About the project

EuProGigant’s vision is to create a new type of interaction in both value creation and learning ecosystems. This will enable resilient, data-driven and sustainable production to regain and strengthen European leadership in the manufacturing industry.  

The project seeks to contribute to a Europe in which companies work together collaboratively and consensually on the basis of shared European values and legal views across national borders. The industrial ecosystem is characterised by the self-organisation of participants, data and services (= self-orchestration) in order to mitigate threats from crisis situations (= calamity avoiding).  

 To achieve this, companies will operate within increasingly decentralised production infrastructures, such as manufacturing plants and computing resources that can be logged into. In the case of computing resources this will be reflected in the free choice of storage location, access rights and partnerships. Where production takes place and where data is processed and stored is completely transparent. The prerequisites for this are the above-mentioned values, primarily the GAIA-X principles of trust and transparency, interoperability and data sovereignty (more on the project’s values below). By constantly using data, albeit for a fee, companies can adapt much better to new situations, share knowledge and thus also access solutions themselves that have worked for others. The infrastructure also opens up opportunities for new business models with high value creation along the entire data value chain in parallel to the production value chains: Offering own resources such as data, smart services and ideas as digital sales assets creates an additional pillar for one’s own company besides the usual product offering. Such a broad positioning makes it easier for companies to adapt to market changes – they become faster, more adaptable and more resilient. 

Highly automated serial production, global supply chains with low inventory levels and maximised productivity through specialisation – these are the hallmarks of European industry and lead to challenges such as a lack of flexibility in value creation. A sudden loss of market demand for established products, supply bottlenecks and employee absenteeism, as well as the existing strain of increasing individualisation of consumer goods exacerbate these challenges. Interconnectivity as it exists today between companies is not enough to counteract this. The digitalisation and networking of the entire manufacturing chain is the key to resolving these problems. This is exactly what is tested and demonstrated in EuProGigant. 

In the EU Commission’s strategy for data and artificial intelligence, “Shaping Europe’s digital future“, it describes key tasks for the future to secure Europe’s place as a centre for core innovations in the manufacturing industry, resulting in social well-being in the future. In order to reduce barriers and stimulate greater activity among the medium-sized industry in Europe, connectivity must be advanced with cost-effective solutions. Likewise, data processing using artificial intelligence must gain momentum, with society playing a key role in this development. EuProGigant makes a significant contribution to implementing strategies in a targeted manner and meeting a societal need.  

In concrete terms, this means combining existing technologies and building a Gaia-X demonstrator in manufacturing with concrete use cases. For these use cases, we will develop innovative, data-driven business models according to Gaia-X as a best practice example for Europe. The economic application of the business models will be pursued during the duration of the proejct.

Central realisations:

• Machine connection and machine-oriented data processing
• Resilience in the value creation ecosystem: distributed terminals for the fulfilment of  joint benefits
  
• Multi-cloud connectivity: collaborative condition monitoring & predictive maintenance, energy efficiency
  

EuProGigant shows how small and middle-sizedcompanies can independently join the European data infrastructure via the Gaia-X Federation Services.

EuProGigant aims for the following quantified impact:

In answering the three research questions, EuProGigant focuses on optimising the speed and flexibility of value creation through the implementation of the technical architecture of a data ecosystem according to Gaia-X. A high-frequency data collection by means of, open-source-based, cost-effective solutions in combination with a process-oriented aggregation of the collected data should offer a high incentive for new users. In addition, easy, self-configurable connectivity between the infrastructure ecosystem and the data ecosystem should accelerate the speed of value creation. 

EuProGigant demonstrates data continuity in the manufacturing ecosystem through standardised vertical integration from the machine to the plant management level as well as further horizontal linkages across different business units and even company and country boundaries. The project shows how different actors, stakeholders and companies can access data, achieving a common benefit by working together. It does this by creating interfaces, showing how the building blocks of the system (computing units, measuring devices, software, Gaia-X Federation Services) need to be used and implementing this in models for which different use cases have been devised. By analysing the contributing factors and their effects on our value creation and learning ecosystem, disruptive factors are identified and software and hardware-based solutions for stable systems are developed. 

“Thanks to Gaia-X, including the latest interface technologies, we can provide our customers with a new level of analysis of their manufacturing processes,“ says a representative of IGH Infotec AG, industrial partner (DE), SME. 

In EuProGigant, the latest technical innovations are applied in line with the project goals. At the same time, the project contributes to social change. Climate protection, energy savings and resource efficiency are driven by the project; artificial intelligence is used and the way is paved for a digital and social work culture. 

You can find out more about how the project contributes to these three key topics by clicking on the images.  

The success of EuProGigant is possible thanks to the cooperation of the project partners and the advisory boards (Industrial Committee & Advisory Board, Intergenerational Advisory Board, Scientific Advisory Board). The basis for the common ecosystem is the fact that companies have existing business relationships with each other and share a common interest in the implementation of the use cases, as these represent real problems in today’s industry. EuProGigant takes a comprehensive approach and engages with large and small companies and other stakeholders.  

Mehr Informationen zur internen Organisation des Projekts, dem Zusammenspiel zwischen den Partnern und den Fördergebern finden Sie auf der Seite Organisation.

Still not involved in EuProGigant? You can get involved in the project in the following ways:  

Project support:  

• Participate in the Industrial Committee: Access to leading knowledge and opportunity to play an active role  
• Technology provider: Provide components or grant licenses
  
• Business creation partner: Participate in the development of business models 
• Companies can also present their product and offer them for free usage 

Extended cooperation opportunities:

• Stand-alone industry projects connected to the EuProGigant infrastructure 
• Work on partner-specific use cases to supplement the project
  
• Further funding opportunities for project financing are possible
• Contact us if you are interest in getting involved in the project or have any questions.