In addition to working with unprecedented transparency, employees can use up-to-date, reliable data to make decisions and control processes.

Smart controls allow us to quickly adjust the production process to the latest requirements. This makes it significantly more cost-effective to produce smaller unit volumes, variegated designs and even individual products.

Until 2014, the milkrun was handled without a smart network. Our employees drove through the factory on an electric cart once an hour. This was necessary because it was not clear which production orders could be picked up in what condition and at which locations, or which pick-up areas were empty and which delivery areas needed to be restocked with new production orders.

This lack of transparency resulted in under-utilization of train capacity, and thus also in wasted resources.

People as sensors: Despite sensor technology in production, sensor gaps will exist in future. To cope with complex situations, human capabilities will remain indispensable.

People as decision-makers: Harmonization of networked objects may give rise to conflicts. In such cases, people must make quick and informed decisions.

People as players: Working in Industry 4.0 involves higher degrees of complexity and customization and irregular repeatability.

With Industry 4.0, people can adapt their working methodologies to the requirements at hand with flexibility and precision