Our project
Project start: January 2023
Duration: 3 years
Funded with: 24,3 Mio. € (Funding share BMWK 55,2%)
Number of partners: 12
Consortium management: Mercedes Benz AG
Maximilian Podein, Mercedes Benz AG
Consortium management
Kathrin Bischoff, WvSC
Project management WvSC (acting)
Insights into our work
Here we document important milestones from the project. Current news, special publications or appearances at trade fairs and congresses are made visible here.
FEB
2024
NEWS
First Werk 4.0 consortium meeting in 2024 - prototype of the "resilient competence network" to be created at WvSC
The consortium of the Werk 4.0 project met at the WvSC on 29.02. and 01.03.2024. As part of the project, the work status of the individual work packages was consolidated and then transferred into a prototype for the emerging real-world laboratory.
The prototype was designed using methods and elements of design thinking and was created on the industry-related areas of the WvSC in almost original size. Thanks to the innovative approach, a considerable increase in knowledge about the interrelationships and framework conditions of the “resilient competence network” was achieved among all participants in a short space of time.
FEB
2024
NEWS
First Werk 4.0 consortium meeting in 2024 - prototype of the "resilient competence network" to be created at WvSC
The consortium of the Werk 4.0 project met at the WvSC on 29.02. and 01.03.2024. As part of the project, the work status of the individual work packages was consolidated and then transferred into a prototype for the emerging real-world laboratory.
The prototype was designed using methods and elements of design thinking and was created on the industry-related areas of the WvSC in almost original size. Thanks to the innovative approach, a considerable increase in knowledge about the interrelationships and framework conditions of the “resilient competence network” was achieved among all participants in a short space of time.
SEP
2023
NEWS
Survey on innovative business models
As part of the project “Werk 4.0”, we are investigating exciting approaches such as Equipment-as-a-Service or Robotics-as-a-Service and their application in industry. Through the survey, we want to find out where these models stand and what challenges still need to be overcome.
SEP
2023
NEWS
Survey on innovative business models
As part of the project “Werk 4.0”, we are investigating exciting approaches such as Equipment-as-a-Service or Robotics-as-a-Service and their application in industry. Through the survey, we want to find out where these models stand and what challenges still need to be overcome.
APR
2023
NEWS
Publication Publication of the BMWK
The BMWK has published a publication in the funding program “Digitization of the vehicle manufacturing and supply industry” with all projects funded under this program.
The project profile of the Werk 4.0 project is shown on page 36.
APR
2023
NEWS
Publication Publication of the BMWK
The BMWK has published a publication in the funding program “Digitization of the vehicle manufacturing and supply industry” with all projects funded under this program.
The project profile of the Werk 4.0 project is shown on page 36.
FEB
2023
NEWS
Kick-off event with project partners
On February 6, the project started with the kick-off meeting at the Mercedes Digital Factory Campus in Marienfelde.
The face-to-face event gave the 12 project partners the opportunity to get to know each other personally. So far, the collaboration has mainly taken place in the digital space.
Representatives of the funding agency BMWK, the project sponsor VDI, the Senate and Berlin Partner introduced themselves and presented their activities and priorities. The individual project partners shared their motivation for participating in the Werk 4.0 project and gave an overview of their organizations. The AP responsible persons showed insights into their work packages.
FEB
2023
NEWS
Kick-off event with project partners
On February 6, the project started with the kick-off meeting at the Mercedes Digital Factory Campus in Marienfelde.
The face-to-face event gave the 12 project partners the opportunity to get to know each other personally. So far, the collaboration has mainly taken place in the digital space.
Representatives of the funding agency BMWK, the project sponsor VDI, the Senate and Berlin Partner introduced themselves and presented their activities and priorities. The individual project partners shared their motivation for participating in the Werk 4.0 project and gave an overview of their organizations. The AP responsible persons showed insights into their work packages.
Gallery
Even now, the economic success of a production facility is heavily dependent on how well it succeeds in representing shorter product life cycles in order to respond more quickly to market and technology changes. The partners in the project “From conventional production plant to resilient competence plant through Industry 4.0 (Plant 4.0)” are working on flexible manufacturing solutions for tomorrow.
The aim is to strengthen the capabilities of manufacturing companies in Germany to master the opportunities and challenges of the future. This will also serve as a blueprint for the automotive sector in Germany and other industries. Together with the project partners, technological solutions will be researched and tested. E2E digitization and data flooding as well as a strong focus on the human interface are the cornerstones of this project.
In the project, a resilient production concept is developed and implemented by integrating innovative technologies. This will enable faster adaptations to unpredictable changes in market and technology requirements and the timely production of the products of the future.
Based on various necessary technical innovations, it initially means restructuring. Following the DevOps concept developed in the software industry, the new structure is based on the fact that development, planning, launch and production are no longer organizationally separate, sequential or partially parallelized, but that these functions are jointly designed and responsible from start to finish (E2E). Production becomes more intelligent and acquires the necessary competence to introduce and implement changes itself on the basis of its current status and thus to respond better to external influences.
The automotive industry is in a state of flux. Electrification and digitalization are fundamentally changing it. Consequently, the global production network of Mercedes-Benz with all its vehicle and drive factories is also changing. Motivated by this, the project deals with a future production system for the German luxury car manufacturer. The project is being carried out in conjunction with other companies undergoing transformation.
The team
The following partners are collaborating in this project:
This project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) in the funding guideline “Digitalization of Vehicle Manufacturers and Supplier Industry” in the funding framework “Future Investments Vehicle Manufacturers and Supplier Industry” and is supervised by the project sponsor VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH.
