References and Awards

In the age of digital change an investment in eCommerce systems is inevitable. For this reason, the Software & Information Engineering department, in cooperation with a Swiss logistics service provider, took on the subject of e-commerce and offered advice and assistance in this complex area.

In practice, the input of incomplete and incorrect data, for example caused by empty mandatory fields, incorrect links or values, is not uncommon and poses a problem for later analysis. The goal should be a quantitative analysis of the summarized company data in order to use it, for example, to optimize marketing strategies.

Transforming Transport (TT) is an award-winning research project in which Big Data methods for sustainable transport models have been successfully developed, which are of great importance for the mobility and logistics sector in Europe.

Due to poor implementation of privacy requirements, many users had to work without cloud services. The PREsTiGE project, sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, addressed the problem and now enables collaborating companies to securely exchange data.

The Fraunhofer IML was also able to successfully demonstrate the many application examples for an IoT gateway that can be found in logistics. The Software & Information Engineering department has succeeded in using the IoT Gateway to process control and sensor data in real time and transfer them to control systems.

In practice, inefficient dispatch processing often occurs due to errors in determining the packaging required for shipments. Too large or too many small shipping packages are selected, or articles are unnecessarily distributed among too many packages.

For this reason, our Fraunhofer IML employees were commissioned to design an efficient, high-performance algorithm for calculating the best possible shipping packaging.

Hencon B.V., a Dutch heavy and special machinery manufacturer, was able, with the help of our experienced experts, to successfully integrate the automation and control of the Automated Guided Vehicles System (AGV) into the existing operation of the Alcoa aluminium smelter in Norway.

Lowest possible costs, punctual delivery and specifications for transport and storage - the demands on logistical processes are enormously high. An intelligent, self-sufficient air freight container, such as the SmartULD from the DyCoNet project, represents a solution to many of these challenges. Integrated into the Internet of Things, it constantly provides information, including its position, loaded goods and environmental data.

A major industrial partner is faced with the challenge of realizing the classification of logistics processes, such as the packaging of parcels. The aim of the cooperation with the Software & Information Engineering department is to develop a classifier for quantity forecasts.

The Software & Information Engineering department offers optimization of information processes through strategic consulting. For example, an industrial partner had problems within the software while automating its plants. The IT strategy consulting of the Software & Information Engineering department supported the industry partner in coping with these problems.

The Software & Information Engineering department at Fraunhofer IML has developed a tool that can calculate cycle times of shuttle storage systems. The shuttles are autonomous vehicles driving in the pallet channel, which in turn can be picked up by carrier vehicles. The developed tool is used by the sales department to calculate the individual number of shuttles and carrier vehicles required in the project.

Georg Wichmann was awarded the Fraunhofer Medal for his contribution to the development of the topic "Optimization of Loading Units" into one of the Institute's core competencies.

The loading space optimization software "PUZZLE", developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, has been honored as one of the best solutions in the category "Industry & Logistics" by the Initiative Mittelstand at this year's Innovation Award IT.

On Tuesday, December 11, 2012, the Fraunhofer innovation cluster "Cloud Computing for Logistics" entered the final round of the international "The Cloud Awards" with the cloud project "Logistics Mall" and in the category "Best Software as a Service".

With the public cloud project "Logistics Mall" and Logata GmbH, the Fraunhofer innovation cluster "Cloud Computing for Logistics" has been nominated as a reference customer in the category "Software as a Service" for the "Best in Cloud" award presented by Computerwoche.

In August 2012, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML was awarded the "GERMANY AT ITS BEST" seal of approval by the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Economic Affairs for its innovative cloud computing software "Logistics Mall" for its best performance.

The Association of the Cloud Services Industry in Germany, "EuroCloud Deutschland_eco", has awarded the best cloud services of the year. The "Logistics Mall" was nominated by the jury in the category "Best Case Study Commercial Sector" and was among the three finalists.

At HANNOVER MESSE on April 23, 2012, the concept of the "Logistics Mall" was particularly convincing in the "IT & Software Solutions for Industry" category. It thus belongs to the top group of the industry award.

"Logistics Mall" was awarded the "elogistics award 2012" at the international annual congress "AKJ Automotive". Once a year, innovative concepts and solutions for logistics and production that are already in use or in the process of being introduced are awarded.

The multiple award-winning Fraunhofer innovation cluster "Cloud Computing for Logistics" inspired the audience and expert jury of the "Best-in-Cloud Conference" and took second place in the special project category "Cloud Special Project" with the "Logistics Mall" and Logata GmbH as reference customers.

The "Logistics Mall" of the Fraunhofer Institutes for Material Flow and Logistics IML and for Software and Systems Engineering ISST was awarded the Innovation Prize IT at CeBIT by the Initiative Mittelstand as the best solution in the field of cloud computing suitable for medium-sized companies.