TNO
Smart Connected Supplier Network - Increasing Productivity of the Supply Network
Challenge
Smart Connected Supplier Network is an initiative of manufacturing companies and their IT-suppliers in the high-tech manufacturing supply chain. The aim is to facilitate cross-factory communication and thus ensuring supply chain transparency and interoperability, resulting in an overall productivity improvement of 20%. This is realized by reducing the administrative burden and facilitating collaboration between supply chain partners.
Unlike traditional centralized platform initiatives, SCSN is fully based on the principles of digital and data sovereignty. There is no central entity controlling the data. A non-profit foundation chairs the data sharing agreements, but the implementation is done by the involved IT-suppliers. Unlike existing EDI-initiatives, these agreements not only address the semantics, but also the technical and legal aspects between partners in the ecosystem.
Success
SCSN is designed as a highly scalable solution by providing a network approach (four-corner model) which consists of the following two aspects:
- One common semantic language to exchange: orders, forecast, TPDs, BoM, drawings, invoices, logistical information, catalogues, and measurement data.
- Seamless technical agreements between Service Providers to ensure the promise of Connecting Once – Communicate with everyone. The underlying SCSN infrastructure is based on the reference architecture developed by the International Data Spaces Association. The SCSN Foundation created standard IDS Connectors and Data Apps, which can be used by service providers. These service providers, i.e. integrator parties, created off-the-shelve integrations with a complete portfolio of ERP systems. This way, they can very easily connect manufacturing companies to the network.
The Smart Connected Supplier Network by TNO
By Matthijs Punter
- Seamless scalable integrations for manufacturing companies for exchanging purchase-to-pay informationacross supply chains based on off-the-shelf integrations.
- Reduction in administrative burden, faster time-to-market, lower IT integration costs instantaneous access to a large group of suppliers.
- IT service providers only need a single integration, no custom connections anymore! IT service providers can built their own proposition around SCSN.
Partners/Ecosystem
- 300 manufacturing companies are currently connected to SCSN and this group is growing every day!
- 10 service providers integrated dozens of IT systems and offer commercial integrations.
- 3 sector organizations are highly involved in governing SCSN.
- 2 knowledge institutes are chairing the innovation activities.
Main Technology/IDS Component
- The SCSN Foundation created standard IDS Connectors and Data Apps, which can be used by service providers.
- These service providers, i.e. integrator parties, created off-the-shelve integrations with a complete portfolio of ERP systems. This way, they can very easily connect manufacturing companies to the network.
- The SCSN Foundation manages the SCSN Broker, Certificate Authority, and DAPS.
