Science and

The Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) at the University of Stuttgart is one of the leading international university research institutes in the field of control and drive technology. The ISW conducts interdisciplinary research into technologies for the production and automation of the future. For more than 50 years, the institute has been an innovative and reliable partner for industry, meeting demanding challenges from the initial idea to the finished product.

Mr. Dipl.- Ing. Markus Wnuk is a research assistant at the ISW in the field of handling deformable objects with industrial robots. As part of the international research training group "Soft Tissue Robotics" and the SimTech Cluster of Excellence "Data-integrated Simulation Science", he has been working for several years on methods for modeling and camera-supported localization of flexible components. Since mid-2020, he has been actively supporting the IILS by providing scientific support in the sub-project "Automated assembly of the wiring harness in the vehicle" and the transfer of newly developed methods from research to industrial practice.

The IAT is concerned with the integrated planning, design and optimization of innovative products, processes and structures. Taking into account people, organization, technology and the environment, the institute researches and tests new concepts of technology management, work organization and design. In the IILS, the IAT supports the creation of future scenarios based on current developments and innovation drivers. In this way, effects on the automotive industry (macro-scenarios) and in particular on the area of wire harnessing (micro-scenarios) are identified in order to validate and further sharpen topics.

Mr. Nikolas Zimmermann (Dipl.-Ing.) has been a research assistant at the IAT since 2011 and has extensive experience with manufacturing companies from various industries, such as automotive and toolmaking. His main areas of experience are Engineering 4.0, Industry 4.0, additive manufacturing and IT-based engineering support. He is also responsible for the Digital Engineering Lab and the Future Engineering Network, an initiative that brings manufacturing companies together to develop a vision for the engineering of the future. At the IILS, he provided support by creating future scenarios taking into account current innovation drivers, developments and external influences.

The Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics (IFT) at the University of Stuttgart focuses on the fields of materials handling and logistics. As a university research institute, the IFT develops future-oriented methods, processes, systems and components as part of basic and applied research projects. Innovative methods and solutions are designed at all levels (planning, process, material flow and equipment level) for the reorientation of changeable production logistics. Simulation is used to effectively evaluate and optimize processes in product development, production and logistics. The institute develops and designs new material flow components for the production logistics of the future, which are implemented and tested as prototypes.

Mr. Manuel Hagg (M. Sc.) is a research assistant at the Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics (IFT) at the University of Stuttgart. He has been working for several years on material provision in production and logistics systems and their simulation. Since mid-2021, he has been supporting the IILS by managing the sub-project "Logistics Processes", which aims to automate the provision of line sets at the installation site as far as possible.

OPPENLÄNDER Rechtsanwälte is a commercial law firm in Stuttgart. Around 40 lawyers advise domestic and foreign clients as well as the public sector on all aspects of commercial law. The focus of our advisory services is on antitrust law, corporate law/M&A, public law and intellectual property law.

The firm's industry focus includes the automotive industry, as well as public transportation and the health, energy and media sectors.

Dr. Christoph Wolf is a partner at OPPENLÄNDER Rechtsanwälte. He advises and represents companies in matters and proceedings relating to German and European antitrust law. One of his main areas of practice is advising companies from the automotive industry, e.g. in connection with cooperations (R&D, standardization, etc.), compliance issues, proceedings before antitrust authorities or claims for damages. He is a member of the Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht and author of several specialist publications on antitrust law issues. Dr. Wolf has provided legal support for the Wire Harness innovation initiative since its launch in 2019.

contor consulting & engineering GmbH is a management consultancy based in Stuttgart whose consulting services focus primarily on the areas of project management, development projects, process optimization and supplier management.

Mr. Rumpelt holds a degree in business administration and industrial engineering and has many years of experience in the coordination of funding, development and research projects in the automotive industry. With this background, he started the first exploratory talks with Mr. Schnauffer in mid-2019 regarding cooperation with potential partner companies in the field of automotive Wire Harness. Following the initial positive feedback, he set up the Wire Harness innovation initiative with Mr. Schnauffer. Since then, the two have together formed the Project Office, where the threads regarding the content of the IILS anchored in the sub-projects come together, the coordination and implementation of appointments takes place and which acts as a contact for the partner companies.