Reducing Machine Downtime and Overcoming Shortages of Skilled Workers: Your Guide to Efficient Production

In many production facilities, the same scenario repeats itself: disruptions occur, driving up costs, while staff shortages persist.

When a disruption happens, operators search for the cause – but even with the best database, the problem often remains unresolved. The reason: using a traditional database requires knowing and correctly applying keywords. Often, this is exactly what is missing – the right term for a component or the type of fault. As a result, the cause stays hidden and the solution is delayed.

This is where MADDOX comes in – our digital colleague. Instead of painstakingly searching for keywords, MADDOX compares the current fault data patterns with historical data patterns and knowledge entries that the machine learning algorithm has been trained on. The system then directly suggests the appropriate knowledge card, which contains a concrete solution for the current issue. This reduces machine downtime without wasting valuable time on unsuccessful searches.

MADDOX is the result of years of research at Fraunhofer IVV Dresden and close collaboration with psychologists. A well-known problem in production is that experienced employees often share their knowledge reluctantly because they feel their contributions are undervalued. With MADDOX, this changes: when operators solve a disruption themselves and create a knowledge card from it, they immediately see that their contribution helps other colleagues. This direct feedback fosters appreciation and motivation – knowledge is willingly shared. Step by step, this builds a living knowledge system that makes operations more resilient.