Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Gerhard - Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Produktinnovationen sind für Unternehmen nach wie vor unerlässlich, um den Wohlstand in Europa zu sichern. Die Anwendung von künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) in Design-Software-Tools (z. B. CAD) für generatives Design / generatives Engineering, Design-Automatisierung und Design-Optimierung eröffnet völlig neue Möglichkeiten für die Entwicklung innovativer Produkte und Systeme und verändert den Design-Prozess grundlegend. Da diese Technologie in CAD-Tools völlig neu ist, müssen Fachleute aus dem Ingenieurwesen geschult werden, um die potenziellen Auswirkungen auf die künftige Produktentwicklung und Innovationsaktivitäten in Unternehmen nutzen zu können.

Im Rahmen der zweiten Förderperiode baut dieses Teilprojekt auf den Ergebnissen der ersten Förderperiode auf und entwickelt den Digitalen Zwilling für vorgefertigte Betonmodule weiter

In 2022, the EITM funded VR-PLC activity created introductory courses on PLCs and PLC programming. Instructions and exercises on PLC programming were conducted in an interactive, virtual learning environment in which learners can manipulate the virtual environment and observe the effect of their program. Through the virtual environments, the needs for real PLC hardware are reduced, making it easier, more flexible and more affordable for participants to strengthen their skills. In 2023, the consortium plans to build upon these results by expanding the programming exercises to intermediate and advanced levels, expand on topics like Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things, preparing professionals and their companies for the digital transformation. To increase the impact in 2023, the project will focus on the train-the-trainer approach. Instead of approaching individuals, the project focuses on VET trainers and professionals who are then skilled to continue with the education of others.

In practice, the integration of heterogeneous IoT components is often a complex and confusing process. The different ways of representing information about individual assets create the desire for a standardized representation. The asset administration shell creates a digital exchange format for this purpose with the potential to significantly increase the degree of automation in the integration of IoT components.

Im Rahmen des DFG Schwerpunktprogramms "Adaptive Modulbauweisen mit Fließfertigungsmethoden" bearbeitet der LDE das Teilprojekt "Der digitale Zwilling für die schnelle und präzise Fertigung von Betonmodulen".

Working with PLCs is becoming an even more important skill for shop-floor workers in the context of digitalization and Industry 4.0. In this projected an international consortium consisting of Ruhr-University Bochum, Łukasiewicz Institute for Sustainable Technologies, and LINPRA, the engineering and technology industries association of Lithuania, builds a workshop format for up-skilling of these workers on virtual PLC techno-educational stands to make them and their companies ready for the digital transformation.

Der Einsatz von Augmented Reality scheitert häufig an der Erstellung der Inhalte. An der Ruhr-Universität ist deshalb ein zentrales Content Management System im Einsatz.

In 2021, a team consisting of Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Vienna, Contact Software and the Institute for Training and Careers developed and delivered comprehensive and industry-centric workshops to bring AR to manufacturing.