Regional experts in exchange

Approaches for SMEs - practical, on site.

29.09.2025

In cooperation with CMA members Fraunhofer IGCV and XITASO GmbH, AI was brought "out of the lab and onto the shop floor". SMEs from the region were able to ask the experts their questions in an uncomplicated and practical way during an interactive workshop at Eduard Lutz Schrauben-Werkzeuge GmbH Gersthofen.

AI in industrial applications is no longer a future scenario, but a real innovation lever - especially for small and medium-sized companies. Whether optical quality assurance, predictive maintenance or knowledge management with AI - the applications are diverse and offer not only technical and economic but also operational advantages, even in times of a shortage of skilled workers.

The event at the end of September focused on what possible applications could look like and whether they are actually suitable for small and medium-sized companies. The areas of application presented came directly from practice and there was plenty of room for discussion with experts and other companies. The focus was on the following points:

AI basics & concrete use cases from production
Self-test: How AI-ready is my company?
Workshop to develop & prioritize your own AI ideas
Networking with regional partners and experts

Dr. Oliver Böhm from the AI Production Network Augsburg introduced the topic of AI in production in general and was able to dispel the first reservations about the topic during the presentation.

Sebastian Maier from Fraunhofer IGCV delved deeper into the topic of AI basics for production and presented a live AI level check to show how companies can determine how "AI-fit" they are and how to assess their level of digital maturity.

Dr. Richard Nordsieck and Daniela Neupert from XITASO focused on the shortage of skilled workers and the use of AI in knowledge management. They explained how AI makes internal knowledge usable, opens up new learning paths for employees and supports production-related processes.

Then it was time to "get started yourself": In the workshop, Richard Nordsieck and Daniela Neupert worked with the participants to develop possible starting points for individual applications in their own company. They collected and prioritized, exchanged ideas and finally created a concrete benefit-cost matrix. The participants were completely satisfied and went home with many concrete suggestions and a good assessment for the (further) use of AI in their own company.