History of BIBA

BIBA now has a history spanning 35 diverse and successful years, during which it quickly carved out a firm position for itself among the scientific community – at times with unconventional ideas – and it continues to affirm and strengthen this position to this day. Research conducted at BIBA today is characterised by its integrative, process-oriented view of product development, production, logistics and operation along the entire value chain, in combination with new information and communication technologies.

On the one hand, this success was and continues to be made possible by BIBA's close connections to the faculty for Production Engineering – Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering at the University of Bremen. On the other hand, this success was built from the very beginning on a foundation of constant self-reflection and forward-looking responses to new technological developments, the recognition of new potential and the visionary ideas of BIBA researchers, as well as their willingness to tread unfamiliar ground.

With the focus on always providing the best conditions for BIBA research, the institute has undergone numerous re-alignments, extensions and restructuring measures. In the following you can find a selection of milestones which have defined the BIBA story.

Sehr lebendige Einblicke mit zahlreichen Zeitzeugeninterviews und Ausschnitten aus den Berichterstattungen und Forschungsdokumentationen zum Fachbereich Produktionstechnik inklusive BIBA bietet zudem der 30-minütige Film „FB4 Retrospektive“ (2017).

Weitere Links:
Pressemitteilung des BIBA vom 9.6.2011: „BIBA: vor 30 Jahren mit Weitblick von Visionären gegründet“
Dazugehörige Fotos aus der BIBA-Geschichte

Milestones of the BIBA story

1971The University of Bremen is founded
1974A commission entitled “Planning for a Production Technology Engineering Department” (PKT) is established at the University of Bremen
1978The “Planning for a Production Technology Engineering Department” (PKT) commission submits its proposal entitled “Planning for a Production Technology Engineering Department at the University of Bremen”. The working title is the “Blaumann-Papier” (blue-man paper) owing to the generally blue work clothes worn by engineers
1980In December 1980, the “Verein zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in der Freien Hansestadt Bremen e. V.” (Society for the Promotion of Scientific Research in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen) is founded – the basis for the founding of BIBA as the first affiliated institute of the University of Bremen
19811st July 1981 sees the official commencement of operations/founding of BIBA as the first affiliated institute of the University of Bremen by the “Verein zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in der Freien Hansestadt Bremen e. V.” (Society for the Promotion of Scientific Research in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen). Head of BIBA is Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Luczak. The institute's first rooms are in the University of Bremen's depot building
1982September: The faculty for Production Science (“Production Engineering – Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering”) is established at the University of Bremen, with studies beginning in the winter semester of 1983/84
1983Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Luczak leaves BIBA
1984Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd E. Hirsch is appointed as a director of BIBA.
The institute is re-aligned to regional technology communication and international R&D projects. On 28th September 1984, the “Ingenieurwissenschaften 1” (IW1) building on the University of Bremen campus becomes the first to be inaugurated for the faculty for Production Engineering; BIBA also acquires some rooms here later
1985After the opening of the “Bremen Innovation and Technology Centre” (BITZ) in the new technology park at the University of Bremen, BIBA acquires additional rooms there
1986The German Research Foundation (DFG) accepts the University of Bremen as a member
1990In June 1990, the foundations are laid for BIBA's very own building
1991On 15th March 1991, just shy of 10 years after BIBA was founded, the topping-out wreath hangs over the BIBA building
1992On 7th October 1992, the BIBA building is inaugurated on the University of Bremen campus. Designed by the noted Cologne-based architect Oswald Mathias Ungers, it wins a prize in 1994 from the Association of German Architects (BDA) in the state of Bremen and is celebrated as one of “Bremen's most important works of architecture”
1994Prof. Dr.-Ing. Franz J. Heeg (“Applied Work Science, Industrial Management, Organisation and Personnel Development” research division (ATOP)) is appointed as a director of the institute
1995The institute is restructured into eight research divisions and a production integration centre (PIZ)
1998Professor Dr.-Ing. Gert Goch (“Metrology, Automation and Quality Science” research division (MAQ)) is appointed as a director of the BIBA institute.
Expansion and restructuring of the institute – it now comprises the four research divisions “Product Development, Process Planning and Computer Aided Engineering” (PPC), “Metrology, Automation and Quality Science” (MAQ), “Production Structures, Logistics and Telematics” (PLT) and “Applied Work Science, Industrial Management, Organisation and Personnel Development” (ATOP) as well as the production integration centre (PIZ)
1999Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter H. Müller (“Product Development, Process Planning and Computer Aided Engineering” research department (PPC)) is appointed as a director of the BIBA institute
2000In November 2000, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Scholz-Reiter is appointed as a director of the BIBA institute.
The institute is also expanded through the founding of the fifth BIBA research division, “Intelligent Production and Logistics Systems” (IPS)
2002BIBA becomes one of the first partners of the new “InnoWi” patent utilisation agency in Bremen, which offers new possibilities for utilisation of R&D results (the German government invests some of the profits from auctioning off UMTS licences in 2000 in the so-called “utilisation offensive”, and patent utilisation agencies are springing up across the country. In Bremen, for example, “InnoWi” was founded in 2001, with its reach extending over North-West Germany.)
2003In March 2003, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd E. Hirsch (“Production Structures, Logistics and Telematics” research department (PLT)) leaves BIBA to begin his retirement; Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus-Dieter Thoben is appointed as a director of the institute and assumes responsibility for the PLT department.
In November 2003, the German Research Foundation (DFG) resolves to establish the “Autonomous control of logistical processes” collaborative research centre (CRC 637) at the University of Bremen; it is the seventh CRC at the University of Bremen, the initiative for the centre came from BIBA (Prof. Dr.-Ing Bernd Scholz-Reiter), and BIBA is involved in the research. The ideas are visionary, and it later becomes clear that they provide a key basis for Industry 4.0 developments, and the research carried out in Bremen is delivering significant impetus in this regard
2004The “Production Structures, Logistics and Telematics” (PLT) research division becomes the “Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Production” division (IKAP)
2005After further restructuring, BIBA now comprises the four research divisions “Intelligent Production and Logistics Systems” (IPS), “Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Production” (IKAP), “Metrology, Automation and Quality Science” (MAQ) and “Product Development, Process Planning and Computer Aided Engineering” (PPC)
2006In February 2006, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Franz J. Heeg (“Applied Work Science, Industrial Management, Organisation and Personnel Development” research division (ATOP)) leaves BIBA and joins the new institute “Bremen Institute of Industrial Technology and Applied Work Science” (aib)
2007In April 2007, Prof. Dieter H. Müller (“Product Development, Process Planning and Computer Aided Engineering” research division (PPC)) leaves BIBA to begin his retirement.
In November 2007 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gert Goch (“Metrology, Automation and Quality Science” research division (MAQ)) leaves BIBA and joins the new “Bremen Institute for Metrology, Automation and Quality Science” (BIMAQ).
Founding of a spin-off organisation of BIBA in the form of a not-for-profit company “BIBA – Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik GmbH” – BIBA now comprises the “Intelligent Production and Logistics Systems” (IPS) and “Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Production” (IKAP) research division
2009BIBA is presented with an award in the national innovation competition “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” for its “innovative approach to optimising production and logistics processes”
2012In August 2012, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Klaus Dieter Thoben assumes responsibility for the “Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Production” research division (IKAP) as appointed as a director of the BIBA institute. In September, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Scholz-Reiter (“Intelligent Production and Logistics Systems” research division (IPS)) is appointed to his new position as rector of the University of Bremen
2014In October 2014, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Freitag is appointed as a director of the BIBA institute and assumes responsibility for the “Intelligent Production and Logistics Systems” (IPS) division

 

 

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