Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB

Industrial Data Spaces Plus - Trusted IDS factory connector for asset administration shells in factories

© Fraunhofer IOSB
© Fraunhofer IOSB

Short description of the project

Fraunhofer IOSB supports the International Data Spaces Association's efforts to create a sovereign, secure data exchange network with the International Data Space (IDS). Data from production facilities and factories are extremely critical and should only be shared with third parties in specific use cases. With the IDS, data can be protected through usage control and further usage by third parties can be tracked (provenance). For example, it is not only possible to restrict who receives data, but also how the data may be processed. This is why Fraunhofer IOSB has developed the OPC UA Factory Connector - an IDS connector that provides important IDS functionalities for factories. The latest version is based on the Trusted Connector, the reference implementation for a security gateway (DIN SPEC 27070) in IDS.

An important building block for interoperability in Industry 4.0 is the Asset Administration Shell (AAS). For plants, components, sensors or products, an administration shell can serve as a digital representation. The administration shell is specified in different formats and can be transmitted via different protocols. In the industrial context, OPC UA is a widespread data model and communication protocol for factory plants. Therefore, our connector also supports management shells in OPC UA format, thus combining the advantages of Industry 4.0 and IDS.
 

Application example and service offer for manufacturing companies

For the technical demonstrator, the miniature version of a bulk material sorting system called "TableSort" from Fraunhofer IOSB is connected to the IDS network through the OPC UA Factory Connector in conjunction with the Smart Factory Web. A supply chain of a coffee sorting plant was modelled as a use case. After ordering coffee beans from TableSort, the various customers receive different data under strict terms of use.

For the connection of industrial plants to the IDS, we provide the OPC UA Factory Connector. We are happy to support you in Industry 4.0 scenarios or use cases with management shells and IDS.  

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  • Connection of industrial plants to the IDS
  • Demonstrator for use cases around IDS, IDS-I Community, Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet Consortium
  • Usage Control & Provenance for production data and management shells
  • Interoperability through the use of management shells

The connection of industrial plants to the IDS enables complex use cases under clearly defined data usage rules (policies). Up to now, the OPC UA Factory Connector has been at the "Base" security level. In internal tests, the change to the trusted level has already been successfully tested. For this purpose, the Usage Control Framework "MYDATA Control"  was integrated to enable provenance and usage control. By connecting an OPC client, management shells can be addressed in OPC UA format.

  • International Data Spaces Association (IDSA)
  • Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC)
  • Industry 4.0 Platform
  • InDaSpacePlus Project Partners: The Fraunhofer Institutes AISEC, FIT, FKIE, FOKUS, IAIS, IAO, IESE, IML, IOSB, IPA, and SIT.
 

© iStock.com/FactoryTh

Publications/Downloads

On the International Data Spaces website you will find white papers and more documentation on the topic. 

Services of the ILT department

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Further information

  • Duration: 10/2017-03/2020
  • Funder: Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF
  • Funding code: 01IS17031
to the website of the IDSA

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