Specification of the requirements to support information technology-cycles in the machine and plant manufacturing industry

Increasing complexity of machine and plant automation represents a growing challenge in its innovation process. Dependencies between various engineering disciplines and the different frequencies of innovation cycles further complicate the analysis, modeling and design of machine and plant automation. In order to investigate innovation impacts and to derive management measures, interviews with experts from machine and plant manufacturing companies were conducted. Paradigm changes were identified as innovation triggers; missing solutions for module management as well as the diversity of variants and versions were considered as innovation inhibitors. The results of the interviews, regarding the specification of the identified innovation triggers and inhibitors, are presented.