Research Council Industrie 4.0

Latest publications from the Research Council

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 Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Members of the Research Council Industrie 4.0

Legend:
blue outline = Representative Industry
green outline = Representative Science

© TU Darmstadt; Fraunhofer IFF/Viktoria Kühne; TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG; Fraunhofer IPA/Rainer Bez; Zentrum Digitalisierung Bayern; Ph. Hiersemann; Airbus; Fraunhofer AISEC; Alexander Fay; Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG; Ernst Kaczynski; privat; Ludmilla Parsyak; Marc Hüske; Universität Kassel; Daniel Hug; Karlsruher Institut für Technologie; David Ausserhofer; Ingo Cordes; Karlsruher Institut für Technologie; Fraunhofer IESE; Friedhelm Loh Group; RWTH Aachen; Fraunhofer ISST; SFKL; Festo SE & Co. KG; Mike Henning; Fraunhofer IPK; Volker Steger; Jim Rakete; PTW | TU Darmstadt; privat.

Spokespeople of the Research Council

Legend:
blue outline = Representative Industry
green outline = Representative Science

© Fraunhofer IESE; TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG.; Fraunhofer IPK; Festo SE & Co. KG

Framework for specific research priorities

(Video) statements and interviews

Video statements on the status of Industrie 4.0 research:

• Prof. Uwe Wieland
• Prof. Martin Ruskowski
• Prof. Rainer Stark
• Dr. Ursula Frank
• Dr. Marc Hüske
• Prof. Peter Liggesmeyer
• Dr. Harald Schöning
• Prof. Michael ten Hompel
• Prof. Peter Liggesmeyer
• Nicole Dreyer-Langlet
• Daniel Hug
• Peter Post
• Prof. Gisela Lanza
• Dr. Harald Schöning
• Klaus Bauer

Interviews

• Dr. Harald Schöning
• Dr. Ursula Frank
• Prof. Matthias Weigold
• Prof. Boris Otto
• Prof. Julia Arlinghaus & Prof. Thomas Bauernhansl
• Prof. Uwe Wieland
• Dr. Björn Sautter
• Prof. Martin Ruskowski
• Prof. Angelika Bullinger-Hoffmann, Prof. Martin Krzywdzinski & Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen
• Dr. Marc Hüske
• Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster
• Prof. Bullinger-Hoffmann
• Dr. Georg von Wichert
• Prof. Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen
• Prof. Rainer Stark
• Dr. Uwe Kubach
• Prof. Frank Piller
• Prof. Martin Krzywdzinski
• Dr. Harald Schöning
• Prof. Peter Liggesmeyer & Dr. Harald Schöning
• Prof. Thomas Bauernhansl

Statements from the Research Council

• Prof. Uwe Wieland
• Prof. Matthias Weigold
• Prof. Martin Ruskowski
• Dr.-Ing. Marc Hüske
• Prof. Boris Otto
• Prof. Oliver Günther
• Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster
• Prof. Martin Krzywdzinski
• Prof. Michael ten Hompel
• Prof. Frank Piller

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

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.

Further Information

• Plattform Industrie 4.0
• Research Council summit on 16 June 2021 (in German)
• Industrie 4.0 Maturity Index. Managing the Digital Transformation of Companies – UPDATE 2020
• Using the Industrie 4.0 Maturity Index in Industry. Current Challenges, Case Studies and Trends
• Collaboration as a Key to the Successful Transfer of Innovations – Analysis of Drivers and Obstacles in Automotive Logistics (in German)
• Collaboration as a Key to the Successful Transfer of Innovations – Recommendations for Research and Development
• Industrie 4.0 in a Global Context – Strategies for Cooperating with International Partners
• Skills for Industrie 4.0
• Engineering in the Industrie 4.0 Environment – Views and Need for Action (in German)
• Industrie 4.0 – International Benchmark, Options for the Future and Recommendations for Manufacturing Research