The overall objective of the project is to provide Industry 4.0 capability to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the n-tier supply chain and MRO processes within the aerospace industry.

Regarding the challenges of digitization, an optimization of development, manufacturing, and maintenance processes can only be successful, if all parts of the supply chain are considered consistently. Especially SME require support in the digital transformation because design and implementation of Industry 4.0 processes require relative high expenditure and specific knowledge which often do not exist in SME. This is aggravated by the fact that digitization of SME processes does rather not count as value-adding activity. If the aviation industry is to be established as lead market for Industry 4.0 and connected production systems it is therefore essential to involve SME intensively.

In the subproject "Development of Methods and Tools for Specification and Design of Industry 4.0-Enabled Processes for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Aerospace", the Institute for Aircraft Cabin Systems is working with SMEs to analyze potentials in their business processes through the use of digital technologies and to specify optimized processes using appropriate methods and tools.

The aim of the TUHH subproject is the design of tools and methods for the specification of Industry 4.0 enabled processes in SMEs. The important topic Industry 4.0 concerns both the products of the aviation industry as well as their production and production processes. Furthermore, this topic concerns not only the aircraft manufacturer, but all suppliers involved in the supply chain. Implementing the topic of Industry 4.0 both horizontally across the entire supply chain and vertically into the entire vertical integration of the respective company requires suitable tools and methods. With these tools and methods the technologies of cyber-physical products and cyber-physical processes can be integrated into a value added network. In this way the SMEs can profit from the expected benefits of the fourth stage of industrial production. Above all, SMEs as the weakest links in the network should be enabled and supported to meet the challenging requirements of Industry 4.0 and transform them into solutions.

Project duration: September 01, 2018 - August 31, 2021
Funding Code: 20Q1726C