03-2018

06.06.2018 © BMW

AUTOMOBILE DESIGN EVOKES EMOTION

Design combines functionality and aesthetics, design is emotional, particularly when it comes to cars. Motorists who think a car is ugly are unlikely to buy it and drive it. So how will the changes to the drivetrain influence automobile design? VDMAimpulse asked design experts.
06.06.2018 © Benjamin Brolet

BRITISH INDUSTRY LOOKS FOR SOLIDARITY

Fear of a hard Brexit: The upcoming exit from the EU is putting significant strain on British industry. Holger Kunze on the chances of a last-minute deal and the risks of the cliff edge.
06.06.2018 © www.braundesignsammlung.de

"PRODUCT DESIGN CANNOT BE LEFT TO THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT"

How has the importance of industrial and product design changed? How strong is nature's influence on product design? And: what role plays design in terms of communicating technological change? Klaus Klemp, Professor of Design Theory and History of Design at HfG Offenbach, gives answers.
06.06.2018 © BMW

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SET FORMULA FOR GOOD VEHICLE DESIGN"

Whether powered by electricity, hybrid engines or fuel cell technology, car engines are facing a period of transition. The impact this has on vehicle design and what it means when autonomous driving is added to the mix is explained by Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design.
06.06.2018 © ZF Friedrichshafen

DRIVES ARE CHANGING

Hybridization and electrification are picking up speed. What this means for added value in the drivetrain is the subject of the VDMA study "Drives are Changing" ["Antrieb im Wandel"].
06.06.2018 © Teun van den Dries | Shutterstock.com

DID YOU KNOW …

… that the machine housing of wind turbines can be as large as a single-family home? We have gathered some astonishing facts on the wind energy industry.
06.06.2018 © Phonlamai-Photo | Shutterstock.com

THE EU'S QUEST FOR AN INTELLIGENT APPROACH TO AI

With the Communication on Artificial Intelligence, the European Commission has opened the debate on how to encourage the use of AI - and also maybe how to regulate it. While the Commission's proposal takes a rather optimistic view, there is still the danger of harmful legislation based on doomsday scenarios. In industrial applications, AI technologies such as machine learning are promising and challenging, but they are a long way from disrupting the legal and ethical framework.
06.06.2018 © Torwegge

MATERIALS FLOW LOOKING FOR NEW PATHS

Intralogistics is facing huge changes. Future production methods will no longer be compatible with rigid supply networks.
06.06.2018 © Bosch

SENSORS CONNECT THE ANALOG AND DIGITAL WORLDS

The success of Industrie 4.0 depends on reliable, local data collection using sensor technology. A new guideline, a demonstrator and practical tips from VDMA members help in the development of low-cost sensor technology.
06.06.2018 © nostal6ie | Shutterstock.com

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP AGAIN ON THE WORLD MACHINERY MARKET

Turnover for machinery and plants in 2017 hit 2.6 trillion euros - a 1 percent increase over the previous year. The machinery market in Europe developed especially well, with turnover rising by 6 percent.
06.06.2018 © Viastore

SUPPLY CHAIN - FROM AUTOMATIC TO AUTONOMOUS

The logical conclusion of Industrie 4.0 is the complete digital penetration of the value chain and ultimately its autonomization. This will not only characterize the future of production and logistics processes inside and out of factories, but will also have an effect on the mechanical and plant engineering sector as a whole.
06.06.2018 © anyaivanova | Shutterstock.com

PLATFORM ECONOMY: CONNECTING MARKET PARTICIPANTS

Digital platforms are springing up everywhere in mechanical and plant engineering. They create the link between market participants online and they also create the infrastructural basis that enables business partners to interact with one another.
06.06.2018 © Pilz

ENHANCED SAFETY FOR AUTOMATED MACHINES

Technology and standards are not the only way to improve machine safety - companies can also help through the careful assignment of information and permissions. VDMA members showcase their tried and tested solutions.
06.06.2018 © Sherry V Smith | Shutterstock.com

NEW FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EU AND MEXICO

Important trade liberalization further boosts trade in mechanical engineering goods.
06.06.2018 © VDMA

NEXT ISSUE

VDMAimpulse 04-2018 will be published at the end of September 2018.