Asset and Production Tracking through Value Chains for Industry 4.0 using the Arrowhead Framework

Reaching the targets of the Industry 4.0 movement requires serious efforts for the technology adapters. These include the digitization of their industrial processes, the integration of telemetry data collection methods, managing status updates within digital twins. These changes must have the appropriate interfaces with the business logic of the company itself as well. Among the many targeted corporate functions of Industry4.0, logistics and supply chain management applications are especially complex, due to the heterogeneity of the stakeholders' infrastructures. Complex asset tracking and digital twin functionalities are highly desirable by this industrial segment. While global players push their own generic approaches that require costly customization, there are no low-cost and easy-to-use solutions available for small and medium scales. This paper presents a retrofittable, cost effective solution for managing and tracking various assets within shop floors and logistics using high accuracy indoor positioning combined with RFID-based tracking features, even across the supply chain. The system is supported by the Arrowhead framework, which offers a service oriented approach together with its scalable local cloud concept, allowing interoperability among stakeholders inside and outside organizations.