Industry 4.0 and Distributed Ledger Technology

In tomorrow's world, machines will contain not only asset information, but proactive decision and optimization algorithms, which enable goal-oriented behavior of the components. Such I4.0 component can be seen as autonomous, independent economic actors, which interact regarding market economy principles.

The resulting high flexible value-added networks need new forms of company’s interactions - at national and global level. A common global communication and computing infrastructure is a necessary precondition for new business models and the succesful realization of visions of the Industry 4.0.

Distributed ledger technology (DTL) is often known to the public under the terms "Bitcoin" and "crypto-currencies" or "blockchain" and is well known through its applications in the financial sector. However, the potential of DLT as an underlying technology for various use cases extends far beyond this domain.

The Chair of Integrated Automation is investigating how distributed ledger technologies can contribute to the success of Industry 4.0, what resources are required and how I4.0 concepts and distributed ledgers can be integrated.

As a result of a joint project between the IOTA Foundation, the Chair of Integrated Automation (LIA), Institute of Automation Technology of the Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, eCl@ss, NeoCeption and WeWasch, a first autonomous and completely decentralized industry marketplace was created. This set an important milestone for machine-to-machine communication and created a basis for open digital ecosystems.

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