Factory-X Project Sets Standards For Data Sovereignty In Industry

The completion of Factory-X, a consortium project within the broader Manufacturing-X initiative, marks a major milestone for seamless data exchange and digital connectivity across organisational boundaries in manufacturing.

Over the course of the project, partners from industry, IT and research created practical application examples, demonstrators and reference models to support secure data sharing in production. A centrepiece is the Manufacturing X-Port — a modular, standardised access solution that enables companies to exchange data securely, independently and in an interoperable manner within data spaces. In parallel, the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) was advanced as a key standardisation instrument underpinning digital twins and frictionless collaboration across the sector.

These results lay the groundwork for digital ecosystems and fresh business models. By enabling secure, standardised data exchange along the entire value chain, Factory-X contributes to greater resilience, efficiency and competitiveness for industrial players.

Arvato Systems has been part of the Factory-X consortium since 2022, helping shape the conceptual architecture and further evolve the port concepts. The focus was on delivering practical, easy-to-use solutions for secure inter-company data exchange.

In addition, Arvato Systems provides consulting and integration services for digital data rooms, as well as support with internal data readiness. This includes connecting distributed data sources, building administrative environments and establishing and managing connectivity to data spaces.

The outcomes are now moving into real-world use. Priorities include enhancing connectors, cementing the AAS standard and launching new services such as 'Dataspace as a Service' and the 'Dataspace Cockpit' to simplify access to secure data spaces. The full final report is available on the Factory-X website.

Following the project's conclusion, collaboration continues in topic groups on the Industry 4.0 platform to refine standards and drive international scaling. The results of Factory-X are viewed as groundbreaking for the sector's digital transformation.

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