Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Bauernhansl has been director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart since September 2011 and at the same time director of the Institute of Industrial Manufacturing and Management IFF at the University of Stuttgart.
Bauernhansl studied mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and earned his doctorate. He subsequently worked for the Freudenberg conglomerate, most recently as Director of the Technology Center at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies.
His scientific focuses include personalized production, biological transformation and Industry 4.0.
Thomas Bauernhansl is involved in numerous advisory and board committees in industry, associations, research and politics and is the author and editor of numerous books on, among other things, adaptability in production, Industry 4.0 and management in production.