1. Introduction
Deutsch-Chinesische Institut für angewandte Forschung und Promotion (“IFP”) is an international cooperation and sharing platform established by Sino-German Ecopark, the only park for cooperation jointly founded by Chinese and German governments, to research cutting-edge technologies and promote doctoral training. It is a solely state-owned institution. Deutsch-Chinesische IFP is guided and supported by top-level experts of Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V (Acatech) and Fraunhofer Research Institution, led by Professor Fang Dianjun, Chinese Chief Scientist and Chief Representative of Fraunhofer-Institut für Materialfluss und Logistik (“IML”), and served by 9 German state-level academicians, including Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Kuhn, Prof. Dr. Otthein Herzog and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Roßmann as members of the Academic Committee, and served by more than 30 professors from several famous universities at home and abroad as specially-invited research fellows, such as Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen (“RWTH Aachen”), Technical University of Munich (“TUM”), Technische Universität Dortmund, the University of Bremen, Gerhard Mercator University of Duisburg, the University of Copenhagen, and Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University.
Deutsch-Chinesische IFP aims to draw on a successful application research mode from Germany—Fraunhofer Mode—to promote the R&D, incubation, transformation and industrialization of “industry 4.0” intelligent technologies, especially AI, intelligent manufacturing and intelligent logistics technologies, and meanwhile facilitate exchanges and resource sharing between domestic and foreign doctoral students and supervisors, to provide cutting-edge technologies and excellent talents for Shandong Province and even the whole country in replacing old growth drivers with new ones.
2. Technological Innovation and Industrialization
Deutsch-Chinesische IFP relies on the first-class resources of Germany to actively attract talents and introduce advanced technologies from Germany and Europe to promote technology incubation, transformation and industrialization. In the course of technology and talent introduction, Deutsch-Chinesische IFP has paid close attention to actual needs of local industrial development and the development strategy of local government and starts with the construction of “innovation and industrialization base” to facilitate regional industrial transformation and upgrading and promote the industrialization of new technology.
It also contributes to domestic talent cultivation while introducing international first-class experts and technologies, so that the “innovation and industrialization base” of Deutsch-Chinesische IFP will become the cradle of developing intelligent technologies and high-end talents in China. Its technicians from all over the world will work together to research and develop advanced technology and solutions for China’s industries, to achieve integrated development of “research, innovation, talent cultivation and technology application”, develop high-end technology and talent and build a self-development capability.
3. Doctoral Training Mechanism
Unlike conventional doctoral programs of Chinese academic institutions, Deutsch-Chinesische IFP will learn from German model, sign joint R&D and doctoral training agreements with companies, organize cooperation on projects directed by domestic and foreign doctoral supervisors, and recommend doctoral candidates to participate in project R&D in a full-time manner. Under guidance of domestic and foreign supervisors, the doctoral candidates complete project studies and doctoral dissertations and join in the entrusting enterprise after graduation, so as to cultivate high-end technical personnel with practical experience and abilities for enterprises.
To this end, Deutsch-Chinesische IFP cooperates with doctoral candidate schools of universities in Germany and other foreign countries to build doctoral training and sharing platforms. It adopts this talent model of “sending domestic talents to study abroad and bringing in foreign talents”. That is, it allows foreign doctoral students to carry out any doctoral study in Deutsch-Chinesische IFP, and meanwhile sends potential Chinese talents to universities of Germany to do research on advanced technologies necessary to development of China’s industries. Deutsch-Chinesische IFP has certified and employed a group of domestic and foreign doctoral supervisors and got a number of doctoral supervisors and professors together to jointly do research on cutting-edge technologies and train doctoral candidates. Based on Chinese industrial needs, it will enable Chinese doctoral candidates to conduct research to finish dissertation with foreign advanced research facilities, and participate in doctoral dissertation defense in and be awarded with doctorate from foreign universities. Any foreign doctoral candidate may apply for double degrees if he or she completes his or her doctoral dissertation under guidance of domestic and foreign supervisors.
It focuses on training doctor students in fields of intelligent product design, intelligent manufacturing, intelligent logistics, AI, robot, and big data technology and so on.
4. Operation model
Deutsch-Chinesische IFP will learn from Fraunhofer Mode in Germany and utilize resource advantages of international partners to actively research and develop intelligent technology, incubate, transform and industrialize relevant achievements, introduce and utilize international advanced intelligent technologies, and based on that, develop any cutting-edge technology with proprietary intellectual property rights. Furthermore, based on expert resources from Germany, IFP will draw on main technical forces of famous professors, scholars and industry experts at home and abroad and set its base in Qingdao, to provide intelligent manufacturing, intelligent logistics, AI and other high-end education and intelligent technology training services for the government’s science & technology staff and enterprises’ senior technicians and managers nationwide. It will utilize various approaches (such as theoretical instruction, participation in practical projects, exchange of experience in the industry, and field visit) to train high-level technical personnel and new management personnel in industry 4.0 era, boost the replacement of old growth drivers with new ones, and promote intelligent manufacturing in China.
5. Introduction to Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V. is the largest research institution of applied science in Germany and even Europe. It was established on March 26, 1949 and named after Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826), a scientist, inventor and entrepreneur in Germany. Its headquarters is located in Munich, Germany. In the ranking of 25 most innovative governmental research institutions in the world published by Thomson Reuters in 2016, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft stood in the top three.
Fraunhofer is affiliated to the Ministry of Science and Technology of German federal government, as an industrial development think tank of German federal government. Fraunhofer is committed to applied research with a view to serving enterprise and the public with scientific research achievements and assisting enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, in developing new technology and products in a broad range of engineering technology fields and solving organization and management problems in the course of their innovative development.
Fraunhofer plays a significant role in scientific and technological development of Germany. It actively participates in EU’s scientific and technological development projects and is entrusted by various state and federal governments of Germany to carry out a series of strategic researches on industry 4.0, intelligent service world, future city, digital society, environmental protection, energy, health and other fields of significance to social development.
Fraunhofer has 76 research institutes located in cities of every state of Germany and more than 25,000 scientists and engineers, and is annually granted with research funds of over EUR 2.2 billion, 2/3 of which is from enterprise and government-aided entrusted scientific research projects and 1/3 from fiscal appropriations from federal and state governments which are mainly used in buying the most advanced scientific research equipment to ensure that Fraunhofer develops the leading-level scientific research and make forward-looking R&D efforts to meet corporate and social technical requirements in the next five and even ten years.
6. Introduction to Chinese and German Deans
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Kuhn, German Dean
Axel Kuhn is Dean of Deutsch-Chinesische IFP for German side, an academician of Acatech, Tenured Honorary President of Fraunhofer IML, Chairman of National Transportation and Logistics Research Commission of Germany, Chairman of National Future Smart City Research Commission of Germany, and Dean of Logistics Research Institute of TU Dortmund. Axel Kuhn is also an authoritative expert in the world’s logistics technology field, a world-class expert on industry 4.0 and intelligent logistics, and one of main makers of German “industry 4.0” strategy. Over the years, he has been the logistics strategy consultant of German federal government.
Since 1973, Mr. Kuhn has been engaged in research on applied science and has achieved scientific research results mainly in such aspects as logistics system of smart city, research on logistics strategy, R&D of decision support system, innovative factory planning and design, and analysis and optimization of production and logistics processes. In addition, Mr. Kuhn has led a number of urban logistics planning and corporate supply chain design projects, making outstanding contributions to industrial development of Germany.
In the past three decades, Mr. Kuhn has been committed to promoting Sino-Germany friendly exchanges, especially cooperation about logistics, accumulating very rich experience in working in China.
Prof. Fang Dianjun, Chinese Dean
Fang Dianjun is a professor and doctoral supervisor of Tongji University, Dean of Deutsch-Chinesische IFP for Chinese side, Chinese Chief Scientist and Chief Representative of Fraunhofer IML, a specially-invited expert within the Recruitment Program of Global Experts, a member of the Board of Doctoral School of TU Dortmund, a guest professor of TU Dortmund, a guest professor of TUM, and a guest professor of Hochschule Mannheim.
As the best Chinese practitioner in Germany’s logistics industry, Prof. Fang Dianjun does well in logistics management and logistics engineering, enjoys a great reputation in Germany’s logistics industry, and is a business backbone in the first key logistics science & technology project under the 7th Five-Year Plan of China. Mr. Fang joined in Fraunhofer IML and obtained national special allowance in Germany in 1988; obtained a doctorate in logistics engineering in Germany by means of his outstanding dissertation Logistics Center Planning Experts’ System in 1995; was awarded with title of “Fraunhofer’s Tenured Honorary Research Fellow” in 2005; and was granted with the highest achievement award “Fraunhofer Medal” by Fraunhofer in 2010. The German expert team led by Mr. Fang has provided consultation services for Huawei for more than 20 years and has been developing the world’s leading manufacturing and logistics system of Huawei, laying a solid foundation for Huawei’s global operations. In 2013 and 2016, the German expert team led by Mr. Fang was awarded with “The Highest Gold Medal” and “Operational Excellence” by Huawei. In 2018, Prof. Fang Dianjun was granted with “Excellent Achievement Award” by BVL.
Fang Dianjun has worked in Germany for more than 20 years, making outstanding research achievements in the field of intelligent logistics technology and remarkable achievements in dissemination and application of new technology. He used to work as a senior logistics and supply-chain management consultant in many internationally well-known enterprises including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Bosch, Bayer, Procter & Gamble, and Swiss International Air Lines.
Meanwhile, Prof. Fang Dianjun is in charge of several national, provincial and municipal governmental scientific research projects in China and provides consultation services for various domestically well-known enterprises such as Huawei, Haier, Foton, JD.COM, Ping An Bank and China National Tobacco Corporation.
7. The List of Some German Experts
1) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Kuhn, an academician of Acatech and a professor of TU Dortmund
2) Prof. Dr. Otthein Herzog, an academician of Acatech and a professor of the University of Bremen
3) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Juergen Roßmann, an academician of Acatech and a professor of RWTH Aachen
4) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Abramovici, an academician of Acatech and a professor of Ruhr-Universität Bochum
5) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Juergen Fleisser, an academician of Acatech and a professor of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
6) Prof. Dr. Michael ten Hompel, an academician of Acatech and Dean of Fraunhofer IML
7) Prof. Dr. Michael Henke, an academician of Acatech and a professor of TU Dortmund
8) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Katja Windt, an academician of Acatech and a professor of Jacobs University Bremen
9) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Altstaedt, an academician of Acatech and a professor of the University of Bayreuth
10) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Clausen, a professor of TU Dortmund and Dean of Fraunhofer IML
11) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fottner, a professor of TUM
12) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karsten Stahl, a professor of TUM
13) Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Thoben, Dean of BIBA and a professor of the University of Bremen
14) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Schmidt, a professor of Jacobs University Bremen
15) Prof. Dr. Klaus Spicher, a professor of Fachhochschule Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences in OWL, Germany
16) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Noche, a professor of University of Duisburg-Essen
17) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Stache, a professor of Universität Siegen
18) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Katja Klingebiel, a professor of Fachhochschule Dortmund
19) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Beckmann, a professor of Hochschule Niederrhein
20) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Toth, a professor of Bochum University of Applied Sciences
21) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Wagenitz, a professor of Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
22) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Kreutzfeldt, a professor of Hamburg University of Technology
23) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Guenther Pawellek, a professor of Hamburg University of Technology
24) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sigrid Wenzel, a professor of the University of Kassel
25) Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lehnhoff, a professor of the University of Oldenburg
26) Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Bruns, Helmut Schmidt University
27) Prof. Dr. Jörg Schoenharting, a professor of University of Duisburg-Essen
28) Prof. Dr. Michael Manitz, a professor of University of Duisburg-Essen
29) Prof. Dr. Heike Proff, a professor of University of Duisburg-Essen
30) Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Wehking, a professor of Universität Stuttgart
31) Prof. Dr. Hans-Christian Pfohl, a professor of Darmstadt University of Technology
32) Prof. Dr. –Ing. Thorsten Schmidt, a professor of Dresden University of Technology
8. The List of Some Project Technologies
1) Multifunction intelligent transfer robot technology
2) Climbing intelligent transfer robot technology RackRacer
3) Intelligent stacking and handing robot SAM
4) Digital forest technology
5) Smart factoring 3D digital twin technology
6) Spacecraft digital twin and robot dynamic simulation technology in weightless environment
7) OTD-Net supply-chain full-process digital twin and simulation technology
8) Intelligent decision support system for logistics
9) New heuristic prediction algorithms for stable time series—Revinda and Metrix
10) A new heuristic prediction algorithm for unstable time series—Simfac
11) Indoor AGV laser navigation technology
12) New indoor AGV combined navigation technology
13) AI-based dispatching and transportation system optimization technology
14) AI-based garbage identification and collection system
15) AI-based predicative maintenance system for wind power generation equipment
16) Low cost tracker based on narrow-band Internet of Things technology
17) Assembly system based on AR technology
18) Rope-towed robot technology
19) New intelligent modular conveying system Celluveyor
20) Automatic packing and unpacking system for containers
