Specific Machinery Research Articles

A protein corona modulates the function of mineralization-competent matrix vesicles

Abstract Mineralizing cells release a special class of extracellular vesicles known as matrix vesicles (MV), crucial for bone mineralization. Following their release, MV anchor to the extracellular matrix (ECM), where their highly specialized enzymatic machinery facilitates the formation of seed mineral within the MVs’ lumen, subsequently releasing it onto the ECM. However, how MV propagate mineral onto the collagenous ECM remains unclear. In this study, we address these questions by exploring the “protein corona” paradigm whereby nanoparticles entering a biological milieu become cloaked by a corona of soluble proteins modifying their biological functions. We isolated native MV from the growth plates of chicken embryos. After removing the protein corona from the native MV using high ionic strength buffer, we obtained shaved MV. Reconstituted MV were produced by incubating shaved MV with the removed protein corona constituents. Our results show that both the removal and reconstitution of protein corona significantly affects the biochemical and physicochemical properties of MV, resulting in three well-defined groups. Shaved MV exhibited an increase in TNAP activity and a decrease in mineral deposition compared to native MV. Reconstituted MV partially recovered these functions, showing a reduction of TNAP activity and mineral deposition compared to native MV. Furthermore, changes in the protein corona affect the MV ability to anchor to the collagenous ECM, which is crucial for initiating the propagation of the mineral phase within this organic matrix. Proteomic analyses revealed changes in the protein profile of the MV resulting from the removal of the protein corona, indicating that shaved proteins were primarily related to external structural and ECM organization and catabolism. These findings underscore the role of the protein corona in modulating the mineralization capabilities of MV. Understanding these interactions could lead to new therapeutic strategies for enhancing bone repair and regeneration.

Probe my Pathway (PmP): a portal to explore the chemical coverage of the human Reactome.

Deciphering pathway-phenotype associations is critical for a system-wide understanding of cells and the chemistry of life. An approach to reach this goal is to systematically modulate pathways pharmacologically. The targeted and controlled regulation of an increasing number of proteins is becoming possible, thanks to the growing list of chemical probes and chemogenomic compounds available to cell biologists, but no resource is available that directly maps these chemical tools on cellular pathways. To fill this gap, we developed Probe my Pathway (PmP), a database where high-quality chemical probes and well-characterized sets of chemogenomic compounds are mapped on all the human pathways of the Reactome database. The web interface allows users to browse the data via icicle charts or search the data for compounds, proteins, or pathways. Chemists can rapidly find pathways with low chemical coverage or explore the structural chemistry of ligands targeting specific cellular machineries. Cell biologists can look for chemical probes targeting different proteins in the same pathway or find which pathways are targeted by chemical probes of interest. PmP is updated annually and will grow with the expanding chemical tool kit produced by Target 2035 and other efforts. Database URL: https://apps.thesgc.org/pmp/.

Toll-like receptors as a missing link in Notch signaling cascade during neurodevelopment.

Neurodevelopment encompasses a complex series of molecular events occuring at defined time points distinguishable by the specific genetic readout and active protein machinery. Due to immense intricacy of intertwined molecular pathways, extracting and describing all the components of a single pathway is a demanding task. In other words, there is always a risk of leaving potential transient molecular partners unnoticed while investigating signaling cascades with core functions-and the very neglected ones could be the turning point in understanding the context and regulation of the signaling events. For example, signaling pathways of Notch and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been so far unrelated in the vast body of knowledge about neurodevelopment, however evidence from available literature points to their remarkable overlap in influence on identical molecular processes and reveals their potential functional links. Based on data demonstrating Notch and TLR structural engagement and functions during neurodevelopment, along with our description of novel molecular binding models, here we hypothesize that TLR proteins act as likely crucial components in the Notch signaling cascade. We advocate for the hypothesized role of TLRs in Notch signaling by: elaborating components and features of their pathways; reviewing their effects on fates of neural progenitor cells during neurodevelopment; proposing molecular and functional aspects of the hypothesis, along with venues for testing it. Finally, we discuss substantial indications of environmental influence on the proposed Notch-TLR system and its impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Whole-Cell Controlled Living Polymerization By Electrochemically-Active Bacteria

Bacteria produce a variety of soft materials, but they are limited in their structure and function. A synthetic system in which the power of bacterial engineering is combined with traditional organometallic catalysis could pave new avenues to polymer synthesis. Here we demonstrate that the electroactive bacteria Shewanella oneidensis can control the activity of a transitional-metal catalyst in atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) through extracellular electron transport (EET) machinery. This polymerization features characteristics of controlled radical polymerization, such as first-order kinetics, narrow molecular weight distribution and block-polymer synthesis. Catalyst performance and polymer microstructure were a strong function of bacterial metabolism, specific electron transport machinery, and catalyst design. Moreover, different bio-renewable and bio-friendly energy sources, such as lactate, glucose, pyruvate and xylose, could be utilized to control the rate of polymerization process. Overall, our results demonstrate that targeting biological electron transport pathways may combine the advantages of metabolic engineering with traditional polymer synthesis.

Integrated analysis and systematic characterization of the regulatory network for human germline development

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of germline that are specified at embryonic stage. Recent studies reveal that humans employ different mechanisms for PGC specification compared with model organisms such as mice. Moreover, the specific regulatory machinery remains largely unexplored, mainly due to the inaccessible nature of this complex biological process in humans. Here, we curate and integrate multi-omics data, including 581 RNA-seq, 54 ATAC-seq, 45 ChIP-seq, and 69 single-cell RNA-seq samples from different stages of human PGC development to recapitulate the precisely controlled and stepwise process, presenting an atlas in the human PGC database (hPGCdb). With these uniformly processed data and integrated analyses, we characterize the potential key transcription factors and regulatory networks governing human germ cell fate. We validate the important roles of some of the key factors in germ cell development by CRISPRi knockdown. We also identify the soma-germline interaction network and discover the involvement of SDC2 and LAMA4 for PGC development, as well as soma-derived NOTCH2 signaling for germ cell differentiation. Taken together, we have built a database for human PGCs (http://43.131.248.15:6882) and demonstrate that hPGCdb enables the identification of the missing pieces of mechanisms governing germline development, including both intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory programs.

A network design of a canola-to-biodiesel supply chain by considering the water-energy-food-land-ecosystem-undesirable climate change nexus

Global warming, adverse environmental consequences, and the rapid depletion of oil resources are some of the critical challenges that humanity presently confronts due to the utilization of fossil fuels. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy such as biofuel is crucial for a clean environment. In addition to its numerous advantages, the production of biofuels has detrimental effects on natural resources as well. Water, energy, and land are all required to produce food and energy, which are inextricably linked as the essential inputs for agriculture and fuel production. Undesirable climate change and its impacts on ecosystems are also consequences of this process. This study offers a two-phase approach to designing a canola-to-biodiesel supply chain. The first phase is concerned with finding appropriate sites for canola cultivation in accordance with climatic, social, economic and design criteria. To achieve an ideal solution, the fuzzy best-worst method andthe fuzzy technique of order preference similarity to the ideal solution are simultaneously used. In the second phase, a new multi-objective integer programming model that involves a water-energy-food-land-ecosystem-undesirable climate change nexus is introduced. The suggested model enhances crop harvest from desirable agricultural areas, maximizes the profit, preserves ecosystem values, mitigates undesirable climate changes, and reduces water and energy consumption. An interactive fuzzy method is used to solve the model, and the efficiency of the proposed model is evaluated through a real case study for Iran. Sensitivity analyses are also performed on the key parameters. According to the findings, production activities are connected with the increase of network costs, adverse changes in climate, and increased use of energy. Thus, using high-yield catalysts, increasing the production scale, complying with environmental regulations, receiving government subsidies, investing in research to improve production technologies, and identifying cost-saving strategies can minimize harmful environmental effects and reduce biodiesel production costs, thereby boosting the profit. Furthermore, given Iran’s water scarcity and reduced rainfall, increasing the canola yield per hectare might lead to less land use and water consumption for irrigation. Utilizing specialized machinery, enhancing farmers’ skills in canola cultivation, supplying seeds on time, planting promptly, providing optimal nutrition, and promoting pest management are all effective methods to boost canola yields. The insights provided in this study can help managers in the canola-based biodiesel production sector make better decisions.

Characterization of Electrochemically Active Bacteria Utilizing Redox Response in Microbial Electrolysis Cell

This study focuses on micro-electrochemical screening to select microbial strains capable of directly transfer electrons to the working electrode dependent on specific enzymatic machinery. The main objective of this work is to select and identify promising strains for allow the bioelectrolysis production of hydrogen. To achieve this goal, microbial composites (artificial biofilms), have been developed using Escherichia coli CGE1 from LCPME. CNRS Fransh, Pseudomonas putrifisciens (CIP 69.13) (CIP, Collection Institut Pasteur, Fransh). Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (ATCC 700550), and Thiobacillus denitrificans, from (ATCC, American Type Culture Collection), each one enclosed in a matrix carbon nanotubes and protamine matrix, forming an artificial biofilm on buckypaper. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) measurements were performed over a potential range of +0.4 to -0.7V at 5mV/s under 30°C, using a saturated KCl Ag/AgCl reference electrode and a stainless-steel grid counter electrode. For E. coli and P. putrifisciens, the measurement focused on the oxidation of 20mM glucose, while the former bacteria were growth with and without O2. For S. oneidensis and T. denitrificans the focus was on the reduction of fumarate and 20 mM of NaNOH3+, respectively. As results, E. coli and P. putrifisciens species show no notable electrochemical activity, with no signal of glucose oxidation, due to the absence of type C cytochromes in the cytoplasmic membrane, unlike S. oneidensis and T. denitrificans, that demonstrate a direct electron transfer.

双行轮式自走型大白菜收获机设计与试验

Aiming at the problems of low harvesting level of Chinese cabbage, high cost of manual operation and lack of special harvesting machinery, a double-row wheeled self-propelled Chinese cabbage harvester was designed on the basis of measuring the physical parameters of 'Zaofeng 01'Chinese cabbage varieties and combining with the main local planting patterns. It can complete the root cutting, pulling, clamping and conveying, packing and collecting of double-row Chinese cabbage at one time. Through the design and selection of the key working parts of the double-row wheel self-propelled Chinese cabbage harvester prototype, the key working parameters of the profiling device, the root cutting-pulling device and the clamping conveying device were determined. The kinematics analysis of the harvester in the profiling, cutting, pulling, clamping and conveying links was carried out, and the field operation performance test of the prototype was completed. The results showed that: when the rotation speed of the cutter was 280 r/min, the rotation speed of the clamping conveyor belt was 240 r/min, and the forward speed of the machine was 1.44 km/h, the maximum qualified rate of harvesting was 95.08 %, the minimum value was 90.65 %, and the average value was 93.79 %. At this time, the working performance of the working machine is stable, the harvesting effect is good, and all performance indicators meet the relevant design requirements and standards. The research results can provide reference for the development and structural improvement of Chinese cabbage low-loss harvesting equipment.

A quantitative pipeline to assess secretion of human leptin coding variants reveals mechanisms underlying leptin deficiencies

The hormone leptin, primarily secreted by adipocytes, plays a crucial role in regulating whole-body energy homeostasis. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in the leptin gene (LEP) cause hyperphagia and severe obesity, primarily through alterations in leptin's affinity for its receptor or changes in serum leptin concentrations. Although serum concentrations are influenced by various factors (e.g., gene expression, protein synthesis, stability in the serum), proper delivery of leptin from its site of synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum via the secretory pathway to the extracellular serum is a critical step. However, the regulatory mechanisms and specific machinery involved in this trafficking route, particularly in the context of human LEP mutations, remain largely unexplored.We have employed the Retention Using Selective Hooks (RUSH) system to elucidate the secretory pathway of leptin. We have refined this system into a medium-throughput assay for examining the pathophysiology of a range of obesity-associated LEP variants. Our results reveal that leptin follows the default secretory pathway, with no additional regulatory steps identified prior to secretion.Through screening of leptin variants, we identified three mutations that lead to proteasomal degradation of leptin and one variant that significantly decreased leptin secretion, likely through aberrant disulfide bond formation. These observations have identified novel pathogenic effects of leptin variants, which can be informative for therapeutics and diagnostics. Finally, our novel quantitative screening platform can be adapted for other secreted proteins.

Enhanced MC1R-signalling and pH modulation facilitate melanogenesis within late endosomes of BLOC-1-deficient melanocytes.

Photoprotective melanins in the skin are synthesised by epidermal melanocytes within specialised lysosome-related organelles called melanosomes. Melanosomes coexist with lysosomes; thus, melanocytes employ specific trafficking machineries to ensure correct cargo delivery to either the endolysosomal system or maturing melanosomes. Mutations in some of the protein complexes required for melanogenic cargo delivery, such as biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 1 (BLOC-1), result in hypopigmentation due to mistrafficking of cargo to endolysosomes. We show that hypopigmented BLOC-1-deficient melanocytes retain melanogenic capacity that can be enhanced by treatment with cAMP elevating agents despite the mislocalisation of melanogenic proteins. The melanin formed in BLOC-1-deficient melanocytes is not generated in melanosomes but rather within late endosomes/lysosomes to which some cargoes mislocalise. Although these organelles generally are acidic, a cohort of late endosomes/lysosomes have a sufficiently neutral pH to facilitate melanogenesis, perhaps due to mislocalised melanosomal transporters and melanogenic enzymes. Modulation of the pH of late endosomes/lysosomes by genetic manipulation or via treatment with lysosomotropic agents significantly enhances the melanin content of BLOC-1-deficient melanocytes. Our data suggest that upregulation of mistargeted cargoes can facilitate reprogramming of a subset of endolysosomes to generate some functions of lysosome-related organelles.

Design and research on structure of plateau hand-held cutting and sun drying machine

With the development of agricultural modernization, accelerating agricultural mechanization has become an important direction for the development of agriculture in China. However, agricultural mechanization is uneven and insufficient in terms of regions, industries, crop varieties, and production stages. Although there are already a large number of agricultural machinery products on the market, most of them are designed for large-scale crops in northern arid lands, lacking machinery suitable for barley and adaptable to small plots and sloping farmlands in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region. The development of a barley harvester adapted to plateau mountainous areas contributes to the development of special agricultural machinery in China, improves the uneven development of agricultural mechanization, and promotes agricultural development in plateau mountainous areas. This paper conducts research on the actual terrain of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, barley planting conditions, and harvester operational conditions. Based on the production needs of barley agriculture, the design is optimized and improved. Following the principle of overall coordination, the overall structural parameters of the harvester suitable for the operational requirements of plateau mountainous areas are determined. The structural design of key components such as wheelbase, axle spacing, ground clearance, harvesting mechanical arm, and harvesting mechanism is detailed. Additionally, SolidWorks software is used for three-dimensional modeling of the barley harvester. CAE technology is employed to analyze the static and dynamic performance of critical chassis components, validate theoretical calculations, and confirm final structural parameters. Furthermore, a dynamics characteristic model is established based on the optimized parameters to theoretically analyze the stability of the entire machine and verify whether the designed plateau barley harvester meets field operation requirements. Finally, Bluetooth communication technology is utilized to autonomously design control hardware and software, achieving intelligent control of the machinery.

Technological Advancement in Solar Photovoltaic Recycling: A Review

This review examines the technological surveillance of photovoltaic panel recycling through a bibliometric study of articles and patents. The analysis considered the number of articles and patents published per year, per country, and, in the case of patents, per applicant. This analysis revealed that panel recycling is an increasingly prominent research area. However, the number of patents filed annually has varied in recent years, averaging fewer than 200 per year. The state-of-the-art review identified three main types of treatment for photovoltaic panel recycling: mechanical, chemical, and thermal. Among these, mechanical treatment serves as a preliminary stage before the recovery of valuable elements, which is achieved through chemical or thermal processes. The articles reviewed cover a range of processes, including hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical methods, and explore various classification processes, solvents, and oxidizing agents. In contrast, patents predominantly focus on pyrometallurgical processes. This analysis is supplemented by a survey of market-ready technologies, many of which include stages such as size reduction or delamination followed by pyrometallurgical processes. Additionally, the review highlights the collection processes implemented by some companies, noting that the volume of panels considered waste is currently insufficient to maintain a continuous and year-round operational process. This study identifies key challenges such as (i) reducing solar panel size due to the EVA polymer complicating conventional machinery use, (ii) high process costs from the need for high temperatures and costly additives, (iii) the environmental impact of thermal treatments with high energy consumption and air pollution, and (iv) the necessity for environmentally friendly solvents in hydrometallurgical treatments to reduce contamination during recycling. Future directions include developing specific machinery for panel size reduction, either creating or modifying a polymer to replace EVA for easier treatment, adopting hydrometallurgical treatments with green solvents proven effective in recycling minerals and electronic waste, and addressing the lack of detailed information on industrial processes to make more precise recommendations.

Availability and status of different farm power sources and mechanization in Odisha state

The status of farm mechanization, farm power availability, farm machinery sales are addressed in this study. The total farm power availability in Odisha agriculture is 2.93 kW/ha in 2016-17. This paper discusses the trend of mechanization status in Odisha. It has been found that there a large scope of mechanization in the state as there is minimum share of machine labour in the total cost of cultivating the principle crops.There is high need of adoption of suitable small machines and low cost especially for tillage, transplanting, weeding, harvesting and threshing operations. Massive awareness programme need to be carried out among the farmers of Odisha for popularizing the need based and crop specific machinery, available at the various research organizations of the state and the country for enhancing mechanization. Farm mechanization in India : Mechanization of agriculture enhances productivity, besides reducing human drudgery and cost of cultivation. Mechanization also helps in improving utilization efficiency of other inputs like safety and comfort of the agricultural worker. Total farm mechanization in India has been lower at 40-45% compared to other countries such as USA (95%), Brazil (75%) and China (57%). Government has decided to enhance farm power availability from 2.02 kW/ha (2016-17) to 4.0 kW/ha by the end of 2030 to cope up with increasing demand for food grains. Farm mechanization market in India has been growing at a CAGR of 7.53 per cent during 2016-2020 due to thrust given by various government policies

A study of inter-fiber cohesion with quantitative measurement approach for staple fibers

Several qualities influence the processability of textile staple fibers: inter-fiber cohesion being one of the most important properties. Although various methods to measure this property have been explored, there is no consensus on the optimal technique, and existing methods often require specialized machinery. This article introduces and evaluates a straightforward method that utilizes only a carding machine and a tensile tester, both standard equipment in yarn laboratories. The proposed cohesion test method involves preparing carded webs, cutting them into nine rectangles, and then subjecting these samples to tensile testing. The method was initially assessed for repeatability and the normalization of results. Further experiments varied the fiber material (cotton and polyester), fiber organization, direction of fiber hooks, and finishing treatments. Force curves and their gradients were analyzed, alongside video footage, to study inter-fiber interactions during testing. The results demonstrated that the new test method could differentiate between fiber materials, fiber organizations, and quantify the effects from finishing treatments. The cohesion force (CF) of CO fibers was 30 % of that of PES fibers; carding had a greater impact on CO fibers compared to PES fibers, and treatment with lubricant reduced the CF by up to 35 %. However, the weight and dimensions of the samples must be controlled to ensure repeatability. In conclusion, the developed inter-fiber cohesion test method offers a promising and accessible approach to analyzing inter-fiber interactions in staple fibers.

RNA: De-silencing to the rescue

The fate of transcribed RNA dictates cellular function. A new study finds that mutations in specific RNA processing machinery genes result in de-silencing of a transcript encoding a subunit of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and rescue of a mitochondrial respiratory complex I defect.

P14 Characterizing the hair follicle–nervous system connection

Abstract Introduction and aims The human hair follicle (HF) is a miniorgan in the skin that possesses a rich microenvironment composed of a complex assembly of sensory nerves that surround it. Recent studies have explored the effects of this perineural niche on the HF, but the influence of HF on the nervous system from a folliculocentric and skin-centric perspective remains underexplored. To explore the potential bidirectionality of the HF–nervous system connection in the context of nerve development, we asked whether the HF influences the differentiation and maturation of sensory neuron subtypes around it through the release of distinct neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors. Methods To first identify which cell types might be involved in directing sensory neuron development, we reanalysed available skin and HF single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) datasets. Next, to evaluate neurotransmitter release from these cell types, we used fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). Lastly, to interrogate the role of the HF on directing neuronal development in vitro, we used induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons as a model for developing nerves. Results We found that a higher percentage of KRT14- (epithelial) and PDGFRA-expressing (mesenchymal) cells in the HF coexpressed genes encoding specific neurotrophic factors and enzymatic machinery for neurotransmitter production compared with equivalent cells in the skin, suggesting that the HF possesses a greater capacity to signal to the nervous system compared with interfollicular skin. Using FSCV, we then found that follicular outer root sheath and directionally selective cells are capable of releasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and histamine. Conclusions We postulate that HF-derived neurotransmitters are important for aspects of sensory neuron development such as axonal growth, as serotonin has previously been shown to be an attractive guidance cue for neuronal growth cones. Overall, our work sheds light on the HF–nervous system connection and how the HF may regulate its microenvironment in the skin.

Architecture, Function, Regulation, and Evolution of α-Glucans Metabolic Enzymes in Prokaryotes.

Bacteria have acquired sophisticated mechanisms for assembling and disassembling polysaccharides of different chemistry. α-d-Glucose homopolysaccharides, so-called α-glucans, are the most widespread polymers in nature being key components of microorganisms. Glycogen functions as an intracellular energy storage while some bacteria also produce extracellular assorted α-glucans. The classical bacterial glycogen metabolic pathway comprises the action of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and glycogen synthase, whereas extracellular α-glucans are mostly related to peripheral enzymes dependent on sucrose. An alternative pathway of glycogen biosynthesis, operating via a maltose 1-phosphate polymerizing enzyme, displays an essential wiring with the trehalose metabolism to interconvert disaccharides into polysaccharides. Furthermore, some bacteria show a connection of intracellular glycogen metabolism with the genesis of extracellular capsular α-glucans, revealing a relationship between the storage and structural function of these compounds. Altogether, the current picture shows that bacteria have evolved an intricate α-glucan metabolism that ultimately relies on the evolution of a specific enzymatic machinery. The structural landscape of these enzymes exposes a limited number of core catalytic folds handling many different chemical reactions. In this Review, we present a rationale to explain how the chemical diversity of α-glucans emerged from these systems, highlighting the underlying structural evolution of the enzymes driving α-glucan bacterial metabolism.

Light-Activated Synthetic Rotary Motors in Lipid Membranes Induce Shape Changes Through Membrane Expansion.

Membranes are the key structures to separate and spatially organize cellular systems. Their rich dynamics and transformations during the cell cycle are orchestrated by specific membrane-targeted molecular machineries, many of which operate through energy dissipation. Likewise, man-made light-activated molecular rotary motors have previously shown drastic effects on cellular systems, but their physical roles on and within lipid membranes remain largely unexplored. Here, the impact of rotary motors on well-defined biological membranes is systematically investigated. Notably, dramatic mechanical transformations are observed in these systems upon motor irradiation, indicative of motor-induced membrane expansion. The influence of several factors on this phenomenon is systematically explored, such as motor concentration and membrane composition., Membrane fluidity is found to play a crucial role in motor-induced deformations, while only minor contributions from local heating and singlet oxygen generation are observed. Most remarkably, the membrane area expansion under the influence of the motors continues as long as irradiation is maintained, and the system stays out-of-equilibrium. Overall, this research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of molecular motors interacting with biological membranes, elucidating the multifaceted factors that govern membrane responses and shape transitions in the presence of these remarkable molecular machines, thereby supporting their future applications in chemicalbiology.

Towards Optimization Methods for Order Data Management: A Case Study of a Medium-Sized Special Purpose Machinery Manufacturer

Digital transformations (DT) as part of currently implemented Industry 4.0 projects represent a key role in the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. However, the boundary conditions of a large company must be distinguished from those of a small and medium sized enterprise (SME). This means that an SME has a smaller specialist staff, tighter budgets and less market power available to implement DT projects internally and considering the prevailing conditions. This paper presents a methodology for handling a digitalization project in an SME. Due to its generality, this can be adapted to further use cases. The methodology was developed together with ATA Anlagentechnik (ATA), an SME in special purpose machinery sector. Focused on the internal process of technical sales, the method was used to optimize order data management. This was done through analysis and initial implementations in the areas of object recognition and the creation of efficient user interfaces in order to subject sales sub-processes such as the collection of customer input data to the creation of offers to a digital transformation. Once put into operation and supplemented by further internal or external processes, ATA moves towards complete digital data continuity, which represents an uninterrupted and consistent chain of business processes using digital data and tools. The paper outlines future steps to further refine what has been achieved using the presented DT method.

Challenges and Research Needs in the Offer Phase of Special Purpose Machinery and Plant Engineering – A Qualitative Study with Industry Experts

Challenges and Research Needs in the Offer Phase of Special Purpose Machinery and Plant Engineering – A Qualitative Study with Industry Experts