Development of a model and method for the characterization, assessment and configuration of communication concepts in factories in the context of industry 4.0

工厂的系统组成部分（技术、组织、员工、地点和建筑）通过流程（材料、能源、信息和通信）相互联系。系统组件及其相互作用可以受到框架条件的外部和内部变化的影响，并共同定义工厂的性能。随着当前工业4.0的趋势，效率和生产力的提高被认为是主要的好处。然而，同时，外部和内部框架条件发生了根本性的变化，这反过来又导致了工厂系统内部的深刻变化。在现有的市场环境中，持续不断地产生知识作为创新的基础，被认为是仅次于高成本效益的重要竞争优势。因此，知识的持续生成受到传播观念的显著影响。通信概念描述了工厂系统组件对通信和信息过程的需求。因此，研究项目的目标是通过工业4.0描述工厂系统组件之间通信和信息过程的变化，确定依赖关系，并将结果转移到模型和方法中，以评估和设计工厂的通信概念。模型和方法应能够设计有效的沟通概念，从而支持创新能力的维持和增强，作为高工资国家德国的竞争优势。为此，首先开发了一个描述性模型。这包括通过工业4.0的变化激活因素，对通信和信息流程的未来要求，以及系统组件之间的通信障碍和清除通信障碍的通用措施。在对工业企业的调查结果进行比较的基础上，对描述性模型进行了验证，并在必要时进行了调整。随后对变革动因、需求和措施三者之间的相互关系进行了假设，并与工业企业一起进行了修正。然后将验证过的相互关系转换为基于系统动态方法的因果模型。这有助于说明基本假设和系统边界，识别（非线性和反直觉的）反馈循环，并解释复杂的因果链。将获得的知识转化为方法和应用工具。最后，在工业企业中对两者进行了评价。

The system components of a factory (technic, organization, employee, location and building) are linked to each other through processes (material, energy, information and communication). The system components and their interactions can be affected by outer and inner changes of the frame conditions and define together the performance of the factory. Going along with the current trend industry 4.0 an increase in efficiency and productivity are regarded as the key benefits. However, simultaneously the outer and inner frame conditions are changed fundamentally, which leads in turn to profound changes within the system of the factory. To persist in the existing market environment a continuously generation of knowledge as a base for innovation is regarded as an essential competitive advantage, next to a high cost effectiveness. Thereby, the continuously generation of knowledge is significantly influenced by the communication concept. The communication concept describes the requirements, which are given by the system components of a factory to the communication and information processes. Hence, the objective of the research project is to describe the changes through industry 4.0 of the communication and information processes between the system components of the factory holistically, determine dependencies and to transfer the results in a model and method to asses and design the communication concepts of factories. Model and method shall enable the designing of effective communication concepts and consequently support the sustainment and enhancement of the capacity for innovation, as a competitive advantage in the high wage country Germany. For this, a descriptive model is developed initially. This includes change activators through industry 4.0, future requirements on the communication and information processes as well as communication barriers between the system components and generic measures to clear the communication barriers. On the basis of a comparison between the findings out of industrial enterprises, a verification and if necessary an adaption of the descriptive model is made. Afterwards hypothesis to the interrelations between change activators, requirements and measures are expressed and subsequent revised together with the industrial enterprises. Ensuing the verified interrelations are transferred in a causal model based on the system dynamic approach. This helps to illustrate the fundamental assumptions and system boundaries, identify (nonlinear and counterintuitive) feedback loops and to explain complex cause-and-effect chains. The obtained knowledge is transferred into a method and an application tool. Concluding, both are evaluated in industrial enterprises.