The “Power4Production” (P4P) center focuses on the intelligent networking of products and production environments of industrial value creation. This involves topics such as direct communication between workpiece and machine and human-robot communication (HRC) in connection with so-called cyber-physical production systems. In addition, there are questions about topics such as robust networks, cloud computing and, in future, 5G in production.

P4P is operated at the ZeMA site in Saarbrücken by employees of DFKI and ZeMA. The state government considers the new center to be an important contribution to further strengthen and profile the research location Saarland. For this reason, the Ministry of Economics, Labor, Energy and Transportation is promoting the center as part of its industrial policy initiative “Saarland Industrieland. How we win the future with industry”. The center offers a comprehensive production-related test and learning factory around Industry 4.0.

One of the center’s focal points is the automotive sector. The center is equally managed by Professors Rainer Müller and Antonio Krüger. In addition to industry-related research in the subject area Industry 4.0 with regional and supra-regional companies, a corporate network is being established at the center to work on current challenges in operational practice and to develop new technologies and solutions. The performance spectrum of P4P is supplemented by further education and training programs for employees and managers from companies.