What were the notable highlights in 2023? What exactly are we planning for 2024?
LNI 4.0 started its journey into the data economy in 2023. As a non-profit and pre-competitive association for the transfer of German SMEs to Industry 4.0.
LNI 4.0 will support the establishment of the data economy with demonstrators and transfer measures, particularly in the context of Manufacturing-X.
We have been working on Industry 4.0 since 2015, primarily on the interoperability of machines and store floors / production lines.
In more than 120 test projects (known as use cases), a wide variety of problems and solutions were addressed and implemented as examples.
All use cases are presented on our website.
Our activities in our LNI 4.0 testbeds have picked up speed again due to market demand (and ultimately also due to the elimination of corona restrictions) and are driving new topics in the areas of standardization and applications for SMEs.
Our very active testbeds are:
1. TSN (time-sensitive networking) - since 2017 with more than ten companies involved across the board
2. edge management - since 2018 also with more than ten companies involved across the board
3. AAS Testbed (Asset Administration Shell) - since 2016 (initially RAMI 4.0, from 2019 AAS and OPC UA companion specifications)
The TSN Testbed (Time Sensitive Networking) deals with different approaches to time synchronization in production (down to the micro-second range). The TSM testbed is supported by Fraunhofer in Augsburg. We meet online three times a year and monthly to "plug" TSN devices and their software in order to discuss the results and prepare new topics. In 2024 are still the IEEE 802.1 and IEC/IEEE 60802 standards on the agenda. You can find details here.
In the Edge Management Testbed, use cases for the management of edge devices and their software are tested via edge management systems. In 2023, there was a technological switch to the AAS (Asset Administration Shell) to manage the devices and software versions. For In 2024, the Edge resources will be shared is aimed for. New companies will also join the demonstrator and provide impetus. Further details can be found here: .
The AAS Testbed (Asset Administration Shell) implements the latest regulatory requirements internationally. These are CO2 management and supply chain resilience as well as product passports. These key topics are also highly topical outside Europe and so, in addition to the USA in the future Canada and Korea directly involved in the demonstrator via real industrial supply chains. This will be implemented from 2024. Further information is available here.
According to the motto "Keeping the good and embracing the new", we will continue these three testbeds at full speed.
From 2024 we build step by step New fourth testbed "Data" on.
It is not only the experience of how the testbeds are managed efficiently, how the participants / members are best and visibly involved, how topics can be advanced pre-competitively in plugfests, but above all the concrete and operational issues from the marketwhich are incorporated into all testbeds.
Our testbeds are available on our website here shown.
Our special highlights are the leading trade fairs for the Industry 4.0 community - the Hannover Messe (HMI) and SPS Drives Nuremberg.
LNI 4.0 also participates at regular intervals in the Digital Summit of the Federal Government, in 2023 for the first time with its own demonstrator, the AAS Demonstrator for CO2 management.
In 2023, the two leading trade fairs were once again fully available and were overwhelmingly well received by visitors and the community. LNI 4.0 introduced the Demonstrators of all three testbeds and was thus not only able to demonstrate the latest results of the interoperability tests in real industrial setups, but also gain new members for the association.
Of course, we were there in 2023 and will be there again in 2024 - LNI 4.0 as a co-exhibitor at the joint stand of the Industry 4.0 platform.
Hannover Messe 2024 will take place from April 22 - 26, 2024.
SPS Drives Nuremberg will take place from November 12 - 14, 2024.
The Digital Summit 2023
was a special highlight for LNI 4.0. In the Market of Opportunities, we presented the AAS Demonstrator that the CO2 management and resilience internationally and industrially. With the visit of state secretaries and important representatives of the BMWK and BMBF ministries as well as the steering committee of the Industry 4.0 platform, LNI 4.0 was able to achieve great success. Attention for the Industry 4.0 topics of the future generate.
Further information will follow on our website here.
What would LNI 4.0 be without special Events, conferences and workshops outside the LNI 4.0 testbeds?
In 2023, LNI 4.0 successfully held presentations and panel discussions at the following events, among others
- Feb. 2023: OI4 Knowledge Camp
- May 2023: Korea AAS Forum
- Jun 2023: Japan RRI Forum
- Jul 2023: International Manufacturing-X Council meeting
- Sep 2023: EMO fair 2023
- Feb 2023: Mobile World Congress 2023
- Sep 2023: Netherlands Manufacturing-X event
- Oct.2023. USA CESMII event (Southtec)
- Oct. 2023: St. Gallen Alumni Future Congress 2023
- Nov. 2023: Canada CEI event (salon MPA)
- Nov. 2023: World Manufacturing Forum 2023
LNI 4.0 is planning these events in 2024:
- Feb. 6, 2024: Bavarian M-X Congress 6.2.2024 / Bayern Innovativ
- Feb. 15 + 16, 2024: Kick-off International Manufacturing-X
- Feb. 19, 2024: Kick-off Factory-X in Germany
- March 27, 2024: Korea AAS and Manufacturing-X Forum
- Apr. 22-26, 2024: Hannover Messe
- May 2024: Netherlands Manufacturing-X event
- Oct. 2024: Japan RRI Symposium
- Oct. 2024: USA CESMII event (Southtec)
- Nov. 12-14, 2024: SPS Drives trade fair
An important means of knowledge transfer is the Publications and whitepapers represent.
In 2023, LNI 4.0 published papers - which were published at HMI 2023, SPS 2023 and the Digital Summit 2023:
- TSN Testbed
- Edge Management Testbed
- AAS Testbed
- All publications are here
LNI 4.0 is not called for nothing Labs Network Industry 4.0.
As LNI 4.0 cannot offer all technologies and implementations for all industries in its own testbeds, an extensive cooperation network with other test centers and test partners has been established since 2016. This cooperation network is based on agreed neutrality and pre-competitiveness. This means that interested companies can rely on LNI 4.0's customary practical implementation of various Industry 4.0 technologies for their respective use cases.
The associated test centers each represent different use cases. Either technology-oriented, industry-focused or according to regional requirements.
Thanks to the diversity of the test centers, LNI 4.0 can respond to a wide range of different requirements and use cases.
In the test centers, companies have the opportunity to 'experience' the different characteristics and ideas in a tangible way and project them onto their own company - neutrally - risk-free - and pre-competitively.
Our Network with associated test centers/labs and transfer projects is in 2023 continued to grow - especially in an international context:
- GITO-Verlag / "Factory Automation" magazine
- Changwon City, Republic of Korea
- Ansan City, Republic of Korea
- ESB Business School - Reutlingen University
- Canada / Quebec - MoU with the CEI (Centre Expertise Industrielle)
In the year 2024 we are announcing cooperation with further associated test centers/labs and transfer projectswhich will primarily support the new data testbed.
In addition to working with SMEs, the fulfillment of LNI 4.0's purpose also includes a Stable anchoring of LNI 4.0 in the community for Industry 4.0, a good, trusting connection to the Industry 4.0 platform and the Federal Ministry BMWK behind it, and collegial cooperation with neighboring networkswho are also involved in Industry 4.0.
Since 2016, LNI 4.0 has developed into a recognized and trusted partner in the Industry 4.0 community - and is working hard to remain so with many small activities.
Among other things, we were able to Discussion on the networking and bundling of existing transfer initiatives in Germany to broaden the reach of Industry 4.0 into German society.
In 2024, as part of Manufacturing-X, we will actively implement the Factory-X project with members of LNI 4.0 and set up the new data testbed in the process. Here, too, our focus will be on implementation and application by SMEs.
And of course LNI 4.0 is also compatible with Newsletter, website and on social media on the road:
In addition to the activities described above, digital channels are now also required to fulfill the purpose of the association.
A website, the publication of a regular newsletter and corresponding articles (posts) in social media have become an integral part of the basic activities.
In 2023, LNI 4.0:
- 3 whitepapers of the LNI 4.0 Testbed published
- 17 Newsletter published
- 75 posts with information and further links posted on LinkedIn
In 2024, LNI 4.0:
- Introduce a blog - 1 blog article per month
- New white papers with international partners in the field of Manufacturing-X and AAS
- Continue to send newsletters
- Continue to publish posts with information and further links on LinkedIn
- and very exciting: initiate an information series on the specific topic of "data"
Last but not least - here are a few more facts about LNI 4.0!
Since 2016, the non-profit association Labs Network Industrie 4.0 e.V. has been serving the broad to facilitate the practical introduction of Industry 4.0 innovations for SMEs in Germany. As a pre-competitive association, its mission is to actively shape change. This 'only' requires the active interest of companies. Neutral and free of charge.
LNI 4.0 is a knowledge transfer, competence and experimentation network. and has around 50 cooperating test centers in the network, which are particularly interesting for small and medium-sized companies on their way to Industry 4.0.
In the cooperating test centers, companies have the opportunity to get to know new technologies, innovations and business models relating to Industry 4.0, try them out and test their feasibility - in a safe and neutral environment with the necessary specialist expertise.
The companies have the opportunity to test their specific implementation of Industry 4.0 in real use cases. Practical application examples are created through active participation in so-called use cases. Adaptations,
Challenges and errors can be resolved before the technology is incorporated into the real production process. This information is then shared in order to make the generated experience available to other companies.
The focus of LNI 4.0 is the transfer of knowledge to society, young people and German SMEs: non-profit, pre-competitive and manufacturer-neutral.
