21/06/2021

On Wednesday 16th June, Shoestring held an online workshop for its solution provider partners to explore how off-the-shelf technologies can be integrated into the Shoestring development process.

Technology specialists provide key support in making sure Shoestring solutions can be adapted and adopted by manufacturers, in some cases providing development support for manufacturers implementing a Shoestring industrial pilot.

Led by Shoestring team members German Terrazas and Greg Hawkridge, the workshop was an opportunity to show how off-the-shelf products and services could be incorporated into the Shoestring process; to provide examples of the Shoestring development process; and, to identify potential benefits and opportunities for new partnerships and business development.

Ten companies (including Vos Voco, SMC, Innomech, Brainboxes, AND-TR, Tangent Works, XPertRule, Zama Digital, Total Control Pro and Microsoft) joined the workshop to explore the different levels of integration their products and services could potentially be part of (i.e., ready-made solutions, service modules or building blocks), and how these could be trialled across a range of existing lab demonstrators or industrial pilots.

Participants were shown successfully deployed ready-made solutions such as job trackinglegacy panel data extraction and part identification, the structure and characteristics of the hierarchical design system as well as the types of supplier solution providers could be part of.

During the event, participants were invited to give live feedback. This provided the Shoestring team with important insights into how they can better help facilitate the design of solutions as well as ideas for potential contacts in other companies.

Feedback showed that:
  • The majority of the companies would find the Shoestring Design Process easy to follow;
  • Most companies have understood the characteristics defining ready-made solutions, service modules and building blocks;
  • Companies managed to identify their products and services as either off-the-shelf solutions, services modules or building blocks;
  • Most companies considered their products and services as SME affordable, therefore contributing to lowering the cost of Shoestring solutions; and,
  • Companies recognised the important role Shoestring plays when building end-to-end industrial solutions out of low-cost off-the-shelf products.
The workshop was an enthusiastic platform of discussion for the attending companies. It also offered a great opportunity to re-enforce the benefits Shoestring offers to solution providers, which include:
  • The opportunity to become part of the Shoestring ecosystem which creates a market for solution providers.
  • Being exposed to end-users since these will be guided towards using off-the-shelf products and services in the bill of materials.
  • Giving the chance to engage with potential customers, for instance by becoming a shoestring certified provider.

If you are interested in finding out how your company or organisation can get involved in the Shoestring programme, or would like to know more, we would love to hear from you!

Please email us at: contact@digitalshoestring.net