Research

Project partners:
Frankfurt UAS: Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke,  Prof. Dr. Susanne Koch, Prof. Dr. Kirstin Zimmer
HS Fulda: Professors Huth (Director), Schumann, Zimmermann
HS Darmstadt: Professors Wojanowski, Bucerius
HS RheinMain: Professor Werner
TH Mittelhessen: Professor Specht

Content:
In the numerous advance meetings, a hypothesis crystallized: for many questions that affect logistical decisions in Hesse, there is a lack of or insufficient information related to the region that is relevant for making decisions. The Logistics Atlas for Hesse is supposed to close this gap between the data required and the data that is available and to provide decision-makers for logistics and transportation-specific problems with detailed location and geospatial-related data. The Logistics Atlas is an (e.g. internet-based) IT application that can access different data bases.

In the first step of the project, stock was taken on the current situation in order to determine and document the actors and their logistics responsibilities, the required and available data and data bases, as well as the corresponding data gaps and requirements so that design recommendations can be derived for the Logistics Atlas for Hesse. The research ventures "Logistics Atlas for Hesse (project proposal)" and "Logistics Atlas for Hesse (concept)" that are documented in the final report serve to establish the design prerequisites for the actual Logistics Atlas for Hesse.

A consortium of logistics professors from the five University of Applied Sciences in the state of Hesse joined forces in order to plan and implement the research project. Their collaboration shows the strength of the universities of applied sciences in applied research.

You can read the complete final report of the Logistics Atlas for Hesse here (German only).

Project partner:
Frankfurt UAS: Prof. Dr. Eng. Benjamin Bierwirth
Air Cargo Community e.V. (ACCF)

Content:
The e-Cargo Supply Chain project (eCSC) is a project supported by the Hesse Ministry for Science and Art. In collaboration with the Air Cargo Community e.V. (ACCF), Prof. Dr. Benjamin Bierwirth of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences is studying the use potential for the electronic exchange of information relating to shipment data in air freight at the Frankfurt Airport.

The benefits of the electronic exchange of information are determined and quantified using empirical process analysis between several partners. To do so, process times, resources, and costs for the participants are analyzed. In order to balance costs and benefits, models for cost-benefit sharing are investigated. The resulting concepts and recommended actions are tested operationally at the partners in a brief test phase.

Objective:
The objective is to show that the electronic exchange of information allows for accelerated handling, prevents redundant data entries, and enables better resource allocation and plannability. The results of the project will be presented to the members of the ACCF Association at the start of 2016.

Project partner:
Frankfurt UAS: Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke, M.Sc. Altan Yalcin
benjamin Systems GmbH
SimPlan AG
Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
Fraport AG

Duration:
November 2013 - December 2014

Content:
The application partner Fraport runs a complex internal material flow application, the baggage handling system, at the Frankfurt Airport and in other locations. Part of the baggage handling system is the so-called early baggage storage, which stores luggage that passengers have check in early (for instance suitcases checked-in the evening before for a flight on the next afternoon) and that have to be brought to the corresponding gate in time before departure.

At the moment, the problem is solved by having the suitcases going around in circles on a roller track. This results in high costs for energy but also for repairs and system maintenance. Another project partner, benjamin GmbH, has developed an innovative conveyor technology (fluid logistics) that can potentially store and retrieve baggage more efficiently in terms of resource utilization. Per simulation, a more precise statement can be made about the quality of the performance capacity depending on the application case before an investment, i.e. complex hardware installation. Depending on the result of the simulation, repetitive optimization measures can be performed on the solution to be implemented.

The simulation tools on the market today are designed to represent currently available conveyor technology (continuous conveyors). However, there are currently no tools that can represent systems like fluid logistics quickly and efficiently in existing common simulators. Such components currently represent a USP in the market for simulation solutions; the advantage over today's solutions is that fluid logistics can be integrated realistically into simulation models.

Objective:
The goal of this project is to create a virtual reference product (the simulation of the early baggage storage of the Frankfurt Airport) with the help of the results of the "SimFö" project running until the end of 2014, in which an object library for fluid logistics is developed. In the simulation, the performance of fluid logistics is shown in very dense storage systems, for instance with the application case of early baggage storage at the Frankfurt Airport.

Project partners:
Frankfurt UAS:  Prof. Dr. Ralf Banning,  Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke

Duration:
Project still in progress

Content:
The Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Frankfurt UAS) is one of eight partner universities worldwide jointly developing the Industry 4.0 curriculum for the SAP University Alliances Community. Materials for teaching are developed and made available at the member universities of the SAP University Alliances. Students thus acquire basic knowledge on the current topic of Industry 4.0, digitalization of the industry. The goal is to provide future engineers with practical and future-oriented training by giving students access to the latest SAP technologies.

At the Frankfurt UAS, students in the Master’s program Global Logistics will profit from the curriculum starting in the 2015 summer semester. After the pilot phase, additional programs will be added to Faculty 3: Business and Law of the Frankfurt UAS, including a Master’s program in Industrial Engineering and Management and Bachelor programs with specialization in production and logistics. The curriculum will be partly integrated into existing seminar modules at the Frankfurt UAS and new program modules will also be designed.

The practical teaching units will be performed on so-called open systems, which means that individual machines, machine groups, or simulated flow lines will be controlled via the SAP software. This was not possible until now, which is why the teachers were only able to demonstrate virtual examples. The Industry 4.0 curriculum males it possible to integrate this haptic application into the process via a connection to the machine control system.

Objective: 
While using a model application with four production stages and networking of SAP and real machines, students will become familiar with the interaction of different business administration applications. Using lean methodology, students will develop fundamental process improvements, such as TAKT, PULL, or Lot Size 1. The interaction between IT (SAP) and model (Festo) permits completely new insights into processes in production and logistics.

Project partner:
Frankfurt UAS:  Prof. Dr. Petra Schäfer, Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke

Duration:
June - December 2014

Objective:
The objective of the proposed project is the development of a data basis for commercial transportation in the inner city of Frankfurt, which makes it possible to identify deficits in the transportation infrastructure. Based on the analyzed traffic and mobility data, a catalog of traffic planning measures is to be developed, which is expected to contribute to an improved use of existing transportation infrastructure and the relief of bottlenecks in logistics processes. The data is to be collected via traffic monitoring in a pilot area of Frankfurt's inner city as well as through interviews with businesses from the logistics industry.

One result of the project is also expected to be the development of portable survey methodology. The determined data basis is intended to be an important building block for achieving the objectives of the research project "Logistics Atlas for Hesse."

Project partners:
Frankfurt UAS:  Prof. Dr. Susanne Koch, Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke, Prof. Dr. Kirstin Zimmer
HS Fulda: Professors Huth (Director), Schumann, Zimmermann
HS Darmstadt: Professors Wojanowski, Bucerius
HS RheinMain: Professor Werner
TH Mittelhessen: Professor Specht

Duration:
June - December 2014

Objective:
The logistic atlas for Hesse provides decision-makers for logistics and transportation-specific questions with detailed, location and area-specific data that can be used to justify the corresponding decisions with local or regional relevance. For this purpose, data sources are developed, made available, and linked; the existing data are ordered, condensed, and analyzed so that they can be used as a basis for decisions. The "Logistics Atlas for Hesse" project proposal serves to create the concept-related prerequisites for the actual logistics atlas and to conduct a viable project proposal.

The specific output of the proposed research project is a) a data base of relevant decision-related questions concerning logistical aspects created with semi-quantitative interviews, b) the derivation of suitable data structures to answer the decision-related questions, c) an overview of the required, available, and currently unavailable data and data sets, d) a guideline for the Logistics Atlas for Hesse, and e) a research proposal at the federal and state level.

Project partner:
Frankfurt UAS: Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke
Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. (ACCF)
Fraunhofer IML, Project Center Air Transportation Logistics

Duration:
June - December 2014

Objective:
The goal of the venture is the development and coordination of a methodology for a location-specific tool kit for depicting process quality (e.g. turnover time, data quality, delivery service). The tool kit is supposed to reproduce the performance and quality of the freight location as a whole but also to enable the early recognition of bottlenecks and uncover the need for expansion or improvement measures. The collection and supplementation of the individual data is desired for the monitoring and management of the overall location. In addition to the data of the location partners, it should also include market information. A prerequisite are strategies and indicators for joint and neutral use and comparisons with competing airports. The recommended actions are supported by a demonstrator. In comparison with the HOLM research agenda, the pursued topics are "secure information networking,” "integrated acquisition, analysis, and representation of regional traffic data” (here focused on the air freight location), "joint capacity utilization and intelligent pricing mechanisms," and "transparency of intelligence analytics"

Project partner:
Frankfurt UAS: Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke
Fraunhofer IML, Project Center Air Transportation Logistics
Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V.

Duration:
June - December 2014

Objective:
Businesses across the air freight supply chain are involved over four value-added levels in the cargo city at the largest European air freight location Frankfurt/Main. At the initiative of the operator Fraport, in 2012/2013 a joint data base (fair@link) was started that for the first time permits the electronic exchange of shipping information between the businesses "ahead" of the actual freight. The goal of the projects is to develop software standards (best practices) and interface standards for the development of integrated and sustainable logistics solutions for the cargo community. The focus of the venture was the improved coordination and integration of the different actors along the air freight value chain to allow the actors to achieve higher quality and more efficient process completion. The costs and access barrier for the data exchange must be kept as low as possible. The blueprint is the internet as a communication platform. In order to win the acceptance of the actors, they must be included on a non-discriminatory basis, moderated, and organized freely for the design and implementation of the modified IT solutions.