From Industry 4.0 to Research 4.0. Development of High Performance Fibers in the Light of Digitization

We associate a variety of innovations with the term “Industry 4.0”. The pioneer of many 4.0 modifications forms the basis for the trend towards the integrated digitization of many areas of life. The field of research requires from the pilot plants to develop new pioneering fibers high flexibility of its experimental facilities to allow new insights in the laboratory and prototype facilities at a reasonable cost. Added to this is the desire to closely track all process data and prepare it in a timely manner. Mobile devices now allow the researcher to vary parameters close to the process during observation. In the following lecture the question will be discussed which of the many definitions and varieties of “Industry 4.0” can be meaningfully transferred to the field of research. In doing so, we are guided by the findings that have been gained with modularized spinning systems in recent years. The respective spinning processes require different analysis focuses and different conversion options. The digital world must follow the real demands of the analog world. In addition to the elegance functions, it must be ensured that the control functions of the process meet the requirements of machine safety. Digitization allows intelligent analyzes to be developed independently of the various spinning processes and can be flexibly adapted to the respective process conditions. The variability of spin systems depends on the intelligent modularization of individual functions and the physics that require the spinning conditions. Finally, some examples of modular prototype systems are presented, and the limits of variability are discussed.