TRANSFER The Steinbeis Magazine A Strongly Inter woven Network Steinbeis on a local level Our centers in the Nord Schwarzwald region Turning the spotlight on product development processes Steinbeis publishes study on product development Usability engineering Steinbeis experts set up a new center of excellence Too real to be true Steinbeis develops an interactive product catalog 02 | 2013 2 CONTENTS Steinbeis on a local level 04 Knowledge and technology transfer in the Nordschwarzwald region “We shape the future with our projects!” 07 An interview with Prof. Dr. Elke Theobald and Prof. Dr. Barbara Burkhardt-Reich Turning the spotlight on the product development process 09 Steinbeis publishes study on product development at manufacturing companies Corporate Vocational University: Aligning skilled labor qualifications with the needs of multinational manufacturers 10 Research at Steinbeis University Berlin The 2013 Steinbeis Day 27 Real-time incident alerts for the Alpine region 12 Simply the best – give the problem a chance 28 Steinbeis involved in TranSAFE-Alp EU project Steinbeis trainers share problem-solving methods for employees from manufacturing Well and quickly captured 14 A new software for requirements management with Schleppmaxxe reloaded 3.1 29 intuitive user handling Steinbeis Transfer Centers and students develop battery-operated pushback tug Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Osterwinter 15 Obituary Cutting-edge technology for historic cities 30 Efficient LED lighting in public spaces Training spotlight 16 Too real to be true 32 Information for the taking! 17 Steinbeis develops interactive product catalog SHB student develops information portal for musicians from the greater Stuttgart area Environmental protection at a profit 34 Savings through resource efficiency in surface technology Usability engineering for mobile business software 18 Steinbeis experts establish competence center Successful launch into the solar market 36 SHB student writes a business plan for Sika AG Systems.Methods.Added Value. 20 175 people attend the 2nd Steinbeis Engineering Day New centers in the Steinbeis Network 38 Successful commitment to transfer 21 Technology within reach 42 Steinbeis financial results 2012 SHB seminar brings businessmen closer to technology Consulting spotlight 22 News 43 Uncovering hidden treasures, trimming the fat 23 Experts.Knowledge.Sharing. 46 Steinbeis Transfer Center develops an innovative New releases from Steinbeis-Edition system for evaluating patents New routes to biologically-inspired peptide active ingredients 24 Steinbeis team develops procedure to identify carbohydrate- specific lectin peptides at the molecular level Find an overview of all Steinbeis IT team meets the user 26 Enterprises and their services on Service management paves the way for reliable, www.steinbeis.de → our experts target-based delivery of IT services TRANSFER 02|2013 Technology.Transfer.Application. EDITORIAL 3 Dear readers, the southern German region of Nordschwarzwald, or the North Black Forest, offers many appealing places for high-skilled technology companies to work from. It is also nestled in charming countryside with plenty to do and a high standard of living. Industry in the area revolves primarily around engineering and tooling as well as the tier one/tier two supply of a variety of automotive companies. There are also a number of materials tech- nology specialists in the region, plus companies involved in process technology, jewelry, creative services and relaxation/activity vacations, all stemming from the area’s unique blend between nature and innovation. Nordschwarzwald is home to a large number of hidden champions, examples of which include Arburg (injection molding machines, from Loßburg), Fischerwerke (connection solutions, from Waldachtal and Horb), Härter (stamping technology, from Königsbach-Stein), Schmalz (high-efficiency vacuum technology, from Glatten) and Witzenmann (flexible metallic elements, from Pforzheim). The bread-and-butter business of companies in the area ranges from the construction of forward- and back- Prof. Uwe Dittmann is the director ward-integrated machine systems to the production of system-based assembly units ready for integration of the Steinbeis Transfer Center of into complex solutions. There is a wealth of experience in the region coupled with a detailed understanding of Marketing, Logistics and Business a variety of specialist fields, the hallmark (for customers) of made-to-measure solutions and genuine innova- Planning at Pforzheim University. tions. An important partner in all of this is Steinbeis and its network of experts. The center is one of more than 20 Steinbeis Enterprises in the Nord- The MLU Steinbeis Transfer Center is a specialist in marketing, logistics and company planning and is based at schwarzwald region. All Steinbeis Pforzheim University. It has been collaborating with companies for 18 years, most of them based in the Nord- centers in the area are presented schwarzwald region. The experts at the MLU support companies in a variety of industries, providing a shining on pages 4 to 6. example of knowledge sharing between universities and business. The MLU’s specialists comprise nine professors and seven co-workers in the schools of design, engineering and business planning. All share a commitment to knowledge transfer, and many of their projects involve the delivery of consultation services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Apart from its work in marketing, logistics and business planning, the MLU offers solutions in the fields of IT, media, business process improvement (BPI), environmental and resource manage- ment, and the development of communication concepts for use in Web applications. The center has also developed an instrument called the DKA (dialog-based communication analysis) to quickly and efficiently identify system weaknesses. As well as looking at the people who work within companies, DKA methods actively involve these people in entrepreneurship. This instrument thus acts as an incubator of ideas, providing implementable recommendations which also play a major role in motivating people. I hope you enjoy reading this latest edition of TRANSFER! Prof. Uwe Dittmann Technology.Transfer.Application. TRANSFER 02|2013 4 STEINBEIS ON A LOCAL LEVEL Baden-Württemberg District of Enz There are 21 Steinbeis Enterprises (SEs) in the Nordschwarzwald region Wiernsheim (which lies at the northern end of the Neuenbürg City district Black Forest in Baden-Wuerttemberg): of Pforzheim five on the Horb Campus of the Stuttgart-based Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW), 13 at Pforzheim University of Design, Engineering, Business and Law, and Engelsbrand- three centers in other locations. Salmbach To find out more, go to: www.steinbeis- nordschwarzwald.de District of Calw Nagold District of Freudenstadt Horb am Neckar TRANSFER 02|2013 Technology.Transfer.Application. STEINBEIS ON A LOCAL LEVEL 5 Steinbeis on a local level Knowledge and technology transfer in the Nordschwarzwald region The region of Nordschwarzwald (North Black Forest) lies in the southwest of Germany and includes the city district of Pforzheim and the separate districts of Calw, Enz and Freudenstadt. The area holds much appeal, not only because of the delightful countryside at this nort- hern end of the Black Forest, but also due to its reputation as a flourishing business location for medium-sized enterprises. The manufac- turing companies in the region span a multitude of business sectors and modern technologies, and many firms are actively involved in ex- port markets. This has enabled many traditional, owner-managed family businesses to take their companies into leading positions in their respective markets. With innovative companies and world-class universities in the region, the combination of several key factors provides an excellent foundation for knowledge and technology sharing – with a focus on business practice and market needs. Drawing on a broad spectrum of services, businesses in the region receive valuable support from the Steinbeis Enterprises based in the area. Steinbeis has been active in the Nordschwarzwald region since 1986, pa- business partners allows students to gain practical experience on the job. ving the way for scientific insights to be translated quickly into successful business innovations. To this end, Steinbeis works with the following part- Pforzheim University – Design, Engineering, Business and Law: Pforzheim ners in the area: University offers 24 bachelor programs and 13 master degrees through its schools of design, engineering, business and law. With around 5,500 stu- The Horb Campus of the Stuttgart-based Baden-Wuerttemberg Coopera- dents, it is one of the biggest universities of applied sciences in Baden- tive State University (DHBW): Over 900 students are currently enrolled in Wuerttemberg. The university collaborates closely with trade and industry, courses at the Horb Campus of the DHBW. The cooperative degrees offe- has cooperation agreements with a variety of sister universities around red at the university bridge the gap between theory and practice. The Horb the world, and is actively involved in international networks. Campus offers six internationally accredited bachelor programs at the school of engineering, providing technical education in parallel to the most important academic qualifications. At the same time, work with Steinbeis Enterprises in the Nordschwarzwald region: Baden-Wuerttemberg Development Product Development Material Development