INDUSTRIAL PIONEERS - GAME CHANGERS - Hannover Messe
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
INDUSTRIAL 1 | 18
PIONEERS The
HANNOVER MESSE
magazine
P. 12 INTERVIEW
ESBEN
ØSTERGAARD,
WINNER OF
ENGELBERGER
ROBOTICS
AWARD
P. 14 PIONEERS
THESE INNOVATORS
ARE CHANGING
THE FACE OF INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY,
ENERGY,
LOGISTICS. TECHNOLOGY
GAME CHANGERS
I N T EGR AT ED EN ERG Y
JOIN THE
ENERGY
PIONEERS
INDUSTRIAL
1 – 5 April 2019
PIONEERS
Hannover ▪ Germany
hannovermesse.com
EDITORIAL
DEAR READERS,
Across the globe, whether in Europe, the USA or China, there is far too much
talk about borders and trade tariffs and not enough about education, knowledge,
employment, digitization and innovative industry.
We want to change that with our new customer magazine. For decades
HANNOVER MESSE has served as a meeting-place for pioneers of industrial
innovation and as a showcase where new technology is presented to an inter-
national audience.
Our trade shows are rapidly evolving into platforms for knowledge which bring
people together from across the globe – live, digitally or via print – to exchange in-
formation, share advances, market technology and thus generate greater prosperity.
Like many enterprises and individuals, we depend on free markets and free Internet
access to help us attract visitors. We want to reach as many as possible from across
the world and provide them with in-depth information and updates, as well as facil-
itate discussions with exhibitors about new technology, work in the future and the
impact of digitization. And we want to do that all year round.
Our aim is to create a culture of respectful debate and informed discourse gener-
ating new ideas, new experiences and a broader perspective of industry and the
marketplace. In view of the global challenges facing us, this is something that we
need today more than ever before.
Yours
Dr. Jochen Köckler
Chairman of the Managing Board at Deutsche Messe
2 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 3
40
CONTENTS
Published by English translation
The time will come Deutsche Messe AG Brian Rasmussen, Hamburg
Messegelände Tel. +49 40 44 61 62
1 | 18 Even before 3D printing
has become the norm, resear-
30521 Hannover info@team-rasmussen.de
Germany
chers in the USA and Europe
Tel. +49 511 89-0 Realization
have 4D printing in info@messe.de B&B. Markenagentur GmbH
their sights. Georgstraße 56
Head of editorial board 30159 Hannover
Brigitte Mahnken-Brandhorst Tel. +49 511 28061-0
Deutsche Messe AG kontakt@BundB.de
Tel. +49 511 89-31024
brigitte.mahnken@messe.de Typesetting and lithography
Gebertshan Satz und Repro GmbH
Editor Sutelstraße 10
Robert Weber 30659 Hannover
Industrial Newsgames GmbH & Co. KG Tel. +49 511 28478-0
14 Frankfurter Straße 87/87a contact@gebertshan.de
36 97082 Würzburg
Visionaries, movers and shakers Tel.: +49 931 76029404 Printed by
Six pioneers set out their ideas LiFi instead of WiFi? rw@industrial-newsgames.de Deutsche Messe AG
and goals in their respective BMW has been testing Messegelände
fields and show how what they communication with 30521 Hannover
light. Researchers from Germany
are doing will shape the future
of manufacturing. Lemgo are now working
As of: 8/2018
on this technology.
MORE DIALOGUE, MORE KNOWLEDGE, MORE BENEFITS
As a subscriber to our free News Service you will receive
regular updates of relevance to your trade fair visit, incl.
information on exhibitors, top offers and trends. You will also
12 receive tips and recommendations on other events organized
by Deutsche Messe.
www.hannovermesse.de/en/newsletter
Robotics pioneer
3 .......... Editorial 22 ........ Cryptocurrency or protocol?
Esben Østergaard is regarded as the
6 .......... Working together 24 ........ Wearable robotics inventor of collaborative robots. Here DISCOVER MORE ONLINE
8 .......... Innovations for the future 26 ........ Premiere in the USA readers can learn how he envisages a
You can read the digital version of the INDUSTRIALPIONEERS
magazine on your mobile phone, desktop or tablet and enjoy
12 ......... Robots with a 28 ........ Innovations for the future new working reality.
useful additional features at:
human touch 32 ........ Europe’s next supermodel www.industrialpioneers.com
14......... Visionaries, movers or how to speak with
and shakers dolphins Download the QR Code Reader in the App Store and scan
the code with your smartphone.
15 ......... The digital insurer 36 ........ LiFi instead of WiFI?
for industry 38 ........ New technology for a
16......... New Work: new business model
Back to the future 40........ The time will come YOU CAN ALSO FIND HANNOVER MESSE ON THE FOLLOWING NETWORKS
18......... The copper printer 42 ........ Newcomers
20 ........ Restore synchronized
operation!
4 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 5
HUMANS AND MACHINES
WORKING
TOGETHER
Collaborative robotics is part of the factory of the future. When
cobots interact with humans, work becomes easier and more
efficient. Learn about these new machines at HANNOVER MESSE –
the hub for people and technology.
6 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 7
NEWS HUB INDUSTRIAL INTELLIGENCE
INNOVATIONS
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making such rapid inroads that no modern company can afford to ignore it. This magazine
provides an overview of what it all means: the uses, implications and trends in AI.
DEEP LEARNING EVIDENCE BASED
Input Hidden Output Possible Answers
FOR THE FUTURE
Layer Layers Layer
MACHINE
RECOMMENDATION LEARNING
ENGINES SYSTEMS
Documents
+ == +
+ == +
+
Unstructured Data Structure Trends &
IAMD RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY Recommendation Correlations
IOTA CURRENCY SETS UP AN DATA ETHICS COM-
INDUSTRIAL CONSORTIUM MISSION APPOINTS Prediction
Assessment
Advice
TWO SPOKESWOMEN Available Features
January 10, 2018
Available Features
US Congress
PREDICTIVE John Boehner PRESCRIPTIVE
ANALYTICS IRS ANALYTICS
Source: Deutscher Ethikrat
Tax Reform
Document Barack Obama Data Language
Extraction Rules Data Facts Assessments
NLP/TEXT MINING NATURAL LANGUAGE GENERATION
Source: Narrative Science
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
Source: adobe stock, Wit
Digital technology improves our everyday lives and
delivers benefits for business, science and society. OWL INITIATES NEW PROJECTS STATISTIC
At the same time the application of this technology
raises some serious issues. For this reason, Germany’s Beginning this autumn, the techno- 467 km/h
Federal Government has decided to convene a Data logy cluster “it´s OWL” will be com-
Ethics Commission. The 16 members have been given mence several new projects. The This speed was clocked up by the prototype
The IOTA cryptocurrency centres on the Internet of Things and is commit- one year to formulate an ethical and legal framework participating enterprises and research Hyperloop pod developed by Munich’s
ted to popularizing this technology within industry. At the end of 2019 IOTA for the handling of data, algorithms and artificial organizations will explore new ave- Technical University. It took 40 minutes to
wants to establish an industrial consortium with the aim of initiating joint intelligence. Two spokeswomen have been appointed: nues in artificial intelligence, digital evacuate the air from the transport tube.
Source: it´s OWL
projects and gaining new experience. This has been confirmed by an IOTA Professor Christiane Woopen, a medical ethics expert platforms, digital twins and the This is the fastest speed so far achieved at
spokesman. Robert Bosch Venture Capital has already invested in IOTA, from Cologne University, and Professor Christiane changing work environment. Com- the SpaceX test site.
while Volkswagen will initiate its first IOTA project in 2019. Wendehorst, a legal expert based at Vienna Univer- panies can apply for transfer projects
sity. The line-up also includes Professor Wolfgang with research institutes in which they
Sopra Steria and Fujitsu have also signed up. Industrial security start-ups Wahlster from the German Research Centre for can get to grips with specific challeng-
regard IOTA as a means of safeguarding their processes. At HANNOVER Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). He has been joined es inherent in digital transformation. The State of North Rhine-Westphalia,
MESSE 2018 DXC presented relevant applications. The IOTA developers by five legal experts, plus other leading personalities Germany, has committed €50 million in funds. An equivalent amount will be
have reportedly commenced negotiations in East Westphalia, Germany. from the fields of ethics research, theology, software contributed by industry. In total, €200 million has been earmarked for various
IOTA is based on a so-called “tangle”, a mathematical concept. Unlike a technology and consumer/data protection. According projects between now and 2022. These funds come from regional and national
one-dimensional blockchain, which can grow in only one direction, a tangle to the DFKI, our future competitiveness will depend government sources, as well as from the EU. The German company Miele,
can grow simultaneously at various places. Put simply, blockchain transactions on new digital value chains based on AI technologies for example, will team up with six other companies to explore the potential of
are linear, whereas IOTA constitutes an entire network. ■ such as machine learning. ■ machine learning in production applications. ■
8 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 9
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY INTEGRATED ENERGY DIGITAL FACTORY
3D PRINTING: FIRST NEW CAR AI SUPPORTS PENETRATION TESTS
NOT JUST FOR PROTOTYPES FACTORY IN 55 YEARS Penetration tests (“pen tests”) simulate attacks on
IT systems. According to a report by the security
es compared with manual tests due to the fact that
untagged data occur more frequently than tagged
Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are acquiring ever greater importance expert Adrian Janotta, pen tests tend to be inefficient data, as Janotta says. Unsupervised tests can be
in the mechanical engineering sector – not only for the creation of prototypes, as they execute all the available signatures. Human performed on various deep structures – for example,
but also as a complementary production method. According to a recent study by pen testers therefore remain indispensable, although software, networks and server infrastructures. With
the VDMA Additive Manufacturing Association, almost 50% of the companies – according to Janotta – the prospects of success each successive scan carried out automatically the
questioned use 3D printing and other additive manufacturing techniques. In most vary from tester to tester. Thanks to Janotta’s deep algorithm immediately learns what vulnerabilities
Source: e.GO
cases only a relatively small capital outlay is involved. However, according to the learning algorithms, unsupervised pen tests can be to expect and checks the system for possible security
study some companies had invested six-figure sums in AM plant and equipment. performed automatically. This has certain advantag- flaws. ■
Both metals and plastics are deployed. One half of the companies included in the
survey focus exclusively on 3D-printed plastics, while one quarter concentrate
solely on metals. All the other companies included in the survey use both types of In Aachen e.GO has begun volume production
material. Rapid prototyping is still of greatest importance. 50% of the companies of electric vehicles. This summer Armin Laschet
list it as the main application. The other 50% deploy AM techniques for series
production, toolmaking and the creation of spare parts. ■
(Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia), Marcel
Philipp (Mayor of Aachen) and Professor Gün-
AVERAGE TOTAL COST OF A
ther Schuh (CEO, e.GO Mobile AG) officially
opened a new car factory in the Rothe Erde
DATA BREACH BY COUNTRY, 2018 Source: IBM, statista (BUSINESS INSIDER)
district of Aachen. Two hundred guests from
United States 7.91*
business, science and politics attended the event.
The new factory – a showcase for Industrie 4.0 – Canada 4.74*
will produce a new electric vehicle intended for Germany 4.67*
urban applications – the e.GO Life. The entire
production process (design, component sourcing, France 4.27*
materials handling, assembly) is characterized United Kingdom 3.68*
by seamless digital continuity. The first produc-
tion versions of the e.GO Life will be delivered Italy 3.43*
to customers at the end of the year. The facto- Japan 3.38*
ry (consisting of an assembly line, warehouse
Source: adobe stock, blackday
facilities and office space) covers a total area of South Africa 2.88*
16,000 square metres. Once the factory is up and Australia 2.53*
running, 142 employees working a single-shift
system will produce 10,000 vehicles a year. ■ Turkey 2.16*
India 1.77*
Brazil 1.24*
FLEXIBLE GRID * Million US Dollars
QUOTE
Someone who accords political priority to artificial
„“ The trend on the energy market is decen-
tralization, but innovative solutions are
needed to make the electricity grid more
flexible, connect different sectors intelli-
intelligence and places “algorithm” in the realm of an gently and link up new market players.
“ivory tower” is the wrong choice for the job. “Integrated Energy” is the hub for key
Source: adobe stock, Maksim Kabakou
decision-makers in business
Prof. Dr. Marco Lübbecke, RWTH Aachen, and politics.
talking about Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek.
INTEGRATED
ENERGY –
CONTACT US!
Basilios Triantafillos
Tel. +49 511 89-31156
10 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 11
PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE
ROBOTS WITH A
HUMAN TOUCH
Esben H. Østergaard, founder and CTO of Universal Robots, is the pioneer of
collaborative robots. The Danish inventor recognized the need for the human touch
designer items or black lava salt from Iceland. Customers accept How do you think the various cobots
in manufacturing and has developed new ideas for industrial production. new technology such as cobots to speed up the manufacturing of the future will differ from one another?
process, but they want to retain the human touch. Obviously all cobots must meet the required safety standards if
they are to have any market success. But there will be clear dif-
So we can expect some big changes in ferences in terms of their programming and flexibility. The users
Today Universal Robots products can be out automated processes to replace human labour industrial production? must be able to modify the programs themselves in order to use the
found in factories across the world. But in the workplace. Collaborative robots are now It’s already happening. China is trying hard to keep manufactur- cobot meaningfully. For years this has been a focus of our work –
there is no limit to the company’s ambi- augmenting human intelligence and delivering the ing in the country but many foreign companies are moving back for example, at our Universal Robots Academy. We train users and
tions. Can we expect to see UR cobots at speed, accuracy and precision needed to create to their country of origin – and their home markets. Digitization, make them fit for the future. Companies need flexibility – in future
the jeweller’s shop or perhaps doing pave- modern products, while ensuring the right mix of the 3D printing and cobots, of course, are restoring local production. there will be fewer robotic assembly lines.
ment drawings? human touch and technology. This is why we will In future we will still have some huge factories – for example, plant
Why not? The current period is one of changing see more cobots in new applications. producing aluminium – but we will also see many small produc- Because production will involve smaller plant
consumer habits. Our generation is so affluent and tion centres manufacturing for local markets. at local sites?
focused on individualization that demand is growing Do companies really need cobots? Perhaps. It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to
for products crafted by hand. Cutting costs is no The trend among consumers is clearly in favour of You call it Industrie 5.0… plan. For this reason robots need to be flexible and fast in order
longer the exclusive consideration of manufactur- products which convey human empathy, engagement Well yes, although it is not a continuation of Industrie 4.0, but a to assist humans in the development of new processes to deliver
ing. Instead we must ask ourselves whether we can and creativity. In future con- redefinition of work and consumption – it is more a social than new products. ■
demand double the price despite being in a better sumers will also be a technical development. We want to create jobs that are consid-
position to meet consumer needs? prepared to pay erably more meaningful and fulfilling than the factory jobs that
HOTSPOT INDUSTRIE 4.0
more for them. have occupied people for centuries. Industrie 5.0 is almost a return
Will the human touch be reintroduced to the For example, to pre-industrial production in a form that is possible only on the
factory of the future? watches, basis of the most advanced technology.
Absolutely. Things have craft beers, The leading trade show Integrated Automation, Motion
moved way beyond caged tables, Your cobots? & Drives (IAMD) covers the entire spectrum of industrial
automation, IT, power transmission and fluid technology.
industrial robots carrying chairs, Our cobots are part and parcel of this mega trend. Our early ex-
From mechanical and electrical engineering to robotics
periences in Denmark have taught us how quickly markets change
and process automation. The keen interest in the vari-
and how important it is to adapt and redefine products.
ous displays generates synergies between the individual
industrial sectors – for example, between production and
What do you mean?
intralogistics. Production of the future is real and tangible
I think cobots could only have been developed in a country like
for visitors at the IAMD. With more than 2,300 exhibi-
Denmark because instead of huge industrial plant with robotic
tors showcasing 9,000 new products and over 500 events,
assembly lines we have many SMEs. Our search for solutions to
visitors can identify the latest trends.
their problems led to the development of the cobot. History could
now repeat itself. IAMD –
CONTACT US!
But large companies have also bought your products – Emanuel Marra Thomas Bothor
and are still buying them. Tel. +49 511 89-31146 Tel. +49 511 89-32124
The market is developing quickly, also for our own big clients. Our
business experts estimate growth of up to 60 percent, which we
expect will lead to an additional two billion euros of cobot sales
Source: Universal Robots
in Europe in the coming years.
Meanwhile more and more competitors are emerging
on the market…
It is natural that other companies will want to make money in this
market. There are now more than 40 competitors.
12 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 13
JACKSON BOND
THE DIGITAL INSURER
FOR INDUSTRY
Jackson Bond and the other two founders of Relayr in Berlin share an ambitious goal. Bond’s enthusiasm
is evident as he explains: “In two years we want to be seen as the standard for data applications in predictive
analysis in mechanical engineering.” Together with partners in the insurance sector he is changing the
business models of SMEs.
Bond left his native America, arriving in Berlin in the early 1990s
where he settled and set up several companies, including one
engaged in developing voice command control, which boasted
top clients such as Volkswagen. In the course of these ventures he
gained insights into the world of industry. Relayr was the outcome,
a flourishing business with interests in five countries that now
employs 200.
Source: Relayr
“For SMEs, digitization is not rocket science – we realized it
could only work if we had a good understanding of the world of
INDUSTRIAL PIONEERS OT and IT”, says Bond. The company in Berlin is not a data anal-
ysis centre. The company has set itself the goal of understanding
the entire production process as well as the old and new machines
VISIONARIES,
involved. It will then collect data from the production line to store this mean precisely? Joachim Wenning, CEO at Munich RE,
it in the cloud and analyze it using algorithms. Relayr guaran- explains in his blog: “Today it is possible, with the aid of sensors,
tees that by installing the Relayr platform in on-prem, cloud or to predict and avoid malfunctions. So why not take this to its
hybrid systems it will offer the flexibility to integrate new and old logical conclusion and offer the customer a guarantee on a specific
industrial IoT features and business models within the current IT machine capacity?” In his blog he discusses the opportunities
MOVERS AND
ecosystem. That might appear complicated at first to smaller com- provided by digitization in manufacturing enterprises. “Insurers
panies, but investors are queuing up. In the last two years more want to earn from this too. Sensors are changing production and
than €50 million has flowed. In spring 2018 Deutsche Telekom risk management. To the same degree that industrial players
alone invested €30 million. are increasingly networked, so too will their needs and risks be
altered. New financial requirements must be met in a networked
SHAKERS
Bond realized: “We have a chance of getting business among world in which customers will pay only for what they actually
SMEs only if we are prepared to become acquainted with their need – whether equipment, machinery or vehicles. Customers may
be less interested in cover for damage or risk minimization, but
want a guarantee for certain performance levels of machines and
“For SMEs, digitization is not equipment.”
rocket science.”
This philosophy appeals to Bond. “Innovation is the enemy of
Six professionals are changing the face of industry. Here we introduce – Jackson Bond security. But with Munich RE we bring security into the project.”
And in Germany? Do SMEs feel too secure? “No, Germany has a
these pioneers – the protagonists of new ideas, new technology, new production processes. This creates confidence among owners.” great position in mechanical engineering and companies have the
The Relayr CEO is sure this is the right approach but does not relevant data. AI is not an American discovery, Germany is also
business models and new forms of work. We discuss their contribution to ahead in this field of cutting-edge research”, says Bond, who also
think confidence can be built solely by offering knowledge, so they
the industry of tomorrow and take a look at printed electronics, cryptocur- have secured the backing of an investor. “We insure the projects. gives the following advice to SMEs: “Try things out and learn that
We make a commitment.” The Relayr investor is Munich RE. failure happens. That is an important lesson businesses can learn
rency, the role of artificial intelligence in process monitoring and control, from companies in the US.” ■
the analysis and visualization of production data, as well as programming In an official statement the company explains that particularly
when switching from Capex to Opex-based business models new
a robot. Does this insight into the latest technological developments issues will emerge in connection with liquidity and risk. These
reveal the future of work? would be revealed within the Relayr project and addressed accord-
ingly in the form of innovative funding alternatives and insurance
developed in cooperation with the company‘s partners. What does
14 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 15
Source: Frank Nürnberger
If Sabine Kluge could travel back to the past, she would land at Siemens in the 1990s and watch
the first semi-autonomous groups at work. “At the time we all swotted up on the Toyota Prin-
ciple and applied it to our processes as best we could,” explains Kluge, who began her career in
strategic planning at Siemens in Obersendling – having taken the traditional route of a degree
in business studies. So self-organization in manufacturing is not all that new?
“No, but we didn’t take it any further back then and at the same organize themselves. We simply make a room available and let go.
time there was a lot of restructuring going on. That was poison And wherever we let go, things suddenly happened that we would
for the new work philosophy. Controlling took the lead in industry never have managed on our own. We suddenly experienced at first
for many years.” Does this mean the tide is now turning? “Yes, hand people’s energy and self-confidence, and quickly unders-
companies are looking for creativity and new work structures.” But tood that the core of knowledge is found at the grass roots level.
Sabine Kluge still encounters some of the old problems: doctrines The more we let go, the more groundbreaking ideas appeared.
such as ‘Someone has to take responsibility’ or ‘That’s how we’ve Employees who had previously spent 20 years working silently at
always done it’ or ‘That never worked in the past either’. “What “their” grinding machine suddenly took an active part in discus-
does that mean specifically, who is punished, the CEO or who,” sions, voiced their ideas and took responsibility in the discussions
wonders Kluge time and again. She wants to jettison the doctrines about manufacturing design – and about six-figure budget issues!”
because they slow things down, create insecurity, disrupt coopera- And, adds Robert Harms: “After six months at an unsuccessful
tion and prevent innovation. “New Work is not a revolution with standstill, all of a sudden our only task was to create the space and
lounges and ideas from dreamland. It is evolutionary and close to bring together people’s knowledge. And after a year, we suddenly
manufacturing.” realized that we are completely agile.”
A project with the two production planners Robert Harms and And what do the bosses, who have spent years working their way
Ronny Grossjohann – an extremely bold project for a traditional up the company hierarchy, do? “Good question; they’re afraid
corporate culture – supports what she’s saying: of chaos and of losing control,” reports Kluge. In Berlin, the ma-
nagers also work in a team to focus on strategic tasks: which new
supplier should be brought on board, which components should
“New Work is not a revolution with we replace? “And the co-workers manage and engage in personnel
lounges and ideas from dreamland. development – genuine personnel development.”
It is evolutionary and close to How agile does a corporation really have to be? Does the manage-
manufacturing.” ment board need to be elected democratically by the employees?
Or is it more important to give people a sense of meaning at the
– Sabine Kluge work level through worker participation and transparency in their
immediate working environment? If self-organization cannot be
A new burner production facility was due to be built at Siemens’ introduced, only prevented, the key task for decision makers in
gas turbine plant in order to improve plant productivity. The pro- companies is to eliminate barriers, let go and put their trust in the
duction site in Berlin – challenging both technologically and geo- competence of the many. Yes, that also means a loss of control,
graphically – was to become a model site. An investment totalling which doesn’t appeal to everyone. But, as Ronny Grossjohann and
around €12 million had to be approved by the management board. Robert Harms themselves experienced, it was the very moment of
The managers in Munich wanted an Ownership Culture and the letting go that ignited the fire of a common cause among all those
Siemens employees delivered. Yet after the money had been autho- involved. And suddenly Ownership Culture is possible: whole-
rized, the project team struggled to get going with the existing hearted commitment and genuine pride in working towards shared
management tools. The project crawled along and enthusiasm was success – and this happens at precisely the place in the company
lacking. “The planners and employees sat in the office and mulled where the value is created.
over the plans, but the spark was missing. And while valuable time
SABINE KLUGE was being wasted, frustration started to creep in: “This won’t get
them excited. We have to find out what moves them; how do we
Is it possible to be a little less evolutionary in the first step? “We
have to work on the human role in production and on communica-
NEW WORK: reach their hearts?”
By observing the dynamics of the teams, it soon became obvious
ting with the people on the production line; that’s when collabo-
ration occurs,” explains Kluge. Those are the beginnings – New
Work isn’t so difficult after all. ■
BACK TO THE FUTURE that the participants were not inspired by the project management
plans – which had seemed so perfect on paper – because they
suppressed the creative drive of the knowledge holders. Ownership
Culture and agility were difficult to reconcile with the “waterfall”.
Grossjohann and Harms responded accordingly: “We’ll let them
16 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 17
RALF GÄRTNER
THE COPPER PRINTER
Ralf Gärtner and his colleagues can do something that many businesses can only
dream of: they can print highly conductive structures from copper coils in just five
working days. “This can take up to ten weeks, using traditional methods”, says
Gärtner. How do he and his team do it? They are not telling. All they will say is that
it involves specialized knowledge of processes, materials and machines. Gärtner
heads Protiq, the latest spin-off from Phoenix Contact, and also gets a little help “We see great growth potential in
from the parent company when it comes to electronics know-how. electronics production.”
– Ralf Gärtner
“We supply many sectors of industry with various The company employs over 20 people, and Gärt-
printing materials, but we see great growth po- ner has no shortage of skilled staff himself. “But
tential in electronics production,” says the en- we need to do more in the way of training. We
trepreneur from Eastern Westphalia, Germany. have engineers and skilled technicians working
The additive manufacturing industry is devel- for us, and many of them can design things for
oping massive printing capacities worldwide, traditional manufacturing methods, but not for
and analysts are predicting potential sales worth additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the finish-
billions. So as Gärtner sees it, specialization is in ing work required for printed materials presents
demand. Protiq is a service provider, producing new challenges to our employees. So we need
to order for customers as far away as the USA to address these things at the training stage”,
and India. From interfacing with the customer he warns. He is currently having meetings with
online to planning the work schedule, everything government officials and representatives of
at Protiq is automated, but human intervention industry associations. “Networked digitization
is still needed for some tasks, such as clearing the is changing our factories, our processes and
assembly space, removing the finished product our job profiles”, Gärtner points out. And now
from the printer, finishing it, and forwarding it for SMEs are discovering additive manufacturing
despatch. “We are working towards full automa- for themselves. Protiq prints machine parts and
tion, and talking to numerous manufacturers of gear wheels, and wants to make life easier for
automation systems”, assures Gärtner. The com- industrial companies. “We shall be launching
pany plans to develop digital value-adding chains, an online topology optimizer in the near future,
understand how they work, and then create designed to make lightweight construction easy.
interfaces. “Only then will additive manufactur- The customer gets a quotation for uploading his
ing and 3D printing become economically viable data set to the platform, marks design areas and
in the long term in high-wage countries too”, says non-design areas, defines the forces and stresses
Gärtner, who trained as a mechanical engineer. to which the construction may be subjected,
and the algorithmics we use reduce the material
The digital value-adding chain has a key role requirement within 24 hours.” At present, this
to play if additive manufacturing is to succeed. takes about two weeks according to Gärtner. In
“Sending quotations and orders back and forth addition to specialized knowledge of processes,
as pdf files would be time-consuming, and it materials, machining and design, Protiq also
would only make the whole process unnecessarily needs IT experts, therefore. Additive manufac-
complicated”, believes Gärtner. So is Protiq an turing, combined with networked digitization, is
example of the platform economy in industry? what Industrie 4.0 is really all about. That means
“I’m always a bit sceptical myself, because I don’t developing new products and tools, testing new
think designers will be willing to work online, on business models, learning about new materials
third-party platforms, and divulge their develop- and their properties, operating new hardware,
ment data. That’s still a long way off when I see relearning the business of product design, auto-
how many confidentiality agreements we have to mating the process chain, integrating it into a
sign every day before designers will upload critical network with full customer access, and digitizing
Source: Protiq
manufacturing data to our platform in order to it. It can’t get much more complex than that. ■
get a direct online quotation from us”, says the
Protiq CEO with a laugh.
18 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 19PROF. DR. MICHAEL SCHULZ
RESTORE SYNCHRONIZED
OPERATION!
The trains leaving Halle traverse the mining area of Eastern Germany, passing the smoking stacks of
power stations that are still coal-fired. For Prof. Dr. Michael Schulz the mighty cooling towers are a
familiar sight from his office at Indalyz Monitoring & Prognostics (IM&P) GmbH.
He and his team are working on the region’s structural strategy a machine controlling operating data as if it were a simple matter
and its energy transformation, in which artificial intelligence plays of turning a switch on and off is just media hype. The command
an important part. “Our goal is to develop an energy generation ‘Machine, restore synchronized operation’ is infinitely more diffi-
plant that operates autonomously, identifies damage and can run cult than the commands we know from our smartphones.”
in critical situations, excluding the possibility of standstills or fur-
ther damage. In short, we want an operating plant that makes its Returning to the wind power plant: Neuronal networks learn from
own decisions on how to react in the event of potential damage.” every incident of damage or from every threshold level exceeded.
They work with historic data, but also reference data from other
Schulz says that the company monitors “everything that is pow- wind plant in the energy park. Currently, a maintenance team will
ered mechanically” in gas, water and wind turbines by using artifi- be called out to a wind energy plant in the event of any damage
cial intelligence. He adds: “Despite sophisticated sensor technology or any deviation in a measurement. “That costs a lot of money.
it would be impossible for us to draw as many conclusions as we We want machines that will make decisions before a fault causes
can today without AI. One person could never analyze so much
data.” Schulz estimates that around 600,000 measurements per
sensor, per minute are produced in a wind power station. Sound “Despite sophisticated sensor technology
data, for example, can be collected and aggregated via a decentral- it would be impossible for us to draw as
ized field bus or PLC in cycles of a few seconds up to several hours,
depending on the protocol. This data is then fed to an IM&P serv- many conclusions as we can today with-
er. A genetic algorithm with weak AI establishes recursive neural out AI. One person could never analyze
networks which compare the data with images of damage or report
threshold levels which have been exceeded. This is no simple task so much data.”
due to the volume of technical details to monitor across the entire
drive train of the wind energy plant, as well as the fluctuations
– Prof. Dr. Michael Schulz
in wind-generated energy (for example, Central Europe typically
experiences strong fluctuations in wind speeds), the connection of a standstill.” Schulz calculates that a three megawatt plant incurs
wind energy plant to the central grid but also the whole process annual operation and maintenance costs of around €100,000.
control, which means that it is necessary to compensate for the Much of this is due to standstills and natural wear and tear. Two
sometimes strong variations in the measurement data. thirds of these costs, however, are due to primary damage that
previously could not be identified. “Over a two-year period an
Schulz adds: “Often we do not have an ideal damage hotspot. operator could save €25,000 per plant. Imagine how much that
Even the sum of several small faults can cause a system shutdown, would come to for a wind park – that’s not even including the
and these tiny defects are frequently overlooked by human opera- standstills.”
Image: TGZ Halle GmbH/Marco Warmuth
tors. However, the dynamic of non-linear, mechanical three-body
problems normally exhibits chaotic elements as well.” In effect, the The energy sector trusts Schulz’s algorithms. Server data from
movement of all degrees of freedom of a machine would have to be Finland, Denmark, South Africa and Turkey is processed in Halle.
monitored by sensors, and for commercial reasons alone this is not “The whole energy industry invests in AI, at the moment especial-
an option. The important thing is the ability to detect physical sig- ly in weak AI, which makes it easier to monitor the process”, says
nals at their precise location through measurements taken at a few Schulz, whose algorithms have proven their worth in controlling
points across the interaction of the individual components. The district heating networks. However, as he says: “That’s another
Source: IM&P
realization of this task with AI methods demands, in particular, story.” ■
knowledge of the machine and its operations. Schulz is critical of
the way AI is discussed in public: “The idea of running AI through
20 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 21DOMINIK SCHIENER
CRYPTOCURRENCY
OR PROTOCOL?
Until 2015 Dominik Schiener had absolutely nothing to do with industry. Born in Berlin but with roots
in South Tyrol, Austria, Schiener left school and founded a string of start-up enterprises. He went
bankrupt and lost all his money. In 2015 he teamed up with David Sønstebø, Sergey Ivancheglo and
Serguei Popov to found IOTA. Since then he has been in high demand in industrial circles.
His product is a cryptocurrency – or a “protocol” as he prefers to trial partners. This is the reasoning behind the IOTA Foundation.
call it. “At the time we weren’t thinking about industry. Instead “Our goal is to create an independent IoT protocol and to break
we wanted to simplify and safeguard communication and the down barriers.” And how does he earn his money? “I own IOTA
exchange of values in the Internet of Things”, Schiener explains. stock and pay my rent out of the positive price trend”, he says with
The IOTA cryptocurrency was born. “We don’t believe in all this a laugh.
digital coin hype.”
Can IOTA transfer data as well as payments? According to Schie-
But for many industry representatives digital coins are a dream ner, the answer is “Yes”. Theoretically, IOTA can instruct the ro-
come true. Blockchain technology eliminates bureaucratic hurd- bot to turn to the right, pick up a particular package and receive/
les. In future, contracts will be executed by means of computer pay for a firmware update at 2 a.m. tomorrow morning. In addi-
protocols (“smart contracts”). It would be true to say that industry tion, industrial enterprises can use IOTA as a basis for connecting
envisages direct money transfers between machines. Are limited
Bitcoins the proper solution for payment transactions between
robots, or between guided trucks and the lead vehicle in a platoon? “We don’t believe in all this
Is blockchain really the right technology? “No, a blockchain is digital coin hype.”
not scalable. At IOTA we are exploring a different avenue”, says
the IOTA founder self-confidently. IOTA is based on a so-called – Dominik Schiener
“tangle”. Unlike a one-dimensional blockchain, which can grow in
only one direction, the mathematical concept of a tangle can grow and controlling all their products. This is of direct relevance to
simultaneously at various places. Put simply, blockchain transac- Industrie 4.0. Fujitsu – an industrial partner of Schiener and his
tions are linear, whereas IOTA uses an entire network. In addition, 60-member IOTA team – stated the following: “This represents a
a tangle does not depend on miners. genuine alternative to cloud-based solutions. Together with IOTA
we can create digital twins, given the fact that the machine sends
IOTA aims to be so “lightweight” that even small embedded sys- back unfalsifiable data – data we can use to control machines and
tems (e.g. on-board car computers, smartphones and drones) can to test/execute processes.”
easily process payment transactions. There are no fees. Each mem-
ber of the network pays by means of the individual computing What else is happening on the industrial front? Robert Bosch
capacity. The advantage: the higher the transaction rate (i.e. the Venture Capital has already invested in IOTA. In 2019 Volks-
greater the number of users), the greater the degree of scalability. wagen will initiate its first IOTA project. Sopra Steria and Fujitsu
The system is infinitely scalable. According to IOTA, the system have also signed up. Industrial security start-ups see IOTA as a
becomes faster and faster in direct proportion to the number of means of safeguarding their processes. At HANNOVER MESSE
users and transactions. As soon as a critical size has been achieved, 2018 DXC presented relevant applications. And what about small
the time lapse between the initiation of a transaction and its vali- and medium-sized enterprises? “Initial discussions have commen-
dation is virtually zero. Has IOTA solved the latency problem? ced in the East Westphalia region”, Schiener confirms, without
going into further detail. “At the end of 2019 we will set up a con-
“We are not yet production-ready as we have to develop the pro- sortium in which industrial enterprises can participate”, Schiener
Source: Reuters, Axel Schmidt
tocol and adapt it to industrial requirements”, Schiener admits. In explains. What is the precondition for a breakthrough? “We need
the coming months Schiener and his IOTA Foundation want to secure connections – for autonomous vehicles, machines and ener-
learn more about industrial processes and discover where IOTA gy systems. Everything depends on 5G.” ■
can be integrated sensibly into existing systems. “In the projects
we experience a mixture of decentralized and centralized control”,
Schiener explains. He and his co-founders are promoting an open
ecosystem and are committed to attracting large numbers of indus-
22 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 23DR. PETER HEILIGENSETZER
WEARABLE ROBOTICS The government has recognized the problem,
and legislated accordingly. A so-called Load
Handling Regulation has been introduced in
Germany. It is designed to protect employees in
Bad posture when lifting and carrying causes injury to workers, costs employers the workplace, but does not define legal limits
money and is responsible for 23 per cent of all sickness-related absences from work. for exposure to stress. The law simply states that
such limits should be set for each individual
Dr. Peter Heiligensetzer, an engineer from Augsburg, wants to change all that –
worker as appropriate, and Dr. Peter Heiligen-
with a wearable robot. setzer of German Bionic Systems knows exactly
what that means in practice: “Employees would
rather lift heavy goods by themselves, without
recourse to complicated lifting tackle, in order
to save time – and make time for an extra cig-
arette break.“ His wearable robot, the Cray X The system reduces compression forces in the lower back.
exoskeleton, is designed to give workers the best
of both worlds: stress-free lifting that also saves
them time. “The system reduces compression He unveiled his idea for the first time at an in-
forces in the lower back area,” says Heiligenset- dustry conference in the autumn of 2016. It got
zer, summarizing the main benefit in a single an enthusiastic reception from his audience. Cray
sentence. It sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t X supports its users in two modes, which are con-
developed overnight. trolled by a smart watch. Heiligensetzer explains:
“The first mode is for order-picking in a forced
“We react quickly to customer demands or awkward position. The exoskeleton supports
people who have to work in a fixed position bent
– for example, by changing the ma- over forwards.” The user can “let go” and allow
terials we use. Most of our inquiries the exoskeleton to do the work of supporting the
back, which relieves the pressure on the back mus-
at present come from production and cles. The second mode is designed to safeguard
the user against potentially damaging movements
logistics.” when the body is under excessive strain. The ro-
– Dr. Peter Heiligensetzer bot relieves the strain on the wearer’s lower back
when lifting heavy objects by imitating and am-
Heiligensetzer and his team, consisting of soci- plifying movements in an active-assistive capacity.
ologists, physiotherapists, experts in workplace An electromyographic (EMG) armband measures
ergonomics and mechanical engineers, have the muscle tension in the arm.
been working on the product for the last six years
– initially as part of an EU research project, in The International Federation of Robotics esti-
collaboration with Fiat and a number of automo- mates that around 370 exoskeletons were sold in
tive parts suppliers, then as a separate business, 2015. For 2019, the figure is expected to be 6,500.
German Bionic Systems, backed by private A study by BIS Research has projected a market
investors. “When I was working for Kuka, I did volume of 4.65 billion US dollars by the year
a lot of thinking about exoskeletons”, explains 2026. The main competition comes from Japan.
the trained mechanical engineer, who founded Big names such as Hyundai and Panasonic are
the company in 2017. “We are now working developing their own exoskeletons. And industry
towards mass production,” says Heiligensetzer, is already trying them out: workers at BMW and
whose previous business experience was in the Audi wear the robot suits on the assembly line.
planning and realization of automation systems.
But even at this stage, the first industrial compa- Heiligensetzer is keen to profit from the boom,
nies are already buying the exoskeleton, which with technology and flexibility as key selling
Source: German Bionic Systems
is equipped with tiny electric motors, weighs points. “We react quickly to customer demands
7.9 kilos, offers 15 kilos of load support, and can – for example, by changing the materials we
operate for eight hours on standard cordless use. Most of our inquiries at present come from
drill batteries. “The weight is supported on the production and logistics”, says the CEO of the
hips, just like a hiking rucksack. The idea is to company. But he also sees promising new markets
relieve the load on the back and shoulders,” for the future in the emergency services, nursing
adds Heiligensetzer. and the construction sector. ■
24 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 25HANNOVER MESSE USA
PREMIERE
IN THE USA American innovations to a global audience and
spotlight North America as an important manu-
facturing location.”
The first HANNOVER MESSE outside Germany took place in
Chicago in September 2018. Amidst the controversy over trade tariffs, HANNOVER MESSE USA comprised four
exhibit zones – IAMD Integrated Automation,
the aim is to promote free trade and cross-border technology trans- Motion & Drives USA, Comvac USA, Industrial
fer. It is also a huge opportunity to bring the industry of tomorrow Supply USA and Surface Technology USA – and
three special displays. Germany, China, Italy,
to the heartland of America’s troubled steel industry. Korea and Taiwan had national pavilions. More
than 500 companies showcased their products
on a 12,000 m² display space. Several compa-
nies, such as Lenze, SEW, SAP and the Fraun-
President Donald Trump chose a massive steel Actually the esteemed former head of the Federal hofer-Gesellschaft had not exhibited at these
mill in Granite City, Illinois, the centre of the Reserve Bank Ben Bernanke was one of many shows before, but there were plenty of regulars
US steel industry, to announce his new protec- liberal commentators who drew attention to this such as THK, Wittenstein, Festo, Phoenix
tionist policies and trade tariffs to an audience of imbalance and criticized it long before President Contact, Rittal, B&R, Mitsubishi and Hiwin.
steel workers. Illinois Governor Bruce Vincent Trump. In a video interview with this magazine, Harting understandably also exhibited in
Rauner was absent. A Republican like Trump, Dr. Michael Werz from the policy research and Chicago. After all, last year’s business report
he is no friend of trade wars, not least because advocacy organization Center for American showed that company turnover in the Americas
many small and medium-sized companies from Progress pointed out: “Germany’s machinery was up by about 22 percent to €73 million. Hart-
Germany have located to his state – and are and plant engineering companies need to put ing’s goal: the development of sustainable scientif-
doing well. One such company is Harting from their case better. German companies are at a ic and business partnerships and collaborations,
Ostwestfalen. In the run-up to HANNOVER strategic disadvantage and the German position not least with a US automobile maker, the
MESSE this spring Governor Rauner visited was not put clearly enough. They had no long- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
the company and talked with Dietmar Harting term strategy and did not involve enough players and the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC).
about the training of workers at the Harting US in society – not only in Washington, but also in The trade show could prove invaluable and serve
works in Elgin. Located close to Chicago, the other states“. The cutting-edge trade show this as a perfect source for contacts.
works opened in the 1980s. Training and tech- autumn offered a new opportunity.
nology are priorities for the Republican governor The Solutions Theater – the HANNOVER
as both will help create jobs and generate tax HANNOVER MESSE USA coincides with MESSE Training and Networking Program
revenue. Rauner is in dire need of both as his the International Manufacturing Technology – was a key part of the trade show concept. It
state is trailing behind other US states and state Show (IMTS). Together the two events form included presentations, case studies, demonstra-
finances are stretched, not least due to massive the biggest manufacturing technology show in tions and special events. The Manufacturing
pension fund debts. There has even been talk of North America. More than 115,000 visitors Leadership Council, the National Electrical
bankruptcy. Trade war with China is another participated in 2018. Manufacturers Association, the Industrial
Source: White House and Deutsche Messe AG
threat, and although Illinois has a lot of industry Internet Consortium and the German platform
concentrated around Chicago, it is also one the “HANNOVER MESSE USA is based on Industrie 4.0 jointly staged the one-day forum
biggest farming states in the US. the same format we use in Hannover, focusing “Industrie 4.0 Meets the Industrial Internet of
not only on individual machines and compo- Things”. Topics such as TSN, cyber security and
The first-ever HANNOVER MESSE held nents, but on complete solutions”, explains Dr. artificial intelligence in production made sure
outside Germany could not come at a better Jochen Köckler from Deutsche Messe AG. “The that for one week Chicago and Illinois were the
time – it offers German companies an impor- launch is in Chicago because we want to build centre of industry. ■
tant communication platform and it is topical on the reputation established by the US Partner
because President Trump’s remarks about the Country engagement at HANNOVER MESSE
German export surplus are not an invention. in 2016. Chicago is the perfect place to showcase
26 INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 27DIGITAL FACTORY IAMD IAMD
350 MILLION FOR INDUSTRIAL START-UPS
The Munich-based Digital+Partners fund is committed
to investing in young B2B enterprises, with special em- DIGITAL SERVICES
phasis on growth funding for industrial enterprises and
financial service providers. Each company can receive up
to €50 million. Digital+Partners is focusing on promising The data-based integration of every
stage of the value chain is the decisive
5G GAINING
technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics
and artificial intelligence. According to the fund managers,
there is considerable potential among German start-ups. At
competitive factor in manufacturing.
“Digital Factory” showcases the IT and
IN POPULARITY
the same time they report that growth finance is still under- software solutions which make it possible Initiated at the beginning of 2018, the 5G Alli-
developed in Germany. The shortfall is estimated at around to transfer data between development, ance for Connected Industries and Automation
production and supply.
€1 billion per year. Digital+Partners has attracted capital (5G-ACIA) is rapidly gaining in popularity.
from institutional investors, high-tech enterprises, as well as Eight new members have signed up since April
DIGITAL
tech-oriented family offices in Germany, Europe, the USA 2018. The Alliance brings together represen-
FACTORY –
and Asia. In addition, the European Investment Fund (EIF) tatives of the automation and manufacturing
CONTACT US!
and the German investment bank Kf W have contributed sectors, plus leading ICT organizations. On the
Thomas Möller
to the Digital+Partners fund. ■ automation/manufacturing side the line-up now
Tel. +49 511 89-31143
includes ABB, Audi, GHMT and MC Technolo-
NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS gies. The Alliance has also attracted two leading
players from the ICT sector: Qualcomm and
EXPECTED TO DOUBLE BY 2020 Rohde & Schwarz. The following scientific orga-
nizations are now part of 5G-ACIA: the Korea
By 2020 more than three million industrial robots will be in operation in factories Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) and the
worldwide. This will represent a two-fold increase within seven years (2014-2020), Technology Centre for Computing Technologies
reports the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). Almost 70 percent of employ- (TZI) at Bremen University. Major German
GROWTH IN ADVERTISED ees think that robotics and automation will offer an opportunity to move into skilled
jobs demanding higher qualifications. This was the result of a worldwide survey of
industry associations such as VCI, VDA, VDMA
and ZVEI favour the local assignment of 5G fre-
7,000 workers in seven countries (published simultaneously with the IFR report). quencies (3,700 – 3,800 MHz) to manufacturing
DIGITAL JOBS Source: www.index.de, @Netzoekonom.de
Technological change necessitates systematic initial and further training. One of the enterprises. The aim is to auction off the regional
most advanced countries in this respect is Singapore with its SkillsFuture initiative, frequencies on demand. The prices have yet to be
Change 1st quarter of 2018 versus previous year a project focussed on employers, who are asked what changes they expect in the announced. ■
coming three to five years and what training activities and additional qualifications
Digital project manager 255.5 will be required. ■
E-health/healthcare IT 182.4
Artificial intelligence 127
Online journalism 117.6 INTEGRATED ENERGY
3D printing 91.1
Robotics 86.4 RECORD-BREAKING WIND TURBINE DICTIONARY
Internet of Things 63.9 In the spring of 2018 GE presented what it claimed to be world’s largest and most
Enginepreneur
Digital transformation/Industrie 4.0 61.1 powerful offshore wind turbine: the Haliade-X. It can generate 45% more power
than competing offshore installations (up to 67 GWh per year, enough for 16,000
Digital finance/FinTech 46.9 An engineer who sets up his or her
European households). The Haliade-X 12 MW will be available for projects realized
own company. Our editorial team
Digital consulting 44.3 in the period after 2021. It is 260 m high and has a rotor diameter of 220 m. By
found this term on a business card.
comparison, the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt measures 259 m in height, and
Cloud computing 43.1
the Eifel Tower 324 m. The combination of a larger rotor, longer blades and a higher
Source: adobe stock, kwanchaift
VR/AR&MR 36.9 capacity factor ensures that the Haliade-X is less susceptible to wind-speed fluctua-
Analytics/Big Data 24.8 tions. According to GE, this enhances predictability and increases the ability to
deliver higher output at lower wind speeds. The capacity factor compares the actual
Social media/content marketing 15.5 output with the maximum potential output during continuous full-power operation
Online marketing 13 over a specific period of time. ■
E-commerce/online trading 5.4
28 www.industrialpioneers.com INDUSTRIALPIONEERS 29You can also read
