off introduction:

The four contradictory factors of production which are variability, quality, availability and economic efficiency have to be balanced to fulfill customer demands (Erlach 2013). Across industries Lean Production Systems (LPS) were realized to achieve those partly contradictory aims. But the complexity for companies is increasing. National conditions like demographic changes and governmental registrations on one hand and market claims for further autonomy, sustainability and mass customization on the other hand require Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). CPSs are objects which are enabled to observe, communicate and/or react to their environment via embedded systems (Bauernhansel et al. 2014). CPS in production – sometimes referred to as Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPS) – allow for an automated acquisition, processing and analysis of data; the basis for a self-optimizing smart factory.