The goal is to provide an innovative, comprehensive SW solution that follows Web 2.0 principles to enhance the products of automation systems and electrical equipment manufacturing SMEs operating in the global market. Such a solution will enable: – ICT and service engineering provider SMEs to provide a new SW system that is highly competitive in the ICT market; – Equipment manufacturer SMEs to be the first users of such a SW system and strengthen their competitiveness in the global market by providing new product and customer support services and enabling new business models. SMEs need to add various product and customer support services to their products, such as condition-based maintenance, problem resolution, device reconfiguration services, etc., and be able to provide these services cost-effectively to globally distributed customers. A key aspect of such product extension services (PES) is that they require efficient collaboration between the various players in a supply chain and customers in a geographically distributed, extended enterprise context. Users need ICT solutions that enable a smooth transition from the current (mostly locally oriented) service delivery to the provision of services on the global market, partly in the “virtual world”. The consortium consists of 3 ICT providers and 3 user SMEs, suppliers of equipment and automation systems. WEB2SME will provide a means (system, SW services for collaborative working and knowledge sharing, and a set of service engineering tools, etc.) for global SMEs to effectively build/maintain PES. The goal is to enable non-IT experts in SMEs to effectively build/manage such PES according to WEB 2.0 principles to meet the dynamically changing needs of their customers. The ICT solution, affordable for SMEs (low cost, easy to integrate), will be developed based on an advanced service-oriented architecture paradigm. The solution will initially be applied in 3 user SMEs, which will serve as demonstrators of the project results.
More information under: https://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/58251_en.html
