Erwin Rauch

Erwin Rauch is a Full Professor for Smart and Sustainable Production at the Faculty of Engineering, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, where he leads the Smart Mini Factory (SMF) Laboratory for Industry 4.0 and the Sustainable Manufacturing Laboratory (SML). His academic journey includes a B.Sc. in Logistics and Production Engineering from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, M.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Stuttgart with summa cum laude distinction.

Professor Rauch's research spans sustainable manufacturing, Industry 4.0/5.0, digital twins, human-robot collaboration, and axiomatic design. His work addresses critical challenges in decarbonization, circular economy, and resilience in manufacturing systems. He has developed numerous educational demonstrators and learning factories to bridge theoretical concepts with practical applications in engineering education.

His publications reveal a strong focus on practical implementations of digital technologies in manufacturing, with particular emphasis on SME adoption. The research shows consistent integration of sustainability metrics with digital transformation, highlighting how Industry 5.0 principles can be operationalized through cyber-physical systems, worker assistance technologies, and resilient production design.

Scientific Recognition:

• Best Track Paper Award (Sustainable Supply Chain) at IEOM 2018
• Best Track Paper Award (Engineering Education) at IEOM 2018
• Best Track Paper Award at IEOM 2015
• Overall Best Paper Award at ICAD 2013

Professor Rauch actively contributes to editorial boards of several renowned journals and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Production & Manufacturing Research (Taylor & Francis Publishing). He is an Associate Member of EuroScience, World Manufacturing Forum, AITEM, and serves on the IAAD Executive Board and EPIEM Steering Board. His teaching portfolio includes courses on digital production planning, innovation management, sustainable production, and production systems.

His laboratories (Smart Mini Factory and Sustainable Manufacturing Lab) serve as critical hubs for developing and testing Industry 4.0/5.0 technologies, with a particular focus on creating practical implementations for SMEs. These labs facilitate research on human-centered production systems, digital twin applications, and sustainable manufacturing practices.