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The production process must also be increasingly digitized in mechanical and plant engineering. However, essential data is often missing for this. And time is pressing.

For a long time, China was the land of great promise for the machinery and plant engineering industry. But the important trading partner has thrown wrenches into the works, not least through lockdowns and aggressive technology and trade policies. For many companies, it is now time to look beyond China.

The beginning was made with individually manufactured complex components: With the help of additive manufacturing processes, a new world of production possibilities opened up years ago. The experiments with prototypes have become an established technology that is also increasingly being used in series production.

In the fall of 2022, one major industrial trade fair will follow the next. Trade fairs are currently celebrating a strong comeback - and yet they must allow themselves to be fundamentally questioned. How much exhibition hall is still needed and how much virtual showroom should there be in the future?

Why does it make sense for machines, components and systems from different industries to communicate across and among each other? And what opportunities and challenges does the global production language offer in this regard?

Germany and Europe want to become climate-neutral by the middle of the century. To achieve this, two challenges must be met: transforming the energy system while ensuring security of supply.

The number of hacker attacks in the mechanical and plant engineering sector is on the rise. More and more VDMA member companies are reporting attacks on office and production systems within the company. Already almost 40 percent of the attacks lead to production downtimes. How can medium-sized companies in particular arm themselves against attacks in advance or react correctly in the event of an actual attack?

Successful digital transformation in mechanical and plant engineering succeeds when everyone pulls in the same direction and keeps the customer's requirements in mind.

The heart of Europe beats in Brussels - even in difficult times. Critics complain, though, that Brussels too rarely makes the heart beat faster. Too bureaucratic, too far away from its people and companies, they say. But without common rules and institutions, the successful internal market model could not function.

When robots are as easy to operate as the smartphone, all humans can also work together with them. A "dream team" is created in which everyone contributes their individual skills. Collaboration between humans and robots offers great opportunities - also for the workplace of tomorrow.

The design of economic policy framework conditions is of central importance for the future viability of the state, as well as for the economic success of mechanical and plant engineering. A conversation with Prof. Dr. Lars Feld, Director of the Walter Eucken Institute and former head of the Economic Experts.

Corona is making it particularly difficult for mechanical engineering companies to meet their demand for skilled workers. But even without the pandemic, the challenge to companies and policymakers to find qualified young talent is growing.

Everyone is talking about electromobility. But what happens to the batteries after they are used? There is no way around battery recycling in the medium to long term - the technologies for this are supplied by mechanical and plant engineering.

With increasing networking, new approaches are needed in companies. Not just a view of the machines is needed, but a strong view of the entire ecosystem.

A climate-neutral future needs energy from renewable sources - and hydrogen. H2 will play a crucial role in meeting global energy needs in a climate-friendly way, for example as the basis for synthetic fuels.

Possible government coalitions will take completely different paths to advance climate protection, shape digitalisation and finance the national budget with tax policy.

Optimal and virus-free indoor air quality has been in the public discussion since the Corona pandemic. In the latest episode of the VDMA podcast, we discuss the technologies and devices that are out there in the field for good indoor air climate.

How can more digital sovereignty succeed in mechanical and plant engineering? These questions are answered by Lars Nagel, International Data Spaces Association and Kai Kalusa, VDMA in this episode of the VDMA Industry Podcast.

What challenges await mechanical engineering on the road to climate-neutral production? Carl-Otto Gensch, Öko-Institut Freiburg, and Dr. Sarah Brückner, VDMA, talk about this in the new edition of the VDMA Industry Podcast.

Millions of people use elevators every day - but how safe is it in times of a pandemic? The latest episode of the VDMA's industry podcast is about infection-free use of lifts during the Corona pandemic. Even simple measures can make elevators safer for people.