Epochal Change EMO Hannover Demonstrates how AI Turns Machines into Partners

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AI in machine tools means more than automation. It enables machines to learn from data, make decisions, and optimize processes, which can be seen at EMO 2025.

Industrial manufacturing is undergoing an epochal transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making its way into machine tools for some time now, and it is changing not only production but also the way machines are maintained. In the process, AI becomes the control center that can make manufacturing more efficient, sustainable, and competitive. In times of labor shortages and international competitive pressure, AI is far more than just a technological gimmick. It essentially becomes a survival strategy. How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing industrial production will also be showcased at EMO Hannover 2025, the world's leading trade fair for production technology, from September 22 to 26. This involves the use of sensors, data analysis, machine learning (ML), and "intelligent" assistance systems, impacting control systems as well as the interaction between machines and humans.

For Companies, There are many Applications for AI

"Typical examples of AI applications in manufacturing include the prediction of process characteristics in real-time operations for inline quality control or the monitoring of processes and their properties," explains Prof. Philipp Klimant, head of the Process Digitalization and Manufacturing Automation business unit at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) in Chemnitz (Germany). The advantage over traditional approaches lies in the ability to include an especially large number of parameters in the monitoring process. There are also many other application fields, such as AI assistance models for training and artificial intelligence to support maintenance work. Incidentally, IWU, which specializes in the production-oriented adaptation of traditional and modern methods of machine learning, is led by the trio Martin Dix, Welf-Guntram Drossel, and Steffen Ihlenfeldt. Together with Klimant, they are also members of the WGP (Scientific Society for Production Engineering), a network of leading German professors in production sciences. Since January, the WGP has incorporated the Pro-KI initiative, originally funded by the BMBF, under its umbrella and now offers practical expertise and demonstrators—particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to learn about their specific AI potential or seeking support.