The change of production in the context of digitalization optimizes processes on the one hand, but on the other hand raises issues concerning how work will change in the future. On Wednesday, 22.03.2017 Kompetenzzentrum Digital, NRW in collaboration with Regionalagentur and IHK Ostwestfalen, Bielefeld organized an expert conference in Lemgo. The thematic priority was set on “Work 4.0”. Various technologies from SmartFactoryOWL, an initiative of Fraunhofer Society and OWL University of Applied Sciences were presented, as well as best practice examples from the regional companies. Also funding possibilities for SME were discussed. Subsequently, more than 50 participants talked about the changes for the working environment in the context of Industry 4.0.
Dr. Claudia Auinger, IHK Ostwestfalen zu Bielefeld, welcomed the participants. Professor Dr. Stefan Witte, Vice President for Research and Transfer of OWL University of Applied Sciences and Board Member of Institute Industrial IT (inIT) explained how digital transformation is put into practice in OWL. Science, industry and society are working hand in hand on projects and jointly bring forward digitalization – so that also SME may benefit. The success is documented by numerous projects and collaborations within the leading-edge cluster “it’s OWL – Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe”. Not solely digitalization but also the use of collaborative robots, intelligent technical systems or computer-based assistance systems will revolutionize the working environment in the future. How will human and machine work together in the future? How complex will be the challenges of the new working world? How will society react to new technologies? On the conference experts from SME and regional research institutes exchanged views about risks and potentials of Industry 4.0, talked about the best preparation strategies for digital transformation and how an implementation to the specific company can be conducted.
At the research and demonstration platform SmartFactoryOWL participants could experience how the production of tomorrow could look like in the context of Industry 4.0 and a digitalization and connectedness of processes and systems. Nissrin Perez (inIT) and Pedro Rodrigues (Fraunhofer IOSB-INA) offered a guided tour at FactoryOWL, also practical and regional examples were presented. Comspace GmbH (Bielefeld) and Westafelx Industries (Gütersloh) explained how the future of work is shaped in their companies. Dr. Friedhelm Keuken (G.I.B. NRW) and Andreas Lühmann (Regionalagentur OWL) explained how digital change can be supported with funding programs. The aim of the conference was an open exchange about the work of the future and the resulting consequences. Also best-practice examples were presented.