Industry 4.0

What is Industry 4.0?

Production is increasingly networked, making it intelligent and flexible. Even today, all instances involved in production – people, workpieces and machines – are linked with one another using state-of-the-art information and communication technology. This means that all production-related information is available in real time at all times – workers, objects and systems can communicate and cooperate directly with each other. The result is dynamic, self-organizing value creation networks that can be optimized according to a wide variety of criteria and can be repeatedly adapted to current needs. Today, we subsume under Industry 4.0 examples like machine-to-machine communication, protection fenceless cooperation between humans and robots or the globally networked business models of the future.

»Digitally integrated production« - our answer to the challenges of Industry 4.0

When the first projects on Industry 4.0 were being carried out at PTZ Berlin, the term itself did not even exist. Fraunhofer IPK thus became one of the pioneers of the »Smart Factory«. For our philosophy of meeting the requirements of modern production with a holistic approach, we have coined the term »Digitally Integrated Production«.

We support companies by developing solutions for them along the entire process chain. Our clients benefit not only from our many years of experience, but also from the broad range of our research topics. We see Industry 4.0 as a cross-cutting theme. Our various departments can work together with a wide range of competencies to find creative and sustainable solutions together. In this way, we achieve the greatest possible technological and economic added value for our customers.

 

Industrie 4.0 Transferzentrum

The institute's own transfer center demonstrates selected results of our applied research for industry in vivid, interactive exhibits.

 

Research Services

When it comes to securing your technological leadership, we are the research partner at your side. We support you with our many years of experience and a broad range of services.

Berlin Center for Digital Transformation

The Berlin Center for Digital Transformation develops technologies and solutions that take into account the increasing digitization and networking of all areas of life. Within the Center, the four Fraunhofer Institutes Fraunhofer FOKUS, Fraunhofer HHI, Fraunhofer IPK and Fraunhofer IZM conduct research on basic and cross-sectional technologies.

Select references

BioFusion 4.0

The aim of the project is to enhance Industry 4.0 by integrating biological principles.

KIRA Pro

In the KIRA Pro project, artificial intelligence for creating vocational training plans is being created, to help companies prepare their employees in a tailored fashion for the networked production of the future.

Blockchain and Industry 4.0

Exploiting the potential of Blockchain and the Baseline Protocol for the manufacturing industry.