In the research project EcoHub, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and partners developed a service-oriented IT platform for the central collection and processing of sustainability data. The platform makes it easier for manufacturing companies to prepare environmental reports and apply for certification.
More and more companies are legally obliged to report on the CO2 footprint of. Yet preparing the required environmental reports and applying for certification can be laborious and costly. Collecting sustainability information that measures a company's environmental, social and economic impacts, including energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and supply chains, is a hugely time-consuming process. This is because the sustainability data needed for this often comes from a large amount of machine data. An IT platform can help manufacturing companies see the forest for the trees again.
EcoHub project
In the EcoHub project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), researchers at Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart worked with industrial partners from the paper, chemical, recycling, metal processing, agriculture and food industries to develop an IT platform for sustainability data management that performs exactly this step. The platform collects the data, taking into account aspects of data security and access authorisation. The platform does this in one central location. It then presents the information in a clear and easy-to-understand format.
IT platform
This data storage in the form of a service-oriented hub enables further analyses and provides the respective company with valuable feedback. For example, wasted materials can be identified. It can also be used to reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions. The measurement data serves as a basis for identifying anomalies and unlocks the possibility of AI-based prediction of anomalies.
LCA and MFCA
IT platform is also ideal for services such as life cycle analysis (LCA), material flow costing (MFCA), data validation and reporting. The platform not only analyses and interprets machine data, but also leverages a company's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The required reports are generated with just a few mouse clicks.
Validation through testing in practice
The 17 project partners validated the software in 10 cross-industry use cases. Initially, only in-house employees have access to the data. In the long term, however, the aim is for companies to also be able to share sustainability data among themselves.
Prototype completed
The prototype IT platform is completed and ready for rollout. Some project partners are already actively using the system. Fraunhofer IPA offers decision-making support to companies interested in the new solution and strategic assistance in setting up and implementing the software.
Featured image: The IT platform enables the secure collection and centralised processing of data to provide valuable insights into sustainable production. ( Fraunhofer IPA)
