Changeability in the sheet metal forming industry

The mastery of increasingly turbulent company surroundings represents a major objective for production engineering in high wage countries. Forming technology is traditionally characterized by highly productive and highly specialized mass production processes. Thus, for this branch the adaption to varying influence factors is a particular challenge. The Institute for Production Engineering and Forming Machines conducted a study to analyze the current and future situation of the branch and to display strategies of action. This article summarizes the results of this study. © Carl Hanser Verlag, München.