Challenges for Motion Systems in automated Production Systems-an Industrial Field Study

automated Production Systems (aPS) are highly complex mechatronic systems, partly operated for several decades. Particularly in the face of ever shorter innovation cycles in the context of Industry 4.0 and intensified global competition, it is essential for aPS manufacturers to develop high-quality, maintainable, and flexibly adaptable systems. Increasing the efficiency of aPS requires the implementation of sophisticated drive concepts that meet a variety of company-and process-specific requirements. However, the evaluation of design decisions of motion concepts in aPS and the challenges faced by industrial practitioners have so far barely been addressed in research. Therefore, this paper presents the results of a field study with six companies in the aPS manufacturing sector in Germany. The results shed light on the current state of industrial practice in motion systems, the challenges that are already solved well, and the issues that still show potential for improvement and, thus, serve as an outlook for future work in motion technology.