in terms of ecosystems and expand my business model,” was the advice of Prof. Dr. Heiner Lasi, member of the Management Board IIC German Regional Team. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Schilp from Fraunhofer IGCV: “Medium-sized companies must speak with one language, we must network not only at the IT level, but also culturally.”

For Dr.-Ing. Dominik Rohrmus, member of the Labs Network Industry 4.0 (LNI 4.0), it is clear that small and medium-sized businesses still need a functioning product as a basis. Platforms and networks are also in demand.

Entrepreneur Philipp Hahn-Woernle, member of the steering committee of the platform Industry 4.0, sees the SMEs as having an obligation: ”The smaller companies are called upon and even required to join in and get involved. Otherwise it will be a race of the strongest and not the SME’s. You have to go into the market with a solution and develop it further with the customer. Anyone who arrives with a finished product will be too late in the market.”

Dr. Thomas Kinkeldei from VDMA Bayern and Dr.-Ing. Ursula Beller from DVS also called for self-initiative and a merger of medium-sized businesses: ”Find the partners you trust and start trying and doing things,” says Kinkeldei.

Other speakers pointed out the challenges that SMEs are currently confronted with and which challenges they have to master in view of the increasing digitization of society. Nina Reitsam from the Energy Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Swabia explained why energy efficiency is becoming an increasingly important competitive factor for SMEs. Erwin Telöken, Managing Director of TEKA Absaug- und Entsorgungstechnologie GmbH, presented the opportunities offered by holistic and interdisciplinary prevention in the field of occupational safety. Dr. Michael Schnick, Managing Director of OSCAR PLT GmbH, highlighted the topic of “Work and Resource Management in SMEs”. He was certain of one thing: “I believe that Industry 4.0 will change the SMEs, but I also believe that the SMEs will change Industry 4.0.”

Hands-on technology in Innovation Forum 4.0

Visitors had the opportunity to touch and experience technology during the breaks in Innovation Forum 4.0. Producers showcased the latest developments from their company on the way to digitalized production. Moderators Nadine Pungs, known from DVS-TV, and Dr.-Ing. Detlev Richter, Vice President of TÜV Süd Product Service GmbH, led visitors from stand to stand. Welding technology producer Kemppi presented WeldEye, a simple and cost-effective software for tracking and measuring the arc switch-on time of welding stations and standard times in serial production.

The Cluster Sensorik presented itself and its services. Since 2006, the Strategic Partnership for Sensor Technology (SPS) has been pooling the existing sensor technology expertise in Bavaria in its network. The aim is to secure and expand Bavaria’s technology and market leadership in sensor technology as an important component of digitization worldwide.

Filter and extraction system specialist Teka presented the Airtracker series, a room monitoring system, which is available in various sizes from the office model to the hall version and enables monitoring by means of a smartphone app. The Mittelstand 4.0 competence centre in Augsburg proved to be the point of contact for digitization and Industry 4.0 topics. It offers its services to small and medium-sized enterprises in particular as a helper on the way to Industry 4.0.

The focus of Augmented Reality was on the innovation experience at elfgenpick: It was simulated live how the service for an industrial plant can be carried out in the future with the aid of Augmented Realtity Tools – e.g. data spectacles. The Kemper company also introduced a new digitalization technology: An IoT portal that enables companies to monitor the current status of their machinery.

More information on the congress can be found at www.fachkongress-fertigung40.de

If you want to take an active part in the implementation of a Smart Factory for small and medium-sized businesses, then become a member!  We look forward to your joining us.

Around 100 guests from politics, business and science took the opportunity at the Manufacturing 4.0 congress to exchange ideas and gain the latest findings on how medium-sized companies can make the leap into digital manufacturing.

Keynote speaker at the Manufacturing 4.0 congress was Dirk Slama, Director of Business Development at Bosch Software Innovations and representative of the Bosch Group in the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). His advice to small and medium-sized enterprises on the subject of Industry 4.0: “One day, a few people have to get together and say: We have an idea and we’ll try to implement it.

Konstantin Kernschmidt, Project Manager Industry 4.0, presented the new industry standard IF4.0 and the technology IndustryFusion. This unique solution enables the cross-manufacturer networking of plants in an industrial production.

Moderator Dr.-Ing. Detlev Richter, Vice President of TÜV Süd Product Service GmbH, presented the added value of the IndustryFusion networking system for medium-sized companies under the eyes of DVS-TV.

A lively panel of experts was moderated by Nadine Pungs from DVS-TV. The tenor of the experts consisting of representatives of associations, research and industry 4.0 platforms: Working together, seizing opportunities and getting started.

Medium-sized companies, associations, research and platforms were represented in the expert talk (from left): Prof. Dr. Heiner Lasi (Member of the Management Board IIC German Regional Team), Dr. Thomas Kinkeldei (VDMA Bavaria), Dr.-Ursula Beller (DVS), entrepreneur Philipp Hahn-Woernle (member of the steering committee of the Platform Industry 4.0), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Schilp (University of Augsburg and Fraunhofer IGCV) and Dr.-Ing. Dominik Rohrmus (member of the Network Industry 4.0 lab).

Igor Mikulina, CEO of the association Industry Business Network 4.0 and Managing Director of the host MicroStep Europe, welcomed the exclusive round of guests and decision-makers from business & science – including numerous executives from Bavarian, German and European machine and plant manufacturers, component manufacturers and software developers.

Nina Reitsam from the Energy Department of the Swabian Chamber of Industry and Commerce gave a presentation on “How energy efficiency is becoming an increasingly important competitive factor”. In doing so, she warned that many companies still have great potential for savings in this field.

“Working conditions must be fun”: Erwin Telöken, Managing Director of TEKA Absaug- und Entsorgungstechnologie GmbH, presented the opportunities offered by holistic and interdisciplinary prevention.

How do I efficiently use my existing capacities? Dr.-Ing. Michael Schnick, managing director of OSCAR PLT GmbH, highlighted this topic at the lecture on “Work and resource management in medium-sized companies”.

Technology to touch and experience was offered to the guests during the breaks in Innovation Forum 4.0.

Moderator Nadine Pungs interviewed the exhibitors as here Thomas Kraft from Kemppi. The welding technology manufacturer presented WeldEye, a tool for evaluating and analysing its systems.

The variety of technologies presented at the stands in Innovation Forum 4.0 generated a lot of interest among the guests.

The “Fachkongress Fertigung 4.0” ended with the Bavarian Evening at Gasthof Adler in Bad Wörishofen – including draught beer tapping, music band and hearty food.

Jörg Backhaus was responsible for the keg beer tapping. The managing director of Botec GmbH, based in Dortmund, represented the youngest member of the Industry Business Network 4.0.

“It makes sense to network not only the machines, but also the people. With the Industry Business Network, you have created an outstanding network capable of great things,” said Markus Ferber at the end of the trade congress.