Fraunhofer welcomes Steinbeis Master students

12 Dec. 2023
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Master’s students visit the Service Engineering Lab

Last Wednesday, the Steinbeis Master of Business & Engineering students on Prof. Dr. Jan Roy Edlund’s “Change Management” course had the great opportunity to visit the ServLab of the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. This gave them an insight into current research and consulting projects and they developed concepts for innovative services in the workshop.

After an exciting introduction by the Head of Service Engineering, Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Thomas Meiren, about the history of Fraunhofer’s research projects (e.g. MP3 format, e-charging station control, quantum technology etc.), the students were given a tour of both the ultra-modern architecture and the interior design of the institute, which is based on the latest findings. It became clear how much value is placed on innovation, new work and digitalization at Fraunhofer. In addition to showroom laboratories, the latest sound insulation, color and lighting concepts or workflow environments, there are even rooms where customer environments can be simulated in a kind of studio theater with “special effects”. Green room technology is used here and state-of-the-art light and sound effects and even olfactory perception are employed. For example, if a customer service interaction is to be staged in a factory or car repair shop, the smell of oil or machinery can be emitted to accompany the scenery.

Following the tour, the students were shown how “Service Engineering & Innovation” works in practice using a real consulting project. As part of the joint project “Clean Water for India” in cooperation with the governments and VW, Fraunhofer IAO developed a training program on the topic of “Water Management” for the Indian market based on the German model. In order to create the appropriate requirements, it was important for the development team to carry out comprehensive market research and adapt the solutions to be developed to the cultural conditions. Another important step in the development of the service concept was visualization using 3D models. This made it easier to train employees in all processes at the wastewater treatment plants. According to Thomas Meiren, digitalization usually plays a decisive role in providing impetus for the development of new services. One example of this is the use of service robotics in hospitals, such as a robot service trolley transporting laundry from room to room. Another is the linking of sensors with a central service platform. This means, for example, that city waste garbage cans can be approached and emptied depending on how full they are and therefore how necessary they are. This enables more efficient waste disposal, as it saves time and therefore resources.

The students were then presented with a methodical flow chart for developing new services. On this basis, they had the opportunity to work in groups to create their own innovative service concept. They were supported and accompanied in a very friendly manner by Jürgen Müller, research associate at the Fraunhofer IAO. As a result, the highly committed student teams had indeed developed impressive new solutions. For example, a “Digital Check-In Hub to relieve reception staff” or VR glasses that visually support amateur chefs in becoming “professional chefs at home”. A “Digital catering management system for hospitals” was also developed. Last but not least, all groups had the opportunity to present their service innovations and creatively portray the customer users in role-playing games, which sometimes caused humor and applause among the participants and speakers.

Looking back, it was a very successful, exciting and highly concentrated day on which the Steinbeis students were able to gain many insights into the modern workspace of the Fraunhofer IAO, its projects and methodologies.

Thank you very much …

… to the Fraunhofer IAO for this inspiring event. Thanks above all to Thomas Meiren for his competent leadership, Jürgen Müller and Christophe Fondrier for their support during the workshop and especially to Steinbeis project manager Christophe Fondrier, who had previously worked at the Fraunhofer IAO himself and made the joint project between Steinbeis and Fraunhofer possible in the first place thanks to his long-standing relationships. Thanks also to Prof. Jan Roy Edlund for including such a field trip in his program.

From left to right: Thomas Meiren, Christophe Fondrier, Jürgen Müller, Prof. Dr. Jan Roy Edlund

A report by Larissa Hedrich, MBE student Steinbeis, Dec. 11, 2023

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