Production plants, so-called large-scale cyber-physical systems, which weigh 30 tons and eject two components per second, generate a high volume of data of up to 0.5 PB per day due to the new possibilities of digitalization. In order to be able to use these data volumes to increase the efficiency of production systems, new approaches, for example from the field of machine learning, must be used. However, this requires not only technical production expertise to interpret the results, but also IT expertise to analyze the data. The hackathon set itself the goal of combining the two disciplines and inspiring the next generation of specialists for these new topics.

At the first WZL/IMA Industrial Internet of Things Hackathon, 58 participants competed against each other in 13 teams. The aim was to develop the best solution for the four predefined tasks. The participants had a whole weekend to develop concepts, code programs and carry out validations on real example cases from production technology. In addition, the participants were able to get to know and visit the machine tool laboratory at RWTH Aachen University as well as the new replacement area at Rotter Bruch, exchange ideas with the scientific staff and apply for one or two thesis projects. The surrounding network on campus was also explained in a guided tour.

The teams had a total of four different tasks to choose from. Each team had to choose one of the tasks in advance and then solve it. The tasks focused on questions from the fields of forming technology, material modeling and product tracking. To solve the tasks, the participants had to draw on current trend topics such as machine learning and deep learning for digital image processing.

"All you need for good ideas is a suitable environment, and we more than succeeded with the hackathon," says Daniel Trauth, organizer of the hackathon, head of the Machine Learning in Production Engineering working group within the Production Engineering profile area and senior engineer for grinding, forming and technology planning at the WZL at RWTH Aachen University.

First place in the survival-of-the-fittest category went to the "Bits Please" team. Chia-Yuen Chou, Markus Höhnerbach, Oliver Lehmacher, Vera Loeser and Eric van Lessen were visibly delighted with the main prize of 2,500 euros. Their approach contributes to component or product tracking using RFID tags. Second place in the category (1,500 euros) went to Erik Fleischhauer, Tim Fleischhauer, Hendrik Gruss, Merlin Marek and Birger Normann with the "Skynet!" team. Third place (500 euros) went to the "digitalPriests" (Jonathan Alms, Christian Bartsch, Luca Tabone, Victor ter Smitten and Jonas Zagatta).