EXC 128:  Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries

Subject Area Production Technology
Term from 2006 to 2018
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 25065172
 

Final Report

Final Report Year 2019

Final Report Abstract

For more than a decade, the Cluster of Excellence (CoE) “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries” has shaped production research in Aachen. The CoE laid the foun-dation for the vision of the new Cluster of Excellence “Internet of Production” (IoP) started in January 2019. It provides methods to resolve the polylemma of production: (i) manufacturing products at mass production costs (scale) that perfectly match individual customer demands (scope); and (ii) optimizing synchronization of production resources (plan) while simultaneous-ly achieving highest system dynamics [BREC17]. The CoE has been the anchor for numerous follow-up initiatives in research, innovation and education. Highlights include the initiatives on electro-mobility production (StreetScooter, e.Go) and new buildings on RWTH Aachen Cam-pus. To address new emerging aspects in science, the CoE has initiated projects such as a feasibility study in fields like self-learning behavioral strategies for robots (project “Cognition-Enhanced Self-Optimization” - CENSE), or data analytics and Machine Learning for deeper insights in manufacturing processes (project “Biological Inspired Learning Processes for Ma-chines in Production” - BRAIN). By means of these projects, further industrial partners (e.g. Audi and Opel) have been involved in the CoE’s activities. The CoE was linked to all measures of Aachen RWTH University’s Institutional Strategy. The profile of production technology in Aachen has mainly been influenced by means of fostering inter disciplinary research. Operationally, this has been realized by means of so called Project Houses. Several of these Project Houses are related to the current CoE and have been estab- lished during the recent years. On a strategic level, the Profile Areas and the involved CoE PIs Prof. Klocke and Prof. Kowalewski (as spokesmen) contribute towards interdisciplinary re- search in production by integrating the CoE into the University network. The measure “Place to Be” contributes amongst other activities to outstan ding research achievements that signifi- cantly contributed to the University’s success. A further activity of this measure is to attract ex- cellent researchers to RWTH Aachen. With Prof. Schleifenbaum, an associated partner of the CoE, the area for Digital A dditive Production was institutionally established in Aachen. Based on the existing scientific and structural foundations, the vision of the Internet of Production is integrated into an optimal framework and best practices from the past.

Link to the final report

https://dx.doi.org/10.2314/GBV:1696287766

Publications

DFG Programme Clusters of Excellence
Applicant Institution Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
Participating Institution Forschungsinstitut für Rationalisierung e.V. (FIR)
an der RWTH Aachen; Fraunhofer-Institut für Lasertechnik (ILT); Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnologie (IPT)
Spokesperson Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher
Participating Researchers Professor Dr.-Ing. Dirk Abel; Professor Marek Behr, Ph.D.; Professor Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Bleck; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Kirsten Bobzin; Professor Dr. Malte Brettel; Professor Dr.-Ing. Andreas Bührig-Polaczek; Professor Dr.-Ing. Burkhard Corves; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Dahmen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Jörg Feldhusen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries; Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Hirt; Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Hopmann; Professorin Dr. Sabina Jeschke; Professor Dr.-Ing. Fritz Klocke; Professor Dr. Peter Loosen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Rainer Müller; Professor Dr. Frank Thomas Piller; Professor Dr. Reinhart Poprawe; Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Reisgen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Robert Heinrich Schmitt; Professor Dr.-Ing. Günther Schuh; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Schulz; Professorin Dr. Martina Ziefle