Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Brecher has been the Ordinary Professor for Machine Tools at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of the RWTH Aachen as well as the Director of the Department for Production Machines at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT since January 1, 2004. Further, he is CEO of the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries? that is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). After finishing his academic studies in mechanical engineering, he started his professional career first as a research assistant and later as a team leader in the department for machine investigation and evaluation at the WZL. From 1999 to April 2001, he was responsible for the department of machine tools in his capacity as a Senior Engineer. After a short spell as a consultant in the aviation industry, Professor Brecher was appointed in August 2001 as the Director for Development at the DS Technologie Werkzeugmaschinenbau GmbH, Mönchengladbach, where he bore the responsibility for construction and development until December 2003. Prof. Brecher has received numerous honours and awards including the Springorum Commemorative Coin, the Borchers Medal of the RWTH Aachen, the Scholarship Award of the Association of German Tool Manufacturers (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken VDW) and the Otto Kienzle Memorial Coin of the Scientific Society for Production Technology (Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Produktionstechnik WGP). Currently he is chairman of the scientific group for machines of CIRP, the International Academy for Production Engineering.