Smart Factory Hub – Towards a Data Mesh in Smart Manufacturing

Abstract

The transition of a company towards a data-oriented organisation is a process where several key aspects must be considered. Available data must be readable and interpretable so that useful information can be extracted from it, but also data governance must be implemented with the use of an appropriate information management approach. Handling data at scale is important in this system, as well as ensuring its quality, but also agility and ease of management when new data functionalities have to be developed. New paradigms in the design of analytical architectures have emerged in recent times to respond to these challenges, as is the case of the data mesh concept. This work describes the approach followed in the design of a data information system at Tekniker Research Centre called "Smart Factory Hub" using data mesh principles in the context of a smart manufacturing environment. Decentralisation by use cases, the orientation to data products, or the use of a semantic data catalogue for data discoverability, are some of the foundations used to build this platform to allow the coordination of different teams to create faster insights and value for the organisation.