How function analysis of manufacturing processes can stimulate technology intelligence processes

Volatile and unpredictable economic situations create a complex framework in which manufacturing companies are forced to operate. In order to safeguard their existence, manufacturing companies heavily depend on enduring superior and innovative technologies. Technology Intelligence systems identify promising future technologies and determine measures for their implementation. Promising technology search results require the identification and transformation of information needs into appropriate search criteria. Functional analysis and function terms can stimulate technology intelligence processes by systematically verbalizing information needs for technology intelligence activities in a problem-oriented but solution-neutral way. The intention of this paper is to demonstrate the possible potential of Function Analysis for technology intelligence processes and how it could be applied on manufacturing processes in the future. A currently ongoing study of a truck engine assembly line will help to carry out and validate the intended approach.