Key themes of Industrie 4.0. Research and development needs for successful implementation of Industrie 4.0

The implementation of Industrie 4.0, the subsequent emergence of dynamic digital ecosystems and the application of required key technologies carries significant potential for the optimization of existing production routines and processes. However, there are many additional opportunities for the further development of methodological approaches to implement Industrie 4.0 successfully. These changes must be accompanied by socio-technical considerations and the creation of a legal framework.

Based on the current status quo, the Research Council of the Plattform Industrie 4.0 derives research needs in four fields, which include technological, economical, methodological and social/legal topics. These impulses are aimed at politics, research institutions and companies, and point out the fields where research and development efforts will have significant impact – especially when transferred into applications – for a successful implementation of Industrie 4.0 in large and small companies alike.