Software Engineering - vdma.eu
Software Engineering
Software meets mechanical engineering
In the field of mechanical and plant engineering, software has become indispensable as a driver of innovation and progress. The development of industrial software covers a wide range of applications, extending to higher-level processes, complementary products, and services.
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On July 1, 2025, VDMA Austria held an AI practical day at the KEBA Group in Linz, which attracted a great deal of interest with over 70 participants.
The VDMA Software and Digitization Association is expanding its offering on the topic of open source software in industry.
As part of the online event "Usability and user experience (UX) in mechanical and plant engineering", a survey was conducted among the participants on June 2, 2025 to obtain an up-to-date picture of the current mood.
The commercial use of space, known as New Space, is opening up new digital business models for the mechanical and plant engineering and software industries - that is the conclusion of the latest episode of the VDMA Industry Podcast.
The study addresses questions around technologies used and future planning in the area of machine operation / HMI in mechanical engineering. Almost 400 machine manufacturers and system integrators participated.
The continuous development of software-based solutions enables companies to react more agilely to market changes and strengthens their competitive position.
From 17 February 2025: Improved modelling, calculation and optimization of drive systems and transmission elements.
Advancing digitalization has led to software no longer being seen as just a "tool", but as a decisive competitive advantage.
Digitalization is driving the mechanical and plant engineering industry forward. This innovative strength is also reflected in the theses submitted by graduates from Germany and Austria.
Together with members and partners, the trade association celebrated its 25th anniversary in Würzburg. One thing became particularly clear: the trade association and its topics are playing an increasingly important role in the industry.
The new white paper from VDMA Software and Digitalization is intended to provide member companies with guidance on how to become more familiar with the topic.
The VDMA interviewed two of our member companies to find out why software localization involves much more than the purely linguistic translation of user interfaces.
As part of the online event "Generative AI - exploiting opportunities, minimizing risks", a survey was conducted among the participants on 6 February 24 to obtain a current picture of the mood.
The VDMA expert group "Machine Learning / AI" has drawn up a checklist for the use of generative AI, which is intended to provide initial assistance for the application in the company.
The Industrial Metaverse - what added value does it offer? Which use cases are already possible and which hurdles still need to be overcome? A conversation with Michael Schmitt (Capgemini) and Florian Klein (VDMA).
Digitization is a decisive key in mechanical and plant engineering to ensure the competitiveness of European industry and thus also prosperity in Europe.
Description
Taking the metaverse into account is the right thing to do. However, strict EU rules would be an innovation killer. For mechanical engineering, the Industrial Metaverse offers great potential on the way to climate-neutral production and digitization.
VDMA found out why it will influence the world of work and how we will work together in the industrial environment in the future in an interview with two of our member companies.
Everyone is talking about ChatGPT - but can it really replace developers?
As part of the online event "Metaverse - a benefit for the industry?" on March 16, 2023, a survey on the topic was conducted to obtain an up-to-date mood picture from the companies.
VDMA found out why gamification should be seen as a valuable tool in an interview with Florian Fuchs from CaderaDesign GmbH and with Florian Holzapfel from Plain Concepts GmbH.
VDMA found out why agility only works with attitude in an interview with Christian Gerlach from macio GmbH and with Judith Armbruster from iT Engineering Software Innovations GmbH.
Erleben Sie die Zukunft des Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus! Besuchen Sie den Gemeinschaftsstand in Halle 15 F28 auf der Hannover Messe und entdecken Sie, wie digitale Softwarelösungen die produzierende Industrie revolutionieren!
The approach of gamification becomes more and more important for the industry. This is understood to mean the transfer of game-typical elements and processes into non-game contexts. The declared goal is to bring about an increase in motivation and the associated change in behavior among users. But how can the (innate) human play instinct be used meaningfully for corporate purposes?
For some time now, the metaverse has been a much-discussed trend topic. It is a digital space in which virtual, augmented and physical reality merge as seamlessly as possible. Thus, digital representations of people ("avatars") can interact with each other and with digital objects in a virtual environment. But what impact does this have on industrial companies?
The event serves as a platform where experts can report on the latest developments and where real exchange is possible - across industries and with a practical focus.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is used to make business processes more efficient by allowing software robots to take over recurring routine tasks, such as performing transactions, following business rules, controlling applications, etc.
VDMA found out how important a good user experience (UX) is in an interview with Nils Clark-Bernhard, macio GmbH, and David Baier, Weidmueller GTI Software GmbH.
We talked to Sebastian Betzin from generic.de and Wolfram Schäfer from iT Engineering Software Innovations about the topic of software quality and clean code.
To enable companies to develop gearboxes even faster, FVA has now made its FVA-Workbench calculation software cloud-compatible.
In today's very fast-paced world, individual departments or entire companies are increasingly under pressure to move. In order to remain competitive accordingly, no company should hide from digitalization.
On 27.04.2021, this described topic aspect was dealt with intensively in an event organized by the VDMA Baden-Württemberg and the Fachverband Software und Digitalisierung in cooperation with the Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Stuttgart. The course of this online event was therefore structured into a keynote speech on the topic of clean code development and a building practical example.
In our podcast, we explore the question of what effects good and bad usability have in mechanical and plant engineering. Clemens Lutsch from Centigrade and Nils Clark-Bernhard from macio give answers.
Before we go into the winter break with our podcast, there is the latest episode with the topic "Low Code Development" - listen in!
At HANNOVER MESSE - Digital Days on 15 July, the guide and descriptions of nine use cases on 5G in mechanical and plant engineering will be published. The occasion is the VDMA panel discussion "5G in mechanical engineering: from technology push to market pull". The guide and the use cases have been available exclusively to VDMA members since April 2020.
VDMA Software and Digitalization has published its new industry guide "Added value through software 2024".
For the first time, this is also being published in the form of an e-magazine.Also present during Corona
More and more companies are opening up to Remote Audits. The method is not new, but its application often failed due to prejudice and personal sensitivities. The central working group Quality & Management has now gathered experience and best practice on Remote Audits and summarized it in a report.
With the 5G in mechanical and plant engineering guide and the use cases, the VDMA supports its members in identifying the potential applications and challenges of 5G.
Use cases for the guide - a practice-oriented tool for 5G applications (as of 2020 - current to date).
Low coding relieves software developers and gives outsiders the opportunity to develop software themselves.
If you want to succeed in tomorrow's agricultural engineering service, you have to consistently expand your know-how at dealer and customer level.
There are often difficulties with software development - do you know exactly where your shoe pinches?
Online learning content for the industry
The VDMA benchmarks on development and design 2018 provide an overview of the current status and trends in the organisation of engineering teams in mechanical and plant engineering.
An overview of the services and offers of the Software and Digitalization Association
A main component in the implementation of Industry 4.0 in plant manufacturing is the plant’s virtual representation. Engineering lays the foundations for this digital lifecycle, which extends far beyond the planning and building of the plant. Therefore, working practices are expected to undergo far-reaching changes.
Use the right methods and procedures to make project planning meaningful
Design of user interfaces
Events
The mechanical and plant engineering sector produces highly complex, durable products. As such, employee expertise is of paramount importance. In the coming years, demographic change will lead to the retirement of many key knowledge holders. This makes it all the more crucial to extract, preserve, and systematically transfer corporate knowledge to the next generation. In our strongly export-oriented industry, there is also a growing need to make company know-how available across all locations - domestically and internationally - without delay and in a consistently high quality. This must be achieved across language barriers and time zones, and is essential for maintaining a competitive service offering. How machinery manufacturers are addressing these challenges and what digital solutions are available to elevate knowledge management to the next level will be the focus of the full-day VDMA Austria event on November 18, 2025, hosted by KNAPP AG in Hart bei Graz.
In an increasingly digitalized world, the Industrial Metaverse opens up new possibilities for the design and optimization of machines and systems. This innovative technology makes it possible to merge virtual and real worlds, revolutionizing efficiency, safety and collaboration in the industry.
The "Agile" expert group will meet online on 27.02.2025 on the topic of new technologies: AI and agile working
In times of increasing digitalization and complex technical systems, user-friendliness is becoming a decisive competitive factor. A good user experience not only increases efficiency and security, but also user acceptance - whether in production, service or with end customers.
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