Siemens and VTT have agreed on Digital Fiber cooperation, the purpose of which is to develop digital forest industry. The development cooperation includes building ecosystems, developing new types of forest industry related processes, implementing technology solutions and modernizing VTT’s Bioruukki piloting center.
Digital fibre
An ecosystem will be formed in the cooperation project between Siemens and VTT, with the intention to develop digital forest industry.
Forest companies and process experts, such as pulp and paper companies, consults, start-ups and process OEM companies, were invited to the ecosystem in August: Applications on 13th September, 2017 at the latest. Further information: https://digitalfiberinitiative.com/
The aim is to create a successful industry ecosystem, in which new ideas can be developed and commercialized in an agile manner.
“The Nordic countries have superior forest industry expertise and are also pioneers in digitalization. In a small country like Finland, people have always known how to combine resources and expertise, from which everybody will benefit”, says Janne Öhman, CEO of Siemens Osakeyhtiö.
“This understanding creates a solid foundation for Nordics ecosystem development. I believe that we can generate value that will benefit the ecosystem by also opening up opportunities for Nordic companies on the international markets”, he continues.
The forest industry is undergoing a major change
New uses for the fiber obtained from forests, as well as biomass processing and recycling, call for new types of processes and technology solutions supporting them. The project sets out to develop the process models required by the changing operating environment, of the kind that will benefit the whole forest industry in the Nordic countries.
One of the testing environments in the development project is VTT’s Bioruukki, a piloting center established for research purposes in Espoo. Further information: http://www.vttresearch.com/bioruukki-pilot-centre
In addition, VTT introduces its expertise in forest industry processes to the benefit of the project. Process models developed by VTT are broadly used in the design of factories and processes.
“We will develop Bioruukki into a world-renowned development environment for the bio and circular economy and also want to turn it into an environment utilizing leading IoT and other modern information technology, such as simulation, optimization and data analytics. One of our most important visions is to reform industry using information technology,” says Jussi Manninen, Executive Vice President from VTT.
Siemens’ technologies: Comos and MindSphere IoT
Siemens will introduce technology solutions in the cooperation project, including Comos process lifecycle management software and an open MindSphere IoT solution. In addition, Siemens can act as an international sales channel for solutions developed in the project.
With the Comos lifecycle management software, it is possible to speed up the design process and increase and optimize process efficiency throughout the lifecycle in order to improve competitiveness.
The MindSphere IoT operating system, in turn, allows transferring data between the process model and the actual process. The process model is a virtual copy of the actual process, a digital twin that allows optimization, simulation and utilizing process design data throughout its lifecycle. Data are typically owned by the process owner, i.e. the end customer, who also decides on sharing the data with other operators.
As a fully open IoT solution, MindSphere is an easy-to-use platform for ecosystems capable of developing digital services, applications and new business models.
The digital economy is outcome economy where result or value is sold instead of products and services, and this will inevitably change business models.
“We invite companies of any size to join the Digital Fiber ecosystem to produce software, applications and services for the digitalizing forest industry. With the cooperation, it is possible to create new jobs in the ecosystem. Finland’s centenary year is the right moment to pay attention to the role of forest industry in securing well-being in our region,” says Öhman.
Contacts
Siemens Osakeyhtiö
CEO Janne Öhman
tel. +358 10 511 3868
email: janne.ohman@siemens.com
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Jussi Manninen, Head of Business Area
tel. +358 40 535 5947
email: jussi.manninen@vtt.fi
Source
Supplier
Siemens AG
Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
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