Latest news The path to a sover­eign data future

If the digital trans­for­ma­tion is to be a success for the German economy, it needs end-to-end networking and data sover­eignty. These are the require­ments for new inno­va­tions and busi­ness models. Poli­tics, busi­ness, science, and asso­ci­a­tions should now work together to create the neces­sary stan­dards and frame­work condi­tions for this.

“Because we know that real added value from digi­tal­iza­tion only emerges when all the data from the produc­tion process is combined.”

Henrik A. Schunk, CEO SCHUNK

The starting point is the Manufacturing‑X initia­tive, launched by Netzw­erk­plat­tform Indus­trie 4.0, which aims to imple­ment a common sover­eign data space that networks German industry in order to make value chains more trans­parent and resilient in the future. This requires the exper­tise and active involve­ment of German SMEs.

Prac­tical approaches

This requires the exper­tise and active partic­i­pa­tion of German SMEs. SCHUNK fully supports this initia­tive. “Because we know that real added value from digi­tal­iza­tion only emerges when all the data from the produc­tion process is combined,” empha­sizes Henrik A. Schunk. Now we need to target the next level of networking and bring different indus­tries together in a common data network. It is the common goal to map supply chains trans­par­ently in order to deter­mine, for example, the real carbon foot­print of a product in the future. As a repre­sen­ta­tive, the two feder­ated asso­ci­a­tions VDMA and ZVEI are already at the fore­front of intel­li­gently networked produc­tion.

With the asset admin­is­tra­tion shell stan­dard (Digital Twin) for Industry 4.0, the Euro­pean initia­tive “Gala‑X” or the flag­ship project “Catena‑X” for digi­tal­izing the supply chains of the auto­mo­tive industry, there are already basic building blocks, to build a federal data ecosystem “Manufacturing‑X.” The inte­gra­tion of small and medium-sized enter­prises through needs-based appli­ca­tion concepts, in addi­tion to inter­na­tion­al­iza­tion with global stan­dards, is a core goal.

Building trust

Manufacturing‑X is leading the way to a sover­eign data future. It will drive the devel­op­ment of the neces­sary tech­nolo­gies for open-source data ecosys­tems forward and and will thereby initiate a cultural change. “The coop­er­a­tion and the open exchange are the basic condi­tions for the success of the initia­tive. With one another, for one another,” says Henrik A. Schunk. This is a prereq­ui­site that the desired common data room will also become an area of trust.