The Factory-X Project Sets Standards for Data Sovereignty in Industry

– Factory-X successfully completed

– New standards and services for secure data exchange in the manufacturing industry

The successful completion of Factory-X marked an important milestone in the broader Manufacturing-X initiative. Together with partners from industry, IT, and research, the foundation was laid for seamless data exchange and digital connectivity across organizational boundaries.

 The project developed key concepts for secure data exchange in production. These include practical application examples, demonstrators, and reference models for digital networking. A special focus was placed on the Manufacturing X-Port – a modular, standardized access solution that enables companies to exchange data securely, independently, and in an interoperable manner within data spaces. In addition, the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) was established as an important standardization tool that lays the foundation for digital twins and seamless collaboration within the industry.

The project results lay the foundation for digital ecosystems and new business models. They enable secure, standardized data exchange across the entire value chain, thereby contributing to greater resilience, efficiency, and competitiveness in the industry.

Arvato Systems has been part of the Factory-X consortium since 2022 and has contributed to the conceptual architecture and the further development of the port concepts. The goal was to provide practical solutions for secure and easy-to-use data exchange between companies.

The company offers industrial firms consulting and integration services in the area of digital data rooms, as well as support with the necessary internal preparations (data readiness) that enable the operation of interoperable data infrastructures. This includes connecting distributed data sources, creating administrative environments, and establishing and managing connectivity to data rooms.

Practical Implementation and Outlook

The project results are now being incorporated into concrete applications. These include the further development of connectors, the establishment of the AAS standard, and new services such as “Dataspace as a Service” and the “Dataspace Cockpit,” which simplify access to secure data spaces. The initiative’s full final report is available on the Factory-X website.

Following the project’s conclusion, collaboration will continue in topic groups within the Industry 4.0 platform to further develop standards and drive international scaling. The results of Factory-X are considered groundbreaking for digital transformation in industry.

“With Factory-X, we have demonstrated that data is the key to new value creation and innovation in manufacturing,” says Dr. Oliver Becker, Vice President of the Manufacturing Industry at Arvato Systems. “Together as a consortium, we have created solutions that bring digital sovereignty and data as a strategic production factor into industrial practice.”