Mr. Wollschlaeger, what exactly was the reason for setting up the new ZVEI working group?

Wollschlaeger: Industry 4.0 promises to better connect all partners in the value chain using standardized concepts and services. The role of software is becoming increasingly important here. As previous work on Industry 4.0 in the ZVEI has naturally focused on the store floor, it is now necessary to extend the models, concepts and specifications developed to the office floor in order to achieve the desired seamless integration.

What topics do you want to tackle in detail?

Wollschlaeger: The ZVEI is developing a series of key documents in its working groups. These include the papers on RAMI 4.0 and the Industry 4.0 component. The application of these specifications to production-related software is the focus of the 'IT in Automation' working group.

It is to be expected that complete software systems will be integrated into the value chain as assets of Industry 4.0 components. This in turn means that there will be administration shells with sub-models and features for this software in exactly the same way as they are currently created for physical assets. In particular, the requirements and specific features that characterize software - from stand-alone solutions and functional modules to embedded software as a component of firmware - must be considered. For example, topics such as version updates, operating system and platform requirements and the formulation of dependencies on other modules are considered. These properties are then made dynamically accessible over the life cycle via Industry 4.0-compliant communication services that have yet to be specified.

Another topic is the mapping of software functions to domain-specific services. There is already preliminary work on this in the ZVEI working groups - for example on the topic of MES - which will be incorporated here.

What exactly does your roadmap look like?

Wollschlaeger: The starting point for our work is the scenarios that the Industry 4.0 platform has compiled in order to identify, cluster and prioritize typical functions and properties of production-related IT systems. Based on this, a partial model for software is to be developed that can be integrated as a building block in the administration shells. In addition, requirements will be derived for the topics that are being worked on by other working groups of the various associations. These include, for example, requirements relating to security, interaction models, network communication, service specification, network components and engineering.

In coordination with other working groups, a process model for providers of IT functions is then to be developed in order to define the administration shell for such functions. This includes structuring into suitable submodels, the aforementioned submodel for software, service mapping and the description of requirements for dynamic adaptation processes.

Who is already involved in the new working group?

Wollschlaeger: Well-known companies such as Bosch Rexroth, Festo, Siemens, Emerson, Hilscher and Codewrights, providers of MES and ERP solutions such as itac, PSI and SAP, as well as IT companies such as Microsoft and Telekom are already on board. The latter are particularly important partners when it comes to platform connectivity. Other companies interested in participating are very welcome!

Within the VDMA Software Association, the ICT sector has long been interlinked with mechanical engineering. Wouldn't it make sense to join forces with the VDMA on this topic in order to avoid duplication of work?

Wollschlaeger: The associations are already working together in the Industry 4.0 platform to coordinate their work, with a focus on content to avoid duplication of work. The focus of the 'IT in Automation' working group will therefore be on production-related aspects. In addition, the associations are already working closely together on the definition of other sub-models, such as for drives, and there will also need to be close coordination with other groups, such as the GMA, on the topic of services.