Innovation Network Synus

Methods and Tools for the Synergetic Design and Evaluation of Industry 4.0 Solutions

Abstract

Research in the Innovation Network Synus is aimed at developing methods and tools to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the introduction of industry 4.0 technologies. Under a uniform understanding of the "Industry 4.0" concept, SMEs are to be supported in identifying suitable I4.0 technologies for their specific requirements. Furthermore, the developed methods and tools serve to enable SMEs to forecast the effects of an I4.0 technology implementation and thus to evaluate it.

Research Questions and Motivation

The purposeful digitalization of the value chain is regarded as an essential prerequisite for increasing the competitiveness and innovative strength of German industrial companies. In simplified terms, this means the acquisition, processing and provision of information for networking of people, machines and objects in a real-time system. The acquisition, analysis and targeted use of this information improves the planning, development and control of products and processes along the entire value chain. This is based on Industry 4.0 solutions that are implemented and applied in various areas of the company. Despite the diverse potential of these I4.0 solutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular have been reluctant to introduce and use digital technologies. This can be attributed to the following obstacles:

Lack of knowledge about available I4.0 solutions per se, as well as about the company areas influenced by specific solutions, such as product development, sales and production
high initial investments and unknown follow-up costs (e.g. for the operation, maintenance or necessary further training of employees)
Insufficient assessability of the positive and negative effects resulting from the implementation of a specific I4.0 solution for one's own company

As a basis for the purposeful implementation of I4.0 solutions in the value-added processes of SMEs, methods and tools are therefore required to identify and evaluate changes in information, energy and material flows in the various company areas. Only by the comprehensive analysis of the company-specific advantages and challenges the risks of the I4.0-implementation can be estimated and resilient investment decisions be made.

Approach and Project Objective

The Innovation Network Synus is carried out in cooperation with TU Braunschweig, TU Clausthal and Ostfalia HaW and with the participation of various industrial and transfer partners from the region of Braunschweig and Göttingen. The aim of the Innovation Network is to map the information, material and energy flows within companies that have changed as a result of I4.0 solutions across all divisions. This is intended to identify potential, but also obstacles, through the implementation of I4.0 solutions and to safeguard investment decisions. In order to achieve these objectives, modelling, simulation and evaluation methods and tools for the integrated design and evaluation of I4.0 solutions are researched, prototyped and applied in practice. The following subgoals are in focus:

Identification and characterization of existing I4.0 solutions for product development, production planning and production
Development of a Potential Model, which offers companies an overview of the interactions between specific I4.0-solutions, as well as their different fields of action and target criteria (quantitative and qualitative).
Conception of a multiscale modelling methodology and development of a model library to map company-specific information, material and energy flows on different levels (e.g. physical level, information system and embedded systems).
Development of a simulation platform for production systems that accesses the previously created model library and creates the basis for a quantitative assessment of the potentials of specific I4.0 solutions by quantifying information, material and energy flows.
Development of an evaluation methodology to assess the added value achievable through I4.0 solutions with the aid of quantitative simulation results, qualitative criteria on the levels of product development, production planning and production as well as existing uncertainties (e.g. robustness or availability of technologies).

The results are a multiscalar tool set and a comprehensive guide for modelling, simulation and evaluation of I4.0 solutions. With the help of this tool set, potentials and expenditures of the use of specific I4.0 solutions from the perspectives of product development, production planning and production are to be shown and evaluated on the basis of quantitative and qualitative criteria. The conception and application of the tool set within the framework of case studies should result in simulation and evaluation tools useful for industrial enterprises. In the medium term, these tools will enable SMEs to assess the company-specific potential of I4.0 solutions on the basis of the existing infrastructure, organisational framework conditions and strategic planning. zu können.

Subproject TU Braunschweig

(Prof. Thomas Vietor, Prof. Christoph Herrmann, Prof. Thomas Spengler)

Objective:
The subproject at the TU Braunschweig aims at developing a modelling and evaluation methodology for the targeted implementation of I4.0 solutions. With the developed methods and tools it should be possible for SMEs to estimate and evaluate the consequences of the implementation of I4.0 solutions company specific.

Approach:
First, a systematic overview and characterisation of existing I4.0 solutions and their fields of activity is developed. The analysed I4.0 solutions are linked with different fields of action of the entire product development process. To assess the effects of I4.0 solutions in the various fields of action, changes in information flows in product development and changes in information, material and energy flows in production and accompanying processes are modelled and simulated. In order to support decision making, an evaluation methodology is developed that takes into account different evaluation scenarios and uncertainties. Furthermore, a procedure model is developed to support the user in the selection of potential I4.0 solutions as well as in the simulation and evaluation of these. The results will be evaluated by case studies in cooperation with industry partners.

Subproject TU Clausthal

(Prof. Andreas Rausch)

Objective:
With the help of the Automation Pyramid, the bridge between technical processes and the business processes above them has been successfully built in recent years. It comprises all the necessary functions of automation technology and divides them into four layers. The subproject of TU Clausthal aims at researching a concept for modular I4.0 models, which links the different layers of the automation pyramid and enables a modular structure of production models. The focus is on the IT architecture between the individual levels of automation technology.

Approach:
In order to arrive at a meaningful assessment of the potential of I4.0 solutions, it is essential to quantify information, material and energy flows at the production level. In order to make this possible at a reasonable cost for SMEs, an executable simulation platform is designed within the subproject of TU Clausthal. It allows the compilation and integrated simulation of modular models from the model library in a production model. This allows the virtual comparison of the actual state with different I4.0 states in the context of the already existing system landscape.

Subproject Ostfalia HaW

(Prof. Xiaobo Liu-Henke)

Objective:
The potential of networked systems can be significantly increased if, in addition to the digital connection, physical interaction can also be achieved by, for example, conveyor belts or (autonomous) transport systems. Especially the integration of autonomous transport systems throughout the entire factory offers the advantage of a flexible and redundant distribution of piece goods. In the Ostfalia HaW subproject, an intelligent mobility concept for the use of autonomous vehicles interacting with the environment in production facilities is therefore being developed and tested in practice.

Approach:
In order to achieve the outlined goal, a physics-oriented simulation of driverless transport vehicles is in the foreground. During the development of novel algorithms for these systems, their potentials as well as challenges for production logistics will be uncovered. For the realistic testing of the algorithms, three existing research institutions are available (Mechatronic-Mobil, Functional Institution for Regenerative Electric Mobility and Vehicle Dynamics Control Systems "Fredy" and the Spheric-Mobile).