The ultimate goal of process optimization is to increase both the efficiency and the quality, which is accompanied by continuously operating measuring and control elements and usually results in a partial to complete automation of the process.

While automation efforts have so far focused on allowing rigid, recurrent production processes to be carried out as completely as possible by machines, with greater emphasis on productivity gains, efforts are now being made to allow work sequences with different tasks to be carried out using flexible manufacturing systems. This should not only increase productivity, but also increase flexibility and overall profitability.