Smart Factory – Requirements for Exchanging Machine Data

Abstract

Trends and future concepts like Smart Factory contribute to the competitiveness of manufacturing companies by more flexible, automated and efficient processes. Smart Factories are defined by a complete integration of machines, processes and information flows based on advanced information and communication technology with a database containing information about capacities, delivery times or future demand. Essential for a complete integration is an automated machine data exchange. To achieve this goal and contribute to the competitiveness of producers, we seek to elaborate the technically necessary core components required for a Smart Factory. By using the Design Science Research approach, we aim to build a blueprint for implementing an integrated Smart Factory system by defining requirements for machine data exchange. Our results suggest that manufacturing environments must address various requirements, which can be grouped under the categories data acquisition, data storage and data transmission. A successful integration of these components provides the basis for Smart Factory scenarios.