German

The aim of the collaboration between the Standardization Council Industrie 4.0, the Plattform Industrie 4.0 and

their Japanese partner, the Robot Revolution & Industrial IoT Initiative, is to exploit the economic potential of digitization, to achieve a smooth transition into the digital age in both countries and to maximize the positive impact on the competitiveness of industry in both countries. At CeBIT 2017, the collaboration was intensified, particularly in the areas of international standards and improved IT security for networked industry. The German and Japanese partners agreed to develop a joint vision of the future of smart manufacturing standardization and a mechanism for proactive information sharing and transparent collaboration. In addition, the partners agreed to define the content areas of Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) standardization based on specific conceptual work, such as the development of the various usage views, in order to achieve a common understanding of the topic of use cases. These content areas were described and published in the first edition of the joint strategy in 2017. Today, based on the activities and successes to date, as well as the significant changes in global circumstances, the two partners have agreed to “update” their collaboration in the second phase of the joint strategy.

In the course of the cooperation, three working groups have been formed to address specific sub-topics: At the beginning of the cooperation in 2017, the focus was on developing a common perspective for the use of reference models. At the same time, the cooperation began with conceptual work such as the development of various usage views to achieve a common understanding of the topic of use cases. Both countries agreed that use cases are important basic scenarios for analyzing and identifying technical requirements for the introduction, expansion and new development of standards. The cooperation has achieved a common understanding and now supports the work in international standardization bodies.

Together with the Platform Industrie 4.0, the LNI4.0 and flanked by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the following topics were defined as fields of action in the action plan.

(Content support SCI 4.0 and RRI)

Current activities

Joint Asset Administration Shell workshop 

Joint consideration of the Usage View application scenario Seamless Dynamic Plant Engineering

Testbed Edge configuration (LNI 4.0)

Aspects of the language of Industrie 4.0 components (VDI guideline 2193 part 1 -2)

Publications

2017: Common strategy on standardization in the field of Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things

2018: Discussion Paper: Usage Viewpoint of Application Scenario Value-Based Service

          Discussion Paper: Functional Viewpoint of Application Scenario Value-Based Service

2019: Discussion Paper: Usage View of the Asset Administration Shell

2020: Discussion Paper: Usage View of Seamless and Dynamic Plant Engineering (Mai 2020)

         Update on Common strategy

(Content support Platform Industrie 4.0 WG "Security of networked systems" and RRI)

Current activities

Trustworthiness in the context of "IIoT Value Chain Security“

Development of a demonstrator on Supply Chain Trustworthiness with implementation of the BMWi project "Legal Testbed

Publications

(Lead Plattform Industrie 4.0 AG „Digitale Geschäftsmodelle “ /RRI)
2017: Facilitating International Cooperation for Secure Industrial Internet of Things/Industrie 4.0
2018: Report „Securing Global Industrial Value Networks – synchronizing international approaches“
2020: White Paper „Approach to establish Trustworthiness in the context of IIoT Value Chain Security“

(Lead Plattform Industrie 4.0/RRI)

Together with the Industry 4.0 platform, the LNI4.0 and supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK), the following topics were defined as fields of action in the action plan.

In the meantime, the view has gained increasing international acceptance that new standardization activities are only meaningful if the underlying driving use cases are formulated and clearly understood. To this extent, an internationally uniform understanding of use cases in the context of Industrie 4.0 is a central starting point in standardization work. Use cases are here an instrument for building a bridge from the driving challenges facing the manufacturing industry to the corresponding possible technical solutions. Use cases then also offer the possibility of deriving new requirements for standardization.

Furthermore, a conceptual separation of problem descriptions and solution approaches was recognized early on and this was taken into account in the formulation of the so-called use scenarios. It was also emphasized that, due to the diversity of the manufacturing industry, not every use case has the same relevance for every user and that a problem description can certainly be implemented in different ways.

On the other hand, it became more and more conscious that the term "Use Case" was understood and used very differently. This has Recommendation is a proposal to differentiate between three different categories of use cases (see Industrie 4.0 Standardization Roadmap, Version 3, chapter Use Cases):

• Business scenarios, where value-added relationships between companies and their business models are described from a business perspective.
• Use Cases, where a technical system is described in its application context, namely how actors outside the technical system interact with it and with each other 
• Practical examples, where a concrete solution approach is described.

This suggestion was actively taken up and implemented both nationally, for example in selected use cases of Labs Network Industrie 4.0, and internationally, in addition to Japan, as well as within the framework of the cooperation with China, the trilateral cooperation with France and Italy and the USA.

 Publication White Paper: Usage View of the Asset Administration Shell

The results paper of the German-Japanese Cooperation in Industrie 4.0 Standardization & Use Cases explains the concept, applications and advantages of the management shell.

However, a comprehensive view from the application perspective is still missing. However, this is necessary to enable a broad community to better understand the objectives of this concept in order to benefit from its use.

The presented elaboration is an important step to develop a common view on a core concept of Industrie 4.0 and to derive requirements for the necessary standardization.

 Publication White Paper Usage View "Seamless and Dynamic Engineering of Plants"

This working paper has been elaborated in the working group “Modelling Example” VDI/VDE-GMA Technical  Committee 6.12 “Seamless Engineering of Process Control Systems” together with the “Use Case Task Force” in the International Standardization Action Group, within the Japanese Robot Revolution & Industrial IoT Initiative (RRI) in cooperation with the SCI 4.0 and Plattform Industrie 4.0). The aim is to enhance the value of the document by sharing and therefore implementing new and more diversified perspectives. The activities and partners were initiated and orchestrated by the Standardization Council Industrie 4.0 (SCI4.0) withing the project GoGlobal Industrie 4.0.

The presented elaboration is an important step for completing a common view to a core concept of Industrie 4.0 and to derive requirements for necessary standardization activities. Its results are supported by the strong commitment of VDI/VDE GMA, the Japan’s Robot Revolution & Industrial IoT Initiative thanks to the open minded and integrating procedure chosen.

 Publication White Paper: Germany - Japan

Common Strategy for Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) Second Edition

The German and Japanese partners agreed to create a common future vision of smart manufacturing standardization and establish a mechanism of proactive information exchange and to work transparently together. Furthermore, the partners agreed to examine substantive areas in standardization Industrie 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), based on concrete conceptual work e.g. the elaboration of the various Usage Views to achieve a common understanding on the topic of use cases.

These substantive areas were described and published as first edition of the common strategy in 2017. Today, based on the past activities, achievements and significantly changing global circumstances, both partners agreed to “upgrade” the collaboration as the second stage of the common strategy.