Between March and June 2023, the Chair of Production Administration surveyed 125 experts from the production and production-related industries. The study shows that artificial intelligence (AI) in production control is seen as an efficient solution for managing the increasing complexity of performance processes. However, current systems do not provide users with sufficient support, meaning that they have to use their own knowledge to compensate for shortcomings. Collaboration between humans and AI is preferred, with a combination of both approaches being favoured. The integration of AI requires technical and social solutions, including secure interfaces, data protection and user acceptance. Clear rules for the interaction between humans and AI are important in order to achieve sustainable economic results. The study emphasises the importance of safety, transparency and human validation of AI decisions. Download

This explorative study is based on 54 guided interviews. The experts show that in future there will be an increase in regionally diversified concepts, electrification and sector coupling as well as the expansion of storage technologies. Prosuming and demand-side response are considered important by the respondents in the future. Hydrogen technologies will have considerable potential for expansion. There will also be a progression in the area of wind and solar energy. Technologies such as agrivoltaics and floating PV are becoming increasingly important. Geothermal energy will play a role in the decarbonisation of the low-temperature sector in the future. In the area of energy systems and components, various material-specific and manufacturing engineering improvement potentials are opening up. Some technologies are already mature, but require optimisation. Technologies such as electrolysers or heat pumps, on the other hand, require fundamental further development in order to enable efficient operation. download

This study examines the current trends and challenges in supply chain management (SCM) in Germany based on 16 interviews conducted from November 2022 to January 2023. The study covers six topics: current events, changes in SCM, sustainability, software, new technologies and visibility. The most common challenges were the availability of resources, long lead times, shortage of skilled labour and price-driven issues. Experts were asked about current events such as raw material price fluctuations, China's zero-covid strategy and logistics bottlenecks. The study shows that supply chains have become more complex and larger and that the quality of networking has improved. The study provides important insights for companies to better prepare for future crises. Download

Despite a large amount of specialist literature on digitalisation in general and the specific application of assistance systems in assembly, the focus to date has been on academic test setups and prototypes. Where publications address specific applications in industrial practice, these are characterised by the automotive industry. We have therefore set ourselves the goal of investigating the following questions in our empirical study: How should the general significance of digitalisation in assembly systems be assessed? How will digitalisation in assembly continue to develop? What is the current status of the use of assistance systems and what relevance will assistance systems have in the future? We have focussed on Mechanical Engineering, the electrical industry and vehicle construction. Download the

Production systems are currently confronted with increasing uncertainty and instability, meaning that disruptions or unplanned changes can quickly lead to a massive impairment of performance. In order for companies to remain efficient and competitive under such conditions, it is essential to plan for a high level of robustness against disruptions and unplanned changes when configuring production systems. In this context, this empirical study analyses the understanding of the term, its relevance, influences and the evaluation of robustness in production systems from the perspective of industrial practice. download

Digitalisation is currently diffusing very strongly into industrial production. Manufacturing companies are hoping that the implementation of digitalisation projects will bring competitive advantages, new revenues or efficiency gains in operational performance. Driven by the topicality of the subject, there are numerous scientific approaches that deal with the digitalisation of production, for example under the buzzword "Industry 4.0". In this context, this study examines which obstacles exist in the decision-making process for the digitalisation of production and how these can be overcome. Download

In the course of the increasing digitalisation and networking of business processes within and outside the company as well as the increasing dynamics in the entire order processing process, the possibilities and limits of classic operational information systems to support decision-makers must be questioned. In addition to standard spreadsheet tools, companies have used various information systems to date. Classic systems include Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems, Supply Chain Management (SCM) Systems, Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Systems and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). download

The electrification of the drivetrain is currently one of the major topics of the future in the automotive industry. The topic is not only relevant for the automotive sector, but also offers potential for other areas of mobility. One example is the conversion of diesel shunting locomotives and diesel railcars to hybrid drives. Various projects have already shown that emissions and fuel consumption can be significantly reduced in this way. download

The topic of Industry 4.0 is on everyone's lips and is currently permeating all areas of business. Of particular interest to the scientific community is the question of whether existing proven production and management concepts need to be discarded, revised and/or redeveloped as a result. In particular, the focus is on the instruments, methods and concepts of lean production and lean management. Download