Session: 03-15-03: Smart Manufacturing and Robotics for the Future III

Paper Number: 164123

Planning and Simulating the Creation of a Smart Factory for PZT (Piezoelectric Materials) and EAP (Electroactive Polymers) Using a Methodology Based on Business Model Ontology 

In the context of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, the manufacturing landscape is rapidly evolving, with smart factories poised to produce a wave of innovative products. A pivotal sector in this transformation is the supply chain for smart materials, specifically piezoelectric materials (PZTs) and electroactive polymers (EAPs). PZTs, which generate electricity when subjected to mechanical stress, and EAPs, which change shape or size under an electric field, are vital for applications such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesting devices. Currently, the production of these smart materials is largely controlled by major conglomerates like BASF and DuPont. However, to ensure a flexible and sustainable future, it is essential to diversify this landscape by empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to manufacture these materials and even develop finalized products. This shift aims to make smart material production affordable, requiring only a modest initial investment, thereby fostering innovation and resilience in the global supply chain.

This paper introduces the Business Model Ontology (BMO) as a powerful methodology to plan and simulate the creation of a smart factory tailored for PZTs and EAPs. BMO provides a structured framework that enables the full simulation of a factory’s operations, allowing stakeholders to analyze profit outcomes across various scenarios.These scenarios account for differing production quantities, investment levels, and sales volumes, offering a data-driven approach to optimize financial performance and strategic planning. The methodology consists of the following steps: 1. Ceating the necessary environment for the startup team; 2. Conducting market research and forming a Matrix of Industrial Result Sources; 3. Object Classification and Identification; 4. Production process and environment development; 5. Product value calculations; 6. Implementational cognition development; 7. Industrial result scenarios calculations and 8. Preparing an investment proposal.

The paper outlines the comprehensive process of designing and developing a smart factory environment for manufacturing PZTs and EAPs. This includes establishing enterprise systems to manage supplies, production, sales, and financing, all integrated with a cutting-edge technological environment aligned with Industry 4.0 and 5.0 principles—such as automation, IoT, and data analytics. A key feature of this design is its modular foundation, which facilitates future upgrades to enable the production of complete products incorporating these smart materials, ensuring long-term scalability and adaptability.

Ultimately, this research highlights how Business Model Ontology serves as an intuitive and effective tool for engineers and entrepreneurs. By simplifying the complexities of business model design and factory simulation, BMO empowers individuals to establish new manufacturing enterprises or enhance existing ones, contributing to a more dynamic, innovative, and sustainable industrial ecosystem.

Presenting Author: Trifon Stefanov Institute for Systemic Economic Engineering

Presenting Author Biography: Trifon Stefanov is the CEO of the Institute for Systemic Economic Engineering in Bulgaria, where the theory of Business model ontology was developed. The purpose of the institute is to delve into the intricate workings of the enterprise economy and develop a structured description of the principle of operation of the enterprise, which resulted in the theory of the Business Model Ontology. The theory is concerned with the comprehensive study of the structural organization, the functioning and the necessary cognitive base of the industrial enterprise as it develops new and integrates various existing elements of economic science into a universal model, aiming to enhance understanding and management of the economy within the enterprise. Trifon Stefanov has graduated engineering from Saitama University, Japan, and management from Tsinghua University, China and Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, USA.

Authors:

Trifon Stefanov Institute for Systemic Economic Engineering
Stefan Stefanov Institute for Systemic Economic Engineering
Rupal Srivastava South East Technological University