FAQ

Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about data rooms, data ecosystems, and Manufacturing-X
1What is Manufacturing-X?
Manufacturing-X is an initiative supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) that brings together government, industry, and academia to drive the digital transformation of industry. It enables the secure and sovereign exchange of data across organizational boundaries in open data spaces. The goal is to create interconnected and resilient value chains that facilitate new digital business models for greater sustainability and competitiveness. The initiative builds on the foundations of Industry 4.0 and promotes the use of technologies such as AI and IoT to shape a data-driven industry. Manufacturing-X stands for the development of a European data economy in the industrial sector. The combination of data sovereignty, open infrastructure, and practical projects creates a foundation that empowers companies to operate in a digitally connected, sustainable, and competitive manner.
2 What is the purpose of the X-projects under the Manufacturing-X Initiative?

Manufacturing-X is implemented in practice through so-called X-projects. In these projects, industry-specific real-world use cases are developed and tested to demonstrate the added value of data sovereignty and interoperability.

Overview of the X Projects

3What are the goals of the Manufacturing-X initiative?
  • Ensuring data sovereignty: Building a sovereign, open, and interoperable data ecosystem for cross-organizational and cross-industry data collaboration
  • Protecting data sovereignty: Companies retain control over their data and define access rights themselves.
  • Digitizing value-added networks: Supply and production chains are being made more integrated, transparent, and efficient.
  • Promoting sustainability: Digital product passports and traceability support the circular economy and help meet regulatory requirements.
  • Building resilience: By sharing data, disruptions in supply chains can be identified and mitigated more quickly.
  • Enabling innovation: Open standards and interoperability lay the foundation for new data-driven business models.
  • Ensuring Competitive Strength: Through digital innovations and new data-driven business models, companies can thrive in the competitive landscape of the future and actively assume a leadership role.
4What are the main focuses of the SCALE-MX project?
SCALE-MX is the technology transfer and scaling project within the Manufacturing-X initiative and is funded by the BMWE. Its goal is to make the vision of a sovereign, secure, and open data space for industry practical and, above all, accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The core mission of SCALE-MX is to make Manufacturing-X understandable and easily accessible, while serving as a central point of contact for users, providers, and multipliers. It is particularly important to spark SMEs’ interest in industrial data ecosystems and expand their use. To this end, SCALE-MX provides practical guidance on the digital infrastructure and highlights its concrete benefits. To ensure the transfer of knowledge and applications, SCALE-MX offers a variety of formats: from conferences for users and providers to webinars, readiness workshops, and multiplier programs based on the train-the-trainer principle. This is complemented by best-practice events, guides for getting started with data ecosystems, and an active online presence via a LinkedIn channel and website. Through these measures, the initiative succeeds in tailoring use cases to specific target groups, making the benefits of Manufacturing-X tangible, and scaling successful concepts to a broader audience.
5What exactly is a data room?

A data room is a digital infrastructure that enables companies to exchange data in a secure, standardized, and controlled manner. Unlike traditional platforms, where data is often collected centrally and controlled by a single provider, a data room operates on the principle of decentralization. This means that the owner decides with whom to share which data and for how long. The data is made accessible via common standards, interfaces, and rules so that others can use it, provided the owner permits it.

Within the Manufacturing-X framework, the industrial data room serves as the technological and organizational foundation for connecting companies across the entire value chain.

Key features:

  • Data sovereignty: Each company decides for itself who is allowed to view or use which data.
  • Interoperability: Uniform standards ensure that data is compatible across industries, systems, and countries.
  • Trust: Access and usage rules are transparent and are defined jointly.
  • Decentralized architecture: Instead of centralized data silos, a federated network of many nodes is created.
6What is an industrial data ecosystem—particularly in the context of Manufacturing-X?

An industrial data ecosystem is a network-like system comprising companies, institutions, and technologies that aim to exchange and utilize data according to shared rules. It is not merely about the infrastructure itself (as in the case of a data room), but also about the shared processes, business models, and standards that enable data exchange and make it economically viable.

Manufacturing-X defines an industrial data ecosystem as the practical application layer of the data space:

  • The data room provides the technical and organizational foundation (e.g., control, interfaces, security).
  • The data ecosystem is a networked environment consisting of interoperable data spaces. It describes the collaboration among stakeholders who independently share, link, and utilize their data for specific use cases.

An industrial data ecosystem is characterized by the following features:

  • Sovereign data exchange: everyone retains control over their data.
  • Interoperability and standards: so that all systems can communicate with one another.
  • Trust-based governance: common rules, transparent access rights.
  • Scalability: Use cases can be scaled up from pilot projects to entire industries.

 

7What is the difference between a data room and a data platform?
A data platform stores data centrally in a single location that platform users can access. A data room, on the other hand, is organized in a decentralized manner: companies store their data on their own storage media (e.g., on-premises or in the cloud), and data is exchanged directly between participants without the involvement of a third party. The key difference thus lies in control, storage location, and usage: While platforms manage data centrally and offer permanent, flexible options for storage and processing, in a data room, rules for shared data exchange are established in advance and are not stored centrally. This enables a secure and controlled data exchange, which is often time-limited and subject to strictly regulated access rights.
8What role does the cloud play in a data room?
A cloud is a medium (in the sense of an IT resource) for storing data and information. The focus is on the provision of these resources and digital access to them. In the context of data rooms, a cloud can also serve as a storage medium, depending on the company’s preferences. The difference from a data room is that the latter provides an infrastructure for decentralized data exchange in which no data is stored.
9What does decentralization mean in a data room?
Decentralization in a data room means that data is not stored centrally. Participants store their data on their own systems, and access and data exchange take place directly between the parties involved, in accordance with predefined rules and access rights. This ensures that control remains with the owner and that data is not exchanged via third parties, such as a platform.
10What is meant by data sovereignty in a data room?

Data sovereignty in the data space means that data owners retain full control over their information. Specifically, this means that data sovereignty ensures that every company or individual retains control over their own data and does not relinquish that control to external platforms or providers.

Data owners make decisions through mutual contractual agreements, for example:

  • Who has access to which data.
  • How long the data will be shared and under what conditions.
  • You can change or revoke access at any time.
  • Data is not centrally managed or stored by third parties
11When is a data room considered interoperable?
Interoperability in a data room exists when different systems and software solutions can work together seamlessly, enabling data to be exchanged between them accurately and efficiently. This allows participants to use their own systems without having to make time-consuming adjustments or conversions. Processes such as document exchange, approvals, or analyses function across system boundaries, which facilitates collaboration between different companies or departments and makes it more efficient. Interoperability at both the system level and the semantic level is ensured through the use of standards and established protocols.
12What does scalability mean in an industrial data ecosystem?
Scalability in a data ecosystem means that the system can flexibly handle growing data volumes, increasing user numbers, or additional processes without compromising performance, security, or availability. New participants, data sources, or features can be integrated in such a way that the data ecosystem remains efficient and reliable even as it grows.
13Why are standards and governance needed in the context of Manufacturing-X?
Standards and governance within the data space and the data ecosystem work together to ensure that data is managed securely, efficiently, and reliably. Standards define how data is structured, stored, shared, and processed, such as uniform formats, interfaces, or security policies. Governance ensures that these rules are actually followed: access, approvals, and processes are managed transparently, and compliance and responsibilities are clearly defined. Together, standards and governance form the foundation for reliable, secure, and fair data exchange among participants.
14How can a data room help companies gain market access?
A data room enables market access for all companies by allowing them to access business opportunities made available through the data room, regardless of their size, industry, or IT infrastructure. Through standardized interfaces, interoperability, and secure, controlled data sharing, even smaller companies can participate in tenders, partnerships, or supply chains without having to build their own complex systems. A data room thus enables fair, transparent access to markets and business partners for all parties involved.
15What role does the connector play in connecting to the data room?
A connector is a technical component or digital hub that enables companies to connect their existing IT systems directly and securely to the data room. It automates data exchange, ensures compliance with security and regulatory requirements, and enables data to be integrated and synchronized. Using a connector ensures interoperability between different systems, eliminates manual processes, and makes the use of the data room more efficient and scalable.
16Is the MX port a connector?
The MX-Port is a type of connector that serves as an open and flexible architectural concept, enabling companies of all sizes to integrate securely and interoperably into the Manufacturing-X ecosystem. The MX-Port concept describes various configuration solutions (designations: “Leo,” “Hercules,” and “Orion”). These configurations differ in their use of various industry standards and communication protocols. The different MX-Port configurations all function as an interface between a company’s internal IT systems and the Manufacturing-X data space. They enable the secure exchange of data and information while preserving the data sovereignty of the participating companies. By utilizing established IT standards and interfaces, the MX-Port configurations ensure seamless integration and interoperability between different systems and platforms. The MX-Port is a key technology that enables companies to integrate efficiently and securely into the Manufacturing-X ecosystem and reap the benefits of a digital and connected industry.
17What is a “digital twin” in the data room?

A digital twin in the data space is a virtual representation of a real-world object, process, or system that reflects all relevant information, such as properties and states. A digital twin accompanies the corresponding physical product, process, or system throughout its entire lifecycle.  

In the context of a data room, this means that the digital twin aggregates and securely integrates data from various sources, such as machines, sensors, or enterprise systems. On this basis, analyses, simulations, and optimizations can be performed without the need to intervene on the physical object. This makes it possible to improve processes, run through scenarios, or identify potential causes of errors at an early stage.

In addition, the digital twin lays the foundation for trust-based collaboration within the data ecosystem: Companies can manage joint projects and processes in a data-driven manner while retaining full control over their own data at all times, as the principles of data sovereignty are upheld within the data space. Another advantage is interoperability: Different partners, each using their own IT systems, can work using the same digital model and thus collaborate seamlessly.

In this way, the digital twin in the data room becomes a tool that not only creates transparency but also takes innovation, efficiency, and collaboration to a new level.

18How do you explain the administrative shell (AAS), and what role does it play in a data room?

An Asset Administration Shell (AAS) is a central concept of Industry 4.0 and serves as a data format for implementing the digital twin. The AAS describes all relevant information about a physical asset—such as a machine, a product, or a component—and provides interfaces and security mechanisms through which the data can be accessed.
It supports digitization, automation, and analysis without the data being scattered across different formats or siloed solutions. The administration shell plays a central role in the data space, as it provides a standardized data format and thus ensures interoperability. Because it is readable by both machines and humans, different systems as well as companies can uniformly access the information via the data space based on the AAS.

19What is a catalog in the data room?

A catalog in a data room is an organized overview of available information and services that enables efficient, secure, and transparent access for all participants. The catalog clearly lists available information, documents, or services. The information itself is not publicly visible to everyone; instead, only descriptions such as origin, format, or access rights are displayed. This ensures transparency and traceability while maintaining data and IP security.

20What is the OPC UA standard?

OPC UA (“Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture”) is an international industrial standard for the exchange of data and information between machines, plants, systems, and software. It is developed by the OPC Foundation and is particularly relevant in Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing-X.

Key features of OPC UA:

  • Manufacturer- and platform-independent – works with machines and systems from various vendors.
  • Standardized interfaces – a common “language” for communication in production.
  • Built-in security – encryption, authentication, and access control.
  • Scalable and expandable – suitable for use from sensors to cloud platforms.
  • Information modeling – not just raw data, but also context (e.g., units, structures, states).

Real-world examples:

  • Machines communicate seamlessly with one another on a production line.
  • ERP, MES, and cloud systems access production data directly.
  • Digital twins can be enriched with real-time information.

OPC UA is a key standard for ensuring interoperability and data flow in the connected industrial sector.

21What is meant by a use case as addressed in the individual projects of the Manufacturing-X Initiative?

A use case describes a specific situation in which a system, product, or technology provides a particular benefit. It answers the question: “Who uses what, for what purpose, and with what goal?”
In the various Manufacturing-X projects, current industry challenges related to cross-sector data exchange are examined. In the process, potential solutions for these specific use cases are discussed and developed.

Typical components of a use case:

  • Stakeholders: Who is involved? (e.g., machine operator, IT system, customer)
  • Trigger/Goal: What problem or goal is at the heart of this?
  • Process: What steps are involved in achieving the goal
  • Benefits/Results: What value does the solution provide?

 

22What are the demonstrators being developed for in the individual projects within Manufacturing-X?

A demonstrator is a hands-on model or prototype that makes a technology, concept, or use case tangible and experiential.

Features of a demonstrator:

  • Clarity – complex technologies become tangible.
  • Proof of Concept – demonstrates that an idea works from a technical standpoint.
  • A foundation for learning and discussion – helps to understand the benefits and limitations.
  • Not a finished product—often still in the laboratory or pilot stage.

In summary, it can be said that a use case describes the benefits in words, while a demonstrator makes those benefits visible and tangible. For this reason, various demonstrators are being developed within the individual X projects to visually illustrate and bring to life the proposed solutions for a given use case.

23How can a company develop new digital business models by participating in a data room or data ecosystem?

A digital business model uses digital technologies and data to create new products, services, or revenue streams. For example, companies can:

  • Offer maintenance or diagnostic services (e.g., servicing machines before they break down),
  • use digital twins to optimize products or processes,
  • or work with partners to develop new solutions for sustainability or supply chains.

In a data room, companies can securely and confidently share and use data with others. This opens up new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, such as through greater transparency, automated processes, or joint data-driven offerings.

In short: Participating in a data room opens the door to more data, trust, and cooperation—and thus to new markets and digital business models that were previously impossible.

24How does a data room support the joint development of products and solutions (collaborative engineering)?

Collaborative engineering refers to the joint and coordinated development of products or technical systems by multiple stakeholders, often across organizational boundaries, supported by digital technologies. The goal is to enhance collaboration, efficiency, and innovation by enabling experts from different fields to work simultaneously on designs, simulations, or production processes.

A data room provides a secure and standardized environment where companies can share data throughout the entire product lifecycle—from development to production. This allows different partners to work on a product simultaneously and efficiently without losing control over their data. This means:

  • Design data, simulations, and bills of materials can be exchanged easily and securely.
  • Changes are immediately visible to everyone involved, which reduces errors and duplicate work.
  • Suppliers, manufacturers, and customers can better coordinate their efforts and respond more quickly.

A data room enables collaborative engineering by fostering trust, transparency, and secure collaboration across organizational boundaries, thereby facilitating joint, data-driven product development.

25How does sustainability relate to data rooms?
In the context of Manufacturing-X, sustainability means using data as an enabler for responsible value creation. By participating in data rooms, companies gain transparency into the carbon and environmental footprints of their products and processes—from raw material extraction through manufacturing to recycling. This allows resources to be used more efficiently, circular economy models to be implemented, and regulatory requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), or the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LSKG) to be met more easily. Instead of isolated solutions, an ecosystem emerges in which partners along the entire supply chain can collaborate and achieve both environmental and economic goals in equal measure.
26What role does quality management play in the context of Manufacturing-X?
Quality management in the context of Manufacturing-X means ensuring quality not just within individual companies, but across the entire value chain. Shared data spaces enable the exchange of quality information, allowing sources of error to be identified and resolved more quickly. Digital twins enable seamless traceability of components and processes, while the use of AI-powered analytics can proactively flag potential quality issues. Uniform standards ensure that data flows reliably between partners and systems. In this way, quality management becomes a networked, transparent, and forward-looking process that not only meets customer expectations but also supports sustainability goals. Quality management in Manufacturing-X therefore means ensuring quality not only internally but across the entire network—data-driven, transparent, and proactive.

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