What are data spaces?
Data spaces are more than just collections of data. An important characteristic is that data is not stored centrally and that a data space consists of the sum of all actors. The term “data space” therefore refers to a type of data relationship between partners. The aim is to create a federated, open infrastructure that enables sovereign data exchange. Data spaces are therefore based on jointly agreed rules and (de facto) standards that promote cooperation on an equal terms.
And which role do they play for your processes?
Federated ecosystems take on a particularly important role in data utilization and control, especially when it comes to equal collaboration between multiple partners. Some examples of how such features can be utilized in the industry include:
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Supply Chain Collaboration
Collaboration across multiple supplier levels is a challenge due to the potential complexity and lack of transparency between the parties. Data spaces allow a direct, equal exchange of data and thus ensure a clear presentation of information within the supply chain. Companies can easily and transparently find offers and obtain data from their suppliers across the entire value chain.
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Traceability
The ability to track goods through all stages of production, processing and distribution is important in many industries. Federated ecosystems enable companies tocollaborate more easily across multiple stages of the value chain and make their data available for traceability.
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Sustainability
Digital transformation supports sustainability in supply chains with environmentally friendly, transparent processes. With the help of federated ecosystems, it is possible for companies to calculate their carbon footprint across the entire value chain. The data from the entire supply chain would be transparently accessible.
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Production
One initiative that aims to solve the data sharing challenge and strives for sovereign data provision is called Gaia-X. Read our white paper and find out how data rooms can be used in manufacturing to enable sovereign, shared data usage using an example from spindle production.
Data dreams spaces
Data spaces have enormous potential for the industry. It is therefore not surprising that there are several X initiatives dedicated to this topic:
Gaia-X is laying the foundations for a pan-European cloud strategy. It is not an official standardization body, but a project in which the members define the Gaia-X architecture and rules for a broader, transparent and fair ecosystem to promote the European data economy. The parties involved aim to create a set of policies and rules in line with EU values to create trustworthy, decentralized digital ecosystems.
We are actively shaping the future of manufacturing and supply chains! concircle is involved in research as part of the EuProGigant project:
European Production Giganet for calamity-reducing self-orchestration of value and learning ecosystems, also known as EuProGigant, is an Austrian-German research project led by TU Wien and TU Darmstadt. The aim is to deliver solutions for machine connectivity and machine-oriented data processing that use Gaia-X-compliant edge architecture. concircle is one of a total of 22 project partners.
As part of the Gaia-X lighthouse project EuProGigant, we are working intensively on the future topics of Gaia-X, data rooms and the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) in order to provide you with innovative and secure solutions.
Practical application for your production processes
A key use case that we have successfully implemented as part of EuProGigant is part matching with SAP Digital Manufacturing. By integrating SAP DM into the Pontus-X ecosystem, we show how data can be securely shared, monetized and used with compute-to-data in a federated data space to save work steps and reduce costs.
We will also be looking at the Eclipse Dataspace Connector (EDC) to offer you even more options for seamlessly integrating your systems. This also enables a connection to the Catena-X ecosystem, operated by Cofinity-X and based on Tractus-X, which we are also evaluating.
Whitepaper:
Read more about current challenges in collaboration in the production chain and the path to the future using the example of a multifunctional spindle assembly. Fill out the form below and receive the whitepaper by e-mail.
The path to efficient collaboration and data sovereignty in manufacturing
Gernot Baumgartner
Team Lead Digital Manufacturing Software Engineering
Gernot leads the Software engineering Team in the Digital Manufacturing area. He specializes on manufacturing executions systems and their interfaces. As part of the EuProGigant project, he has participated in the development of the part matching demonstrators.