Dirk Werthmann

The Role of the Internet of Things for Increased Autonomy and Agility in Collaborative Production Environments

This chapter discusses the contribution of the Internet of Things for providing a fine-grained information infrastructure within collaborative production environments. Such infrastructure makes up-to-date information available to autonomous objects to render contextual decisions that evolve elemental agility. A technical discussion illustrates the feasibility of autonomous objects as well as their possible involvement in the Internet of Things. Additionally, a demonstrator is described, which exemplifies the effects of autonomous objects on agile processes within the automotive industry. Concluding, the chapter relevant research questions in the field of the Internet of Things and collaborative production environments are specified.

Towards an Approach to Identify the Optimal Instant of Time for Information Capturing in Supply Chains

Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex and with this development the challenges towards information management increase. The importance of capturing the right, most relevant information in order to avoid having too much information to handle is commonly accepted in industry and academia. But the question not yet sufficiently discussed by industry and academia is: What is the optimal instant of time to capture the relevant information along the process chain? With this paper the authors look into this issue by first analyzing two practical cases, from a transport and a manufacturing perspective. Afterwards, the elements of information captured are shortly elaborated and finally, constraints on the determination of the optimal instant of time for information capturing are elaborated in order to build a foundation for further research. This paper is a first step towards a methodological approach taking on these issues. A short conclusion and outlook summarizes the paper.

Towards a standardised information exchange within finished vehicle logistics based on RFID and EPCIS

Finished vehicle logistics is facing different challenges. In order to cope with these challenges this article presents a case study, analysing a concept to improve finished vehicle logistics using radio frequency identification (RFID)-based and electronic product code information services (EPCIS). Within this case study, vehicles were identified automatically by RFID. For sharing, the information generated by RFID the EPCIS-based InfoBroker was developed according to the needs of the automotive industry. By having data available through the InfoBroker, decision support systems (DSS) can make planning and control of finished vehicle logistics decisions more efficiently. The case study was executed within two finished vehicle logistics cases. Based on this article practitioners can estimate the potentials of RFID and EPCIS for finished vehicle logistics. Based on the data made accessible by the presented concept practitioners and researches can develop innovative DSS to improve finished vehicle logistics

Considerations on a Lifecycle Model for Cyber-Physical System Platforms

Cyber-physical system platforms are information infrastructures connecting different cyber-physical systems and other information systems. This infrastructure is the base for realizing the “Industrie 4.0” paradigm aiming for collaborative industrial processes involving smart objects and smart factories. In inter-organizational value networks, a cyber-physical system platform becomes a shared resource that has to be managed cooperatively along its lifecycle. This paper looks at cyber-physical system platforms from a lifecycle perspective. It describes the complexity of networks of cyber-physical systems and cyber-physical system platforms within value networks and the resulting restrictions influencing their various lifecycles. A selection of different lifecycle models from literature is reviewed to extract aspects that provide a promising basis for the development of a specific lifecycle model of cyber-physical system platforms.

Semantic Model for IoT-Enabled Electric Vehicle Services: Puzzling with Ontologies

The purpose of this paper is to present our research on applying semantic modelling and ontologies to the issues of products and services. Two selected issues are discussed: i) the collection and reuse of product-service lifecycle data in an IoT-enabled framework. The role of product-service ontology is demonstrated as a backbone of vehicle lifecycle management, ii) ontologies and semantic interoperability as enabling technologies for the creation of services such as charging location finding or traffic information services. In both cases, a particular product - electric vehicle with electric battery - is taken into account as a case study.

Standardized information exchange in automotive distribution processes

Abstract Managing automotive supply chains becomes even more challenging, because vehicles are getting more complex and customers and production plants spread all over the world. To cope with this, the RAN - RFID-based Automotive Network project has developed a standardized platform for information exchange. Thus it is possible to develop and implement software systems to improve supply chains by realizing better process control. How vehicle distribution can benefit from better information exchange as well as better information processing and supply is described in this paper.

Einsatz mobiler Computersysteme im Rahmen von Industrie 4.0 zur Bewältigung des demografischen Wandels

Der Beitrag beschaftigt sich mit dem Einfluss cyber-physischer Systeme (CPS) auf die zunehmend durch Industrie 4.0 gepragte Arbeitswelt. Hierbei werden Herausforderungen und Potenziale, die durch den demografischen Wandel sowie die Einbindung von Geringqualifizierten entstehen, illustriert und diskutiert. Der Fokus des Beitrags liegt auf den Einsatzmoglichkeiten von mobilen Systemen, mit dem Schwerpunkt Wearable Computing-Losungen, in den Bereichen Produktion und Logistik, welche die Beschaftigten im Rahmen eines Ambient Assisted Working-Ansatzes unterstutzen konnen.

Managing the Life Cycle of IT-Based Inter-firm Resources in Production and Logistics Networks

This paper applies the concept of inter-firm resources to inter-organizational information systems that are shared between enterprises within production and logistics networks. The paper focuses on challenges during collaborative initiation, development, implementation, operation, and maintenance as well as termination of such shared information systems. The availability of instruments for improving all these life cycle phases of shared information systems is discussed based on the implementation of an EPCIS-based data exchange infrastructure within an automotive production network.