Production research makes a substantial contribution to increasing the innovation and competitiveness of companies in the manufacturing sector. This is also achieved through targeted and forward-looking production technology funding measures. At the national level, the BMBF framework concept "Research for the Production of Tomorrow" promotes cooperative pre-competitive, application-oriented research projects aimed at strengthening industrial production—especially in sectors dominated by SMEs—that help secure and improve Germany's international competitiveness. As industrial production and its environment are subject to enormous changes within short periods, the framework concept has been kept open for new topics.