Example: Factory-X Project: The project includes a total of eleven different use cases. From our perspective, it remains to be seen which of these will be live and in industrial use by the end of the project, or whether non-project participants will be able to take part in them.

Manufacturing-X Architecture: MX-Port Updates

The technology building blocks and the overall architecture of Manufacturing-X have undergone significant further development over the past year. The architecture centers on the MX-Port concept, which was developed as part of the Factory-X project. The goal was to create a conceptual model that can be implemented in various technical phases to make it easier for as many companies as possible with existing IT/OT systems to connect to Manufacturing-X projects.

The MX port is currently available in three variants. These variants are based on architectural decisions that are currently being updated on a regular basis. The three variants are called Hercules, Leo, and Orion.

The Hercules implementation of the MX port is based on Catena-X and the standards used there The Dataspace Protocol (DSP) and the Decentralized Claims Protocol (DCP) are used. For data storage and usage, the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) is used. In the future, the Hercules building blocks are expected to be usable via Tractus-X, the software underlying Catena-X.

The Orion implementation of the MX port, in turn, relies on OPC UA. The goal is to enable data exchange without requiring a semantic break. The DSP and DCP are used in combination with OPC UA, primarily to integrate with companies that already use OPC UA.

The MX-Port Leo relies on the use of AAS. The focus is on implementing the solution with as low a barrier to entry as possible. Instead of DSP and DCP, organizations can also use their own systems that are already in use, such as those related to identification.

Manufacturing-X: The Future and Outlook

As Platform Industry 4.0 Austria, we participated in the Hannover Messe again this year. We’ll share our impressions from the event—particularly regarding data exchange in production— in the next Check-In

It is already clear that the focus is shifting to the application layer. Data Spaces can serve as an infrastructure for various applications, but they are not an end in themselves. A good example of this—with significant Austrian involvement—is the use case for the digital product passport from the PASSAT project, which was showcased at the Hannover Messe.

AI-related applications are the focus of the planned IPCEI-AI. The project is currently being designed, and Germany is leading this cross-border initiative. The connection to Data Spaces & Co. is being taken into account. Austria is not participating in the planned project, but through the Platform Industry 4.0 Austria, we are working to advocate for opportunities for non-participating countries to connect and participate. It will still be several months before the IPCEI-AI launches.

In the long term, the success of Manufacturing-X depends on translating these concepts into industrial practice. Technical building blocks have been created and can be used and adapted. For testing and trialing within your own company, you can, for example, take advantage of “Test-before-Invest” projects offered by European digital innovation hubs.

Catena-X: News and Updates

As a reminder: Catena-X is a data space for the automotive industry. Catena-X is primarily driven by various vehicle manufacturers, or OEMs. A number of automotive suppliers are now also very active in the project. Compliance with Catena-X standards is increasingly finding its way into the contractual terms of the automotive sector. BMW remains a strong driving force behind Catena-X, though other manufacturers are also actively involved. New releases are being published, most recently CX-Titan in March 2026.

One company that facilitates integration with Catena-X is the German firm Sovity. The company has now connected numerous customers in the automotive industry to Catena-X. Practical applications include, among other things, certificate management and the implementation of the Product Carbon Footprint.

Catena-X has been collaborating with the OPC Foundation for some time now. The OPC Foundation is the organization behind OPC UA. The collaboration focuses in particular on the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP). A coordinated approach is also being taken with regard to technical architectures.

Catena-X also integrates with Amazon Web Services via Cofinity-X. The “Dataspace OS” application has been available through the AWS Marketplace for some time now.

Various Project Insights and Updates

“growING” Project

growING focuses on data exchange in special-purpose machine manufacturing. Existing tools (simulation, eCAD, mCAD, ERP, MES) are integrated via Asset Administration Shells (AAS) and with the help of Eclipse Dataspace Components (EDC) to enable a growing digital twin. The AAS is used as middleware for data storage and configuration. At the same time, a customized version of EDC is used to enable data exchange. growING uses the ARENA 2036 test environment (“ARENA2036-X”).

Robert Bosch GmbH is the project leader for growING. A total of seven partners are involved, and the budget is €12.6 million, of which €6.1 million is funded. The project has been underway since November 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in January 2027.

“EDCar” Project

The EDCar project focuses on the exchange of material information in the automotive sector. EDCs are used to improve data documentation throughout the automotive life cycle, up to and including recycling. The focus is on the end-of-life assessment of vehicles on the one hand, and on measuring the performance and evaluating components throughout the product life cycle on the other. Product data itself is not shared automatically but is released only upon request.

EDCAR is part of the PMD-X project family of the German MaterialDigital platform. The goal is to link various preliminary efforts in the materials field with Data Space projects such as Catena-X—another project is AeroMatPass-X, which builds on Aerospace-X.

EDCar is led by Fraunhofer IWM. Various industry partners are involved, including BASF, BMW AG, LRP Autorecycling, Bosch, and Schaeffler. The project has been underway since July 2025 and is scheduled to be fully implemented by the end of June 2026.

“DataFleX” Project

The DataFleX project connects the automotive sector with the energy industry. Specifically, the Catena-X and energy data-X data spaces are to be linked. The primary goal is to implement practical use cases, including enabling electric vehicles to function as energy storage devices through data technology and testing incentives to promote greater decentralized flexibility in the energy system. No separate data space will be built; instead, interfaces will be created to improve the competitiveness of the participating stakeholders.

Various companies in the energy sector are participating in DataFleX to implement the project. The project is led by the German company TenneT. Siemens and d-fine are involved as technology partners; the total cost amounts to 12.6 million euros, of which 7.2 million is funded. The project has been underway since October 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in January 2027.

“SM4RTENANCE” Project

The SM4RTENANCE project is in its final stages. The various pilot projects developed as part of the initiative—including those by the Austrian companies Fill and AVL List—are being finalized in terms of content and integrated with one another. An Industrial Data Space portal for the mechanical engineering industry is being developed in collaboration with the VDMA.

Other Projects

The sphin-X project aims to establish a data space in the life sciences industry. A demonstrator based on Catena-X and the EDC has been available since November.

Data Space initiatives are also being launched in the arms and defense sector. The Decade-X project in France is already underway. In Germany, a proposed flagship project called “Defence-X” is in the works.

Additional data exchange projects are currently being developed and implemented. These include, for example, the Empower-X project in the field of renewable energy, the Data4NuclearX project in the field of nuclear energy, RegenAg-X in agriculture, and Furniture-X in the furniture industry.

Various projects have been completed in recent months. These include, among others, the DataBri-X and Underpin projects in the energy sector, as well as the Flex4Res project, which focused on resilient production.

Other Economic Activities

CANCOM and HPE have been collaborating on Data Spaces in Austria since last year. The services offered by both companies can be used for implementation projects.

With DASS-X, a spin-off of the German company BASF, focuses on data spaces. With this spin-off, BASF is building on its work with Catena-X. The chemical company’s goal is to integrate its supplier businesses into the Catena-X ecosystem over the next few years. To this end, it offers various software solutions. For example, AI agents are designed to facilitate onboarding into a Data Space.

nexyo is also working on integrating AI agents and Data Spaces in the industrial sector. The Vienna-based company relies on the AAS, which is offered as a service, among other things.