Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung ISI
Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung ISI

Projekt

Access to I4MS

Manufacturing is key Europe’s future, but its manufacturing sector has been losing ground. Now the world is on the brink of another industrial revolution, characterized by deep integration of ICT in manufacturing. EU industries are well placed to benefit from the new ICT- driven industry. SMEs need to participate in and benefit from the new industrial revolution. To turn this vision into reality for European SMEs the current I4MS project aims to increase the uptake of ICT by manufacturing SMEs. It does so through innovation and support actions. The Access toI4MS project is a support action to advance the I4MS ecosystem, and expand its coverage. Its impact is increased quality and size of the I4MS ecosystem, innovation uptake, matching supply and demand of ICT-related manufacturing. The XS2I4MS consortium presents a strong mix of organisations to realize excellence and impact. Three large European applied research organisations, TNO, Fraunhofer and VTT, have as their core business transfer of technologies to manufacturing. They have state-of-the art facilities in open innovation. They have programs tailoring technologies and business models to the needs of SMEs. The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is specialized on advanced manufacturing and has a dedicated Training Centre. Brainport Development has a major role to support high-tech SME start-ups in developing business plans, and accessing finance for growth.

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XS2I4MS will support the continued expansion of services provided by I4MS Gate, the single portal for the I4MS community (WP1). It will serve the existing I4MS community, newcomers, as well as the European I4MS community at large. The project will build a solid information base for I4MS in WP2: I4MS Observatory. Sharing best practices (WP4) are aimed at increasing the number of SMEs participating in I4MS. Specifically the outreach activities in WP5 (Mentoring and Coaching for Regional Innovation Hubs) aim to extend the network to include SMEs in region not currently participating in I4MS. WP6 (Management nd Coordination) will ensure effective coordination of tasks.

The objective of WP2 (the ISI-WP) is to provide a strong information base on relevant platforms, suppliers and users of technology fo the benefit of the I4MS community. The WP comprises the following tasks:

Repository of providers and users of technology

Main activities under this task include:

  • Collect and distribute information on innovative technology suppliers, which can provide new equipment, components, tools and services for improved manufacturing and engineering operations. 
  • Collect and distribute information for potential new users of advanced ICT in the manufacturing sector.
  • Publish access to database using Portal . Interested actors, can fill in own details to the database.

Inventory of existing platforms

This task aims at identifying relevant platforms for I4MS . The core of the information will be provided by the I4MS Innovation Projects and Innovation Actions, but also other platforms will be continuously collected. The KETs Technology Platforms database and the multi-KETs pilot lines project will be used as a second input. 

Large scale survey ICT in manufacturing

In order to obtain an overview of the status of ICT adoption at a firm level, a large scale industry survey will be implemented. The identification and description of ICT adoption will be carried out by using a number of scientifically approved fact-based and directly measureable indicators on the firm level.

The relevant questions about adoption of ICT solutions in manufacturing SMEs will be integrated in the German part of the well-established European Manufacturing Survey.

Results of the survey on the one hand will feed into the I4MS catalogue as elaborated within the Observatory. On the other hand the result will be used to prepare best practise status reports on the adoption of ICT in manufacturing.

    Database of suppliers and users of technology established and available on the portal

    Database of existing platforms relevant for I4MS available on the portal

    ICT in manufacturing survey report

Duration

09/2015 - 02/2018

Client

  • Europäische Kommission

Partners

  • NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO (TNO), The Netherlands (Coordinator)
  • Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy (VTT), Finland
  • THE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTRE LIMITED LBG (MTC), United Kingdom
  • BRAINPORT DEVELOPMENT NV (BPD) NV, The Netherlands