Detlef Zuehlke – 20 Years of Smart Factory: Vision, Impact, and What Lies Ahead

Introduction
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Detlef Zuehlke is recognized worldwide as a pioneer of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. His groundbreaking work in founding the first Smart Factory in Kaiserslautern in 2005 set the foundation for digital transformation in industrial production.

Key Contributions

• Founded the first Smart Factory worldwide in 2005 in Germany.
• Championed interdisciplinary collaboration through SmartFactoryKL, an innovation platform bringing together academia and industry.
• Former Director of the Innovative Factory Systems department at DFKI.
• Served as Professor for Production Automation at the University of Kaiserslautern until 2018.
• Extensive research in industrial control systems, human-machine interaction, and connected manufacturing systems.

Legacy & Continuing Influence
Even in retirement, Prof. Zuehlke continues to shape the global discussion around digital manufacturing through keynote talks, strategic consulting, and policy influence in the Industry 4.0 ecosystem.