On Blockchain-based Token Usage in Cyber-Physical Production Systems

Abstract

Services and devices in a Cyber-Physical Production System (CPPS) can be provided and requested by multiple parties. Therefore, CPPS face challenges such as cross-company interactions, data security, and robustness against failure. Blockchain Technology (BCT) appears to be a suitable solution for these challenges, since it ensures immutable, trust-building, partly automatable, and transparent data handling and storage. In particular, BCT-based tokens enable the digital representation of objects such as products, tools and machinery or values and permissions and offer new possibilities for CPPS. Thus, this contribution focuses on the application of tokens in CPPS. Multiple use cases for tokens such as asset-backed tokens or utility tokens are presented. Based on this, a concept for an asset-backed token, representing material in a CPPS, is developed and demonstrated in a simulation model.