Fraunhofer Institute for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP
Production Planning and Control
Work area
The demands on companies and their products as well as production systems are constantly growing: high adherence to schedules, shortest possible throughput times for manufacturing processes and at the same time work economically are the challenges of today.
The production planning and control team of Fraunhofer IGP develops individual solutions for the optimization of production processes in close cooperation with industry and research partners. These current demands on production can only be achieved with qualified methods. In addition to dynamic algorithms for process planning and control, the focus is on IT support. Only intelligent system networking enables the necessary transparency across all process levels. The integration of special hardware solutions complements existing system and software landscapes. These include various IoT sensors, location and identification systems, and the use of suitable end devices as an interface between man and machine.
The research focus of the Fraunhofer Institute for Large Structures in Production Engineering IGP is primarily on production processes with larger volumes and primarily small quantities – a challenge for man and technology. The scientists meet this challenge with application-oriented expertise.
Project overview
Shipyard 4.0
Shipyard 4.0 – Enhancing Productivity in Shipbuilding through Flexible Digitalisation
Joint research by Lürssen and Fraunhofer IGP on the digital advancement of processes in shipbuilding.
How can Germany’s specialist shipbuilding sector remain competitive? The Lürssen shipyard and Fraunhofer IGP demonstrate how targeted digitalisation delivers measurable improvements in efficiency, quality and schedule adherence. Rather than technology for its own sake, the project focuses on clear performance indicators: shorter throughput times, reduced rework, and balanced utilisation.
The result is a scalable, shipyard-ready information and control system that supports personnel from the shopfloor to the office and brings transparency to complex processes.
H2GO VIR
Development and Implementation of a Digital Twin
Analysis of Manual Process Steps with Respect to Tracking & Tracing and Quality Management within the Subproject ViR
The networking of service technicians with employees in order planning and control, as well as the digital interaction of organizational units, is currently being advanced across the industrial sector under the concept of Industry 4.0. The foundation for this is data acquisition through sensors or status reports provided by operators directly from their workplaces.
As part of a development project, a demand-optimized maintenance management system for crane servicing is being developed. Its functions will encompass both order management and the execution of maintenance activities. The system aims to reduce the complexity of the upstream organizational processes and to simplify information retrieval during maintenance operations — for example, through the integration of augmented reality (AR) support.
Maintenance Processes
Maintenance Management for Crane Servicing
Crane Maintenance 4.0
The networking of service technicians with staff in order planning and control, as well as the digital interaction between organizational units, is currently being advanced across the industrial sector under the concept of Industry 4.0. The foundation for this lies in data collection through sensors or status feedback provided by operators directly from their workplaces.
Within the scope of a development project, a demand-optimized maintenance management system for crane servicing is being developed. Its functionality will cover both order management and the execution of maintenance operations. The goal is to reduce the complexity of upstream organizational processes and to simplify information acquisition during maintenance activities — for instance, through the integration of augmented reality (AR) support.
Digitalization
Digitalization in Skilled Trades
Unlocking the Full Potential
Despite the crucial importance of meeting deadlines in craft-based industries such as interior construction, scheduling is still largely carried out using analog methods. In general, the potential of digitalization remains underutilized in many areas of the skilled trades.
To tap into this optimization potential, a system for fully digital assembly planning was developed in collaboration with a staircase manufacturer from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. All relevant data are obtained through defined interfaces to higher-level production software systems and through digital data acquisition on construction sites.
Consistent data management, system-supported process structures, and implemented role models contribute to increased transparency throughout the entire planning process.
Services
- Design and implementation of intelligent algorithms for production planning and control
- Innovative software and hardware solutions for flexible production management (production control center, fault management and
more) - Digital tracking and tracing based on auto-ID and real-time location systems for complete traceability of orders
- Data and process mining for extracting complex correlations within data structures
- Digital twins for operational use