Open Access

Jagtap Kaustubh Pandurang

• The advancements in Industry 4.0 technologies have provided unprecedented opportunities for optimizing material transportation through various use cases that are possible through rapid technological advance. An important driver for the use cases is data. However, the lack of understanding, which specific data, from which sources and in what frequency, slows down the implementation of use cases or even reduces their potential benefits. Companies lack the ability to prepare themselves correctly for a use case integration, especially from the data perspective (e.g. data availability, quality, integration). Therefore, the goal of this thesis is to create a framework for evaluation of Industry 4.0 use cases in the materials' transportation with regard to needed data. The scientific approach employed in this research involves research and analysis of existing frameworks for description or assessment of use cases in different fields and industries. Following, specific use cases related to material transportation in the context of Industry 4.0 will be identified in order to find similarities in the structure and requirements regarding needed data, and thus identifying common characteristics and key parameters. These parameters will then serve as the foundation for developing a framework that enables companies to systematically analyse and assess potential use cases for material transportation, considering the data requirements and its integration challenges. The expected result of this thesis is the development of a practical framework that empowers organizations to evaluate and implement Industry 4.0 use cases for material transportation effectively. By providing a structured methodology, this framework will facilitate decision-making processes and support companies in identifying the most suitable use cases based on their specific requirements and data availability.