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Industry 4.0 for SMEs - Smart Manufacturing and Logistics for SMEs in an X-to-order and Mass Customization Environment

Fact Sheet

Reporting

Results

Objective

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution and technological evolution from embedded systems to cyber-physical systems (CPS) in production. The main objectives of Industry 4.0 can be summarized as the introduction of intelligent systems in production and logistics, the development of highly adaptable and modular manufacturing and logistics systems, the integration of sustainable and advanced manufacturing technologies as well as the promotion of automation technology and human-machine interaction. In the context of Industry 4.0 new ICT and web technologies act as booster or enabler of smart, autonomous and self-learning factories facing the challenges of even more individualized and customized product portfolio.
A great challenge for the future lies in the transfer of Industry 4.0 expertise and technologies in small and medium sized enterprises (SME). SMEs represent the backbone of the economy and have an enormous importance in the development programs of the European Union for strengthening the competitiveness of European enterprises. Although the high potential of Industry 4.0 in SMEs, the main limit lies in a lack of concrete models for its implementation and application in small and medium enterprises. Thus, this research project titled “Industry 4.0 for SMEs - Smart Manufacturing and Logistics for SMEs in an X-to-order and Mass Customization Environment” aims to close and overcome this gap through the creation of an international and interdisciplinary research network. Identifying the needs and enablers for a smart and intelligent SME-Factory, creating adapted concepts and design solutions for production and logistics systems in SMEs and developing suitable organisation and business models will be the three main objectives of this research network. The applicability of the results is ensured through a close collaboration with a European small and medium sized enterprise (non-academic partner) from mass customization industry.

Programme(s)

H2020-EU.1.3.3. - Stimulating innovation by means of cross-fertilisation of knowledge

Topic(s)

MSCA-RISE-2016 - Research and Innovation Staff Exchange

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MSCA-RISE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE)

Coordinator

LIBERA UNIVERSITA DI BOLZANO

Address

Piazza Universita 1
39100 Bolzano

Italy

Activity type

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

EU Contribution

€ 472 500

Website

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Participants (3)

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TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA V KOSICIACH

Slovakia

EU Contribution

€ 180 000

MONTANUNIVERSITAET LEOBEN

Austria

EU Contribution

€ 130 500

ELCOM, SPOLOCNOST S RUCENIM OBMEDZENYM, PRESOV

Slovakia

Partners (4)

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CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY

Thailand

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

United States

WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

United States

MADURAI AYIRA VAISYAR MANJAPUTHUR MAHAJANA SABAI

India

Project information

SME 4.0

Grant agreement ID: 734713

Project website

Status

Ongoing project

Start date

1 January 2017
End date

31 December 2020

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.3.

Overall budget:

€ 954 000
EU contribution

€ 783 000

Coordinated by:

LIBERA UNIVERSITA DI BOLZANO

Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SME 4.0 (Industry 4.0 for SMEs - Smart Manufacturing and Logistics for SMEs in an X-to-order and Mass Customization Environment)

Reporting period: 2017-01-01 to 2018-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Industry 4.0 – also known as the 4th Industrial Revolution – is one of the biggest challenges for European Industry. After mechanization, electrification and automation, the fourth Industrial Revolution is focusing on the introduction of advanced technologies connecting products, machines, people and production systems in order to realize the smart factory of the future. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Europe's economy. They represent 99% of all businesses in the EU. In the past years, they have created around 85% of new jobs and provided two-thirds of the total private sector employment in the EU. The European Commission considers SMEs therefore as key to ensuring economic growth, innovation, job creation, and social integration in the EU (source: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes). The project SME 4.0 is important for society due to its expected impact for speeding up the implementation of Industry 4.0 in SMEs and thus to increase productivity and competitiveness of European SMEs. Despite the high potential of Industry 4.0 in SMEs, the main limitation currently lies in a lack of specific and concrete models for its implementation and application in small and medium-sized enterprises. Thus, the research project aims at closing and overcoming this gap through the creation of an international and interdisciplinary research network.

The three main objectives of the project are:

1. Identifying the needs and enablers for Industry 4.0 applications and implementation in SME Manufacturing and Logistics
What are actual known concepts and technologies of Industry 4.0?
What are the main opportunities/risks for the use of these concepts in SMEs?
How suitable are the different concepts for application in SMEs (assessment of SME suitability)?
What are SME-specific functional requirements for the adaptation of the most promising concepts and technologies?

2. Creating SME-specific concepts and strategies for smart and intelligent SME Manufacturing and Logistics
What are possible forms or migration levels for realizing smart and intelligent Manufacturing Systems for X-to-order and Mass Customization Production?
How can Automation, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, ICT and CPS improve productivity in SME Manufacturing and Logistics?
What are suitable models for smart and lean supply chains in SME Logistics?

3. Developing specific organization and management models for smart SMEs
What are innovative and promising new business models for smart SMEs?
What are optimal implementation strategies for the introduction of Industry 4.0 in SMEs?
What are ideal organizational models for smart SMEs or SME networks?

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Project poster at Kick-Off Meeting

Lab visit Free University of Bolzano

SME Workshop Bolzano 2017

Participation at IEEM 2018 conference

Radio Interview in RAI Sender Bolzano - 27.01.2017

Prof. Dominik Matt at MIT

SME Workshop Kosice 2017

Interactive SME workshop results

Kick-Off Meeting February 2017 at Bolzano (Italy)

Visit of Fraunhofer Italia in Bolzano

Company visit with Alonggot Limcharoen in Bolzano

Kick-Off Meeting February 2017 at Bolzano (Italy)

Patrick Dallasega at Chiang Mai University

Midterm meeting Leoben 2018

Industry 4.0 Conference organized by Chiang Mai University

Project information

SME 4.0

Grant agreement ID: 734713

Project website

Status

Ongoing project

Start date

1 January 2017
End date

31 December 2020

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.3.

Overall budget:

€ 954 000
EU contribution

€ 783 000

Coordinated by:

LIBERA UNIVERSITA DI BOLZANO

Project information

SME 4.0

Grant agreement ID: 734713

Project website

Status

Ongoing project

Start date

1 January 2017
End date

31 December 2020

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.3.

Overall budget:

€ 954 000
EU contribution

€ 783 000

Coordinated by:

LIBERA UNIVERSITA DI BOLZANO

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Last update: 22 May 2019

Record number: 302545

CORDIS

Objective

Coordinator

Participants (3)

Partners (4)

Project information

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SME 4.0 (Industry 4.0 for SMEs - Smart Manufacturing and Logistics for SMEs in an X-to-order and Mass Customization Environment)

Project information

Deliverables

Publications

Project information

Project information

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CORDIS

Objective

Coordinator

Participants (3)

Partners (4)

Project information

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SME 4.0 (Industry 4.0 for SMEs - Smart Manufacturing and Logistics for SMEs in an X-to-order and Mass Customization Environment)

Project information

Deliverables

Publications

Project information

Project information

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