Visual computing challenges of advanced manufacturing and industrie 4.0

Over the past few years, there has been a clear trend toward more individualized and customized products that require increasing flexibility in production. As a result of new manufacturing capabilities (such as 3D printing), socioeconomic trends, and the effects of the worldwide economic crisis in 2008/2009, the manufacturing industry recognized the need to make their production facilities as well as supply and logistic chains more flexible. Globally, this effort would also reinforce economies traditionally strong in engineering and manufacturing.