What if the journey from a webshop order to a finished, custom-made product could happen seamlessly—without manual steps, delays, or data loss?
In this talk, we present an ongoing research project TECON (Blueprints to reality) exploring exactly that: how to connect e-commerce systems with smart manufacturing environments using digital twins, digital product passports (DPPs), and modular integration technologies.
Together with leading research institutions—Fraunhofer IML and TU Dortmund—and with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, we are building TECON and the XIONI Suite: a flexible, API-first platform that bridges the digital and physical worlds.
Our current pilot use case focuses on the production of custom strip curtains from soft PVC, where customers configure their product online, and the order data flows directly into a controlled, semi-automated production process using SPS systems and 3D printing.
This talk offers a transparent look into the research and development process: what’s working, what’s still experimental, and where we see real-world impact and innovation potential.
