The 10 most recently published documents
It is expected that ongoing digitalisation will drive the merger between the manufacturing world and the internet world, possibly leading to a next industrial revolution, currently called “Industry 4.0”. The driving forces behind this development are new business opportunities and competition advantages arising from mass production customisation as well as rapid individual product development and manufacturing. Key factors of the development towards Industry 4.0 are discussed. Threats and opportunities arising from these developments for future production are discussed. Actual examples from real-time customized manufacturing of consumer products are given. As mechatronic systems and industrial robots are widely used in manufacturing and in particular in assembly, it is discussed how they can be connected to and used in digitalised industrial systems. Different examples of remote controlled systems are presented, like remote controlled KUKA robot for handling and quality control, PLC-controlled equipment, drive systems, FESTO handling system and others. The architecture of an assembly cell is presented, where industrial robots are set-up for batch-one production or can directly receive control / production information on-line and in real-time over the factory network. Methods for remote maintenance and monitoring of systems over the internet and production operator support over the internet are presented as well.
Natural extracellular matrix (ECM) represents an ideal biomaterial for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches. For further functionalization, there is a need for specific addressable functional groups within this biomaterial. Metabolic glycoengineering (MGE) provides a technique to incorporate modified monosaccharide derivatives into the ECM during their assembly, which was shown by us earlier for the production of a modified fibroblast-derived dermal ECM.
Social Selling – ein innovativer Vertriebsansatz, der die Prinzipien des digitalen Marketings auf den Vertrieb anwendet – findet in der Unternehmenspraxis zunehmend Beachtung. Die Forschung, insbesondere zur Ausgestaltung von Social Selling, steht allerdings noch am Anfang. Mit Hilfe der Daten der Social-Media-Kanäle Facebook und LinkedIn von zwei Industriegüterunternehmen wird in einer explorativen Studie herausgefunden, dass eine direkte Vernetzungsanfrage zur Erweiterung des Netzwerks effizient ist und dass Social-Selling-Beiträge, die zu Beginn und Ende einer Woche vor allem vormittags als visuelles Format (Fotos, Videos) veröffentlicht werden, am erfolgversprechendsten hinsichtlich Klicks, Likes, Shares und Comments sind.
Potentials of smart contracts-based disintermediation in additive manufacturing supply chains
(2019)
We investigate which potentials are created by using smart contracts for disintermediation in supply chains for additive manufacturing. Using a qualitative, critical realist research approach, we analyzed three case studies with companies active in additive manufactures. Based on interviews with experts from these companies, we could identify eight key requirements for disintermediation and associate four potentials of smart contracts-based disintermediation.
Digitale Transformation: Können Sie den Begriff noch hören, ohne mit den Augen zu rollen? Auch wenn der Begriff in aller Munde ist, besteht immer noch große Verwirrung darüber, was eigentlich so neu daran sein soll. Immerhin setzen Unternehmen ja (digitale) Informationstechnologien (IT) seit Jahrzehnten ein, um Geschäftsprozesse zu verbessern.
Background/Aim: The aim of this study was the development of a new osteoconductivity index to determine the bone healing capacities of bone substitute materials (BSM) on the basis of 3D microcomputed tomographic (μ-CT) data. Materials and Methods: Sinus biopsies were used for the comparative analysis of the integration behavior of two xenogeneic BSM (cerabone® and Bio Oss®). 3D μ-CT and data sets from histomorphometrical measurements based on 2D histological slices were used to measure the bone-material-contact and the tissue distribution within the biopsies. The tissue reactions to both BSM were microscopically analyzed. Results: The 3D and 2D results of the osteoconductivity measurements showed comparable material-bone contacts for both BSM, but the 2D data were significantly lower. The same results were found when tissue distribution was measured in both groups. The histopathological analysis showed comparative tissue reactions in both BSM. Conclusion: Osteoconductivity index is a reliable measurement parameter for determining the healing capacities of BSM. The observed differences between both measurement methods could be assigned to the resolution capacity of μ-CT data that did not allow for a precise interface distinction between both BSM and bone tissue. Histomorphometrical data based on histological slides still allow for a more exact evaluation.
