This course sheds light on different aspects of modern manufacturing systems. During the last decade, manufacturing systems have become more open and autonomous. The fourth industrial revolution has digitized the production process to a large degree. While completely automated factories have been the vision in the early ’80s, the human role in digitized factories has shifted from operational to supervisory and planning tasks. The relationship between human actors and the production environment has changed. New means to analyze, design and control these interactions are necessary.

This course explores technical, methodological, ethical and social aspects of modern manufacturing systems, emphasising the role of humans in these systems.