GEMINI

Brief description

The aim of the GEMINI project is to develop feasible business models within the context of Industry 4.0. The instrument being created by GEMINI enables the participating companies and organisations to develop and implement individual business models by providing them with methods, processes and IT tools.

Challenge

The Industry 4.0 paradigm has resulted in manufacturing companies having to face fundamental change in the nature of their value streams. The possibilities offered by Industry 4.0 will result in opportunities for completely new business models. However, it is difficult for companies to review both the fascinating opportunities and the risks of Industry 4.0 and to develop innovative business models. There is a need for support when it comes to the developing and assessing the risks of and implementing innovative business models for Industry 4.0. The aim of the GEMINI project is to create instruments to develop and implement viable business models based on the opportunities available within the context of Industry 4.0.

Technologies

The participating companies and organisations will be provided with an instrument that enables them to develop and effectively operate individual business models. Starting with a business idea, general business model patterns and those specific to Industry 4.0 will be identified (e.g. remote maintenance, digitisation, customised mass production). These patterns will be stored in a knowledge base and combined to form promising business models. This pattern-based approach makes it easier to develop business models and enables efficient estimation and minimisation of possible risks. An operationalisation planner ensures that the business model developed is integrated into the company's value stream. Moreover, a business model converter on the online platform (www.innovations-wissen.de) will help potential users to create business models. These scientifically based methods will be validated in pilot projects on the basis of specific examples. The experience and findings won will be fed into the knowledge base and the toolkit.

Use case

The different focus areas of business model development will be examined further in five pilot projects. Additive manufacturing (AM) enables tool-free manufacturing of customised components directly from CAD models. A B2B platform assigns this CAD data and the corresponding assembly jobs in a network of distributed AM machines. Other pilot projects will deal with cloud-based services for Industry 4.0 and a platform for integrated production networks. Unique new business models are also being developed for three selected projects from the Autonomics for Industry 4.0 support programme. The focus is on networking and services infrastructures for cyber-physical production systems (CoCoS), reusable smart services for flexible robot systems (ReApp) and systems for automated localisation and inventory management of warehouse stocks using autonomous flying robots (InventAIRy). 

Partners: Universität Paderborn (consortium leader), Atos IT Solutions and Services GmbH, CONTACT Software GmbH, Fraunhofer IPT, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, SLM Solutions Group AG, UNITY AG