Research Council Industrie 4.0

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Latest publications from the Research Council

You can find all of the Research Council’s publications here (in German)

Identity

As a barometer of the direction of trends, the Research Council observes and assesses developments in the performance profile of Industrie 4.0 in the medium to long term. In addition, it sees itself as a source of inspiration for future research topics. In its publications the Research Council formulates new research and development needs that can be addressed at the pre-competitive stage as well as options for action for the successful realisation of Industrie 4.0. In terms of content, the Research Council focuses on the Industrie 4.0 themes updated in July 2022:

The changing landscape of industrial value creation
Prospects for technological developments
Engineering Industrie 4.0 solutions
Work, enterprise and society

As a strategic and independent committee, the Research Council Industrie 4.0 supports the Plattform Industrie 4.0, its working groups and the federal ministries concerned, in particular the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Background

The importance of Industrie 4.0 has continued to grow in recent years, especially in light of national and global impacts on the economic system. Orientation is needed not only regarding the implementation of innovative Industrie 4.0 solutions but especially in the context of future research and development needs to overcome present and upcoming challenges. Sustainability, resilience, interoperability, technological or strategic sovereignty, and, above all, the central role of humans are increasingly becoming the focus of research on Industrie 4.0. As a strategic and independent committee, the Research Council Industrie 4.0 is instrumental in pinpointing research-based approaches to further and realise Industrie 4.0. Its overriding goal is to strengthen the German innovation system and enhance value creation. The Research Council comprises 32 representatives of science and industry who apply their interdisciplinary expertise to come up with new research and development needs that can be addressed at the pre-competitive stage, pinpoint medium-to-long-term development prospects and derive courses of action for the successful realisation of Industrie 4.0.
The work of the Research Council is coordinated by acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering – overseen by Projektträger Karlsruhe (PTKA) as project administrator and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Group photo of the Research Council Industrie 4.0 — Participants at the meeting of the Research Council on 20 November 2024 at ABB in Mannheim. (Photo: acatech)

Members of the Research Council Industrie 4.0

Spokespeople of the Research Council

Sprecherteam des Forschungsbeirats Industrie 4.0

Framework for specific research priorities

Engineering Roadmap of the Research Council Industrie 4.0

(Video) statements and interviews

Video statements on the status of Industrie 4.0 research:

Interviews

Statements from the Research Council

All statements and interviews

Perspectives on the Expertises

Joint statement by the Research Council Industrie 4.0 and the Industrie 4.0 Platform on how to deal with the term ‘Industry 5.0’

Media articles featuring the Research Council

Here you have free access to a selection of articles featuring the Research Council in various online media – sorted by month.

To the media articles (in German)

International

Henning Kagermann © acatech/D. Ausserhofer

Industrie 4.0 creates highly flexible value networks that require the continuous evolution of technological concepts, standards, business models and frameworks. Cross-border cooperation and organised dialogue between policy makers, science and enterprise are hugely important. The Research Council and the Global Representative and Advisor of Plattform Industrie 4.0 along with international networks and expertise in the areas mentioned have a role in this respect.

Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, Global Representative and Advisor of Plattform Industrie 4.0

To expand on the areas mentioned above, including in an international context, the Research Council engages closely with the Global Representative and Advisor of Plattform Industrie 4.0. Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann (Chairman of the acatech Board of Trustees) is the current incumbent. The Research Council and the Global Representative and Advisor are heavily involved in shaping and realising international cooperations in which Plattform Industrie 4.0 is a partner. The objectives include: to engage in professional dialogue on examples of best practice, to agree on and tackle global challenges related to the key themes of Industrie 4.0 as well as to establish and strengthen international networks and cooperations.