Project “Factory-X”

The project builds on the established Catena-X ecosystem and the principles of the Industry 4.0 platform. Through a new data infrastructure, Factory-X enables the secure, interoperable, and scalable exchange of data, during which companies retain full control of their data at all times. The initiative uses a strong use-case-based approach to drive the development of new, data-driven business applications, thereby supporting the comprehensive digitalisation of the supply chain within the European manufacturing sector.

Autonomous Operation as a Service (AOaaS)

Autonomous Operation as a Service (AOaaS) takes a centralised approach to addressing the lack of skilled workers and increasing productivity pressure in the manufacturing industry. Its core concept involves enabling the optimal, highly efficient operation of equipment and factories without the need for skilled workers to be physically present at each location.

The technological basis for the interoperable Factory-X solution is being developed in the TP 2.07 sub-project in three work streams which build upon one another:

Networked production systems: This work stream lays the foundation and creates the systems for the interoperable, manufacturer-independent provision of information, as well as for the management of software components at the equipment level (edge).

Process monitoring and control: Building on the data from the first work stream, this area focuses on the monitoring and diagnosing of processes. The central remote operator panel is being developed as a usage interface for the controlling of equipment by remote operators.

Smart remote and autonomous operation: The third work stream integrates the intelligence. A knowledge and action management system either provides precise recommendations for the remote operator or uses AI algorithms to carry out interventions completely automatically.

This interplay enables companies to increase their operating times, to organise flexible on-demand shifts remotely, and to effectively counter the lack of skilled workers using a location-independent pool of experts.

The Remote Operator Panel

The remote operator panel is the central interface and integration platform for remote operation within the AOaaS concept. It is being developed in close cooperation with all the consortium partners, each of which contributes their particular strengths. inovex brings to the table its expertise in customised software, data integration, and artificial intelligence.

The panel centralises all the data, information, and functions required by an operator to efficiently control and monitor a machine or system remotely. This includes:

• Live machine data
• Interfaces to camera systems
• Connection to knowledge management
• Connections to ERP systems
• Functions for the direct remote control of equipment

The various data sources are connected via the MX port, a cross-industry standardised interface which ensures seamless interoperability within the Factory-X ecosystem.

A key function of the panel is the seamless tracking of the human operator’s actions. These logged interventions not only ensure traceability, they also form an essential data basis for training the autonomous operating system.

The AI Agent System

A central component of the remote operator panel is the integrated AI agent. This serves as an intelligent assistant which actively supports the remote operator in their tasks.

The main function of the agent system is to enable the most diverse distributed resources to be accessed using natural language. Rather than having to navigate complex menus, the operator can ask the AI agent questions in order, for example, to access specific machine data or specialised knowledge agents, such as Empolis Buddy, Wittenstein agents, etc.In terms of technology, the agent uses state-of-the-art approaches such as the MCP (Model Context Protocol) to flexibly connect the various data and service sources in combination with the MX port. This ensures the necessary interoperability and regulates the secure discovery and authentication of services within the Factory-X ecosystem.