Digitalization & Industry 4.0 - vdma.org

Twin transformation in mechanical and plant engineering: How digitalization and sustainability together enable new business models and make the industry fit for the future.

The commercial use of space, known as New Space, is opening up new digital business models for the mechanical and plant engineering and software industries - that is the conclusion of the latest episode of the VDMA Industry Podcast.

At the Mechanical Engineering Summit 2025 in Berlin, we will be presenting the Startup Award to the startup that paves the way to more efficient and intelligent production with AI technologies in robotics and automation.

On 21 May 2025, the EU Commission presented a fourth omnibus package to reduce the annual administrative costs for companies. It also provides for simplifications in the implementation of data protection for certain companies.

With the description of abstract types for components, systems and controllers, the Companion Specification OPC 40700 defines the basis of the OPC UA information models in the surface technology areas.

The 3. Interoperability Summit, sponsored by ECLASS, GS1 Germany, Prostep ivip, and VDMA Machine Information Interoperability, will take place on May, 7, 2026 at the Telekom Conference Center in Bonn.

In a FAQ, the EU Commission has clarified what the AI Regulation (AI Act) means by AI competence and what obligations apply to the operators of AI systems.

The development of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is progressing rapidly, but the regulatory requirements and practical implementation are still unclear, especially for small and medium-sized companies. A

Industrial production is under increasing competitive pressure.

The digital transformation in mechanical engineering is also reflected in total IT costs, which have been rising at an average rate of 5% per year faster than sales since 2017.

From May 28 to 31, 2025, the manufacturing world will gather in Istanbul for WIN EURASIA, one of the leading industrial trade fairs in the Eurasian region.

Forwarding of personal employee data by works council member via private email account justifies exclusion from works council

The General Assembly of VDMA Wireless Communications for Machines took place on May 6/7, 2025 in Frankfurt.

Compensation after loss of control of data

Disclosure of health data by employers can lead to compensation.

As part of the online event "Generative AI - Identifying potential, seizing opportunities", a survey was conducted among participants on 29.04.25 to obtain an up-to-date picture of the current mood.

The production of modern batteries requires complex production lines and therefore presents companies with considerable challenges in production.

VDMA Measuring and Testing Technology will be exhibiting together with member companies at Automatica 2025 in Munich. The renowned trade fair will present the latest developments and innovations in automation technology from June 24 to 27, 2025

A new VDMA white paper uses case studies to show how artificial intelligence is already being used in processes, products and business models in mechanical and plant engineering.

The new VDMA white paper uses case studies to show how artificial intelligence is already being used in processes, products and business models.

The German Federal Court of Justice keeps up its consistent line in decisions on company rights in relation to data protection in contrast to the ECJ, which restricted shareholders' right to information in September last year.

Industrial security is increasingly important in mechanical engineering as networked systems face growing attacks. The VDMA calls for EU-wide standards and SME support to meet security needs.

Strengthen the resilience of your company. Our series of events shows ways through difficult economic times - compact, practical and future-orientated.

The BGH has confirmed that data protection violations can be prosecuted not only by the data subjects themselves, but also by competitors and consumer associations.

The BAG specifies the requirements for non-material claims for damages under Art. 82 para. 1 GDPR.

At the bauma trade fair in Munich, a groundbreaking demonstrator unveiled the future of mining operations through the integration of the OPC UA Companion Specifications: The OPC 40560 series provides standardized OPC UA information models for mining.

AI in quality management: exploiting opportunities, recognizing risks - at the QM Corner, experts discussed data protection, security and the responsible use of AI.

How can digital technologies and interoperability make mining more efficient and sustainable?

The Sector Group VDMA Productronics and VDMA Machine Information Interoperability announce the publication of the OPC UA Companion Specification for Wire Harness Manufacturing OPC 40570.

As one of the world's largest scientific conferences on fluid power, it offers users, manufacturers and scientists an international forum for exchanging experiences on hydraulic and pneumatic drives and systems.

The current EU-US Data Privacy Framework constitutes a legal basis for the transfer of personal data to the USA. How do current political developments affect this data transfer instrument?

The EU's action plan emphasizes the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. There is a lot of potential for AI, especially in industrial applications. Small-scale regulations must not stand in the way of this.

In this interview, Rene Hirschmugl reveals the importance of interoperability in the industry and why he sees OPC UA Companion Specifications as a great opportunity.

New release candidate OPC 40505 published. The Joint Working Group "OPC UA for Wireless Machine Tool Peripherals" has developed the OPC UA Companion Specification 40505 and submitted it to the OPC Foundation as a release candidate.

In turbulent times, good trade relations are just as important as innovation. With the guest country Canada and the focus on the use of artificial intelligence in production, Hannover Messe 2025 has set the right signals.

A consortium of organizations has published a groundbreaking specification for interoperable and efficient energy management in industrial automation and process automation.

The AI Act entered into force 2 August 2024. A VDMA FAQ document was prepared together with the law firm FPS to provide non-binding guidance, now available as 2nd edition.

A new VDMA study shows: for the first time, social engineering and phishing are the biggest cyber threats to companies, followed by human error and sabotage

A new study shows: The targeted use of Generative Artificial Intelligence can increase the profit margin in mechanical and plant engineering by up to 10.7 percentage points. This corresponds to an additional profit of 28 billion euros.

The glass industry is undergoing a transformation: Digital connectivity, automation, and data-driven process optimization are no longer future concepts but key factors for competitiveness and efficiency.

The machinery industry is calling for a thorough state reform in Germany to increase industrial competitiveness. The EU, too, must get the economic development in Europe back on track.

At automatica 2025, see how machines communicate in a common language with OPC UA. Visit us in Hall B5 to experience the latest live demonstrations and practical examples of interoperability!

This year, the VDMA Technical Working Group (AKT) once again demonstrated how crucial the exchange of ideas within the agricultural machinery industry is.

Company agreements must be fully GDPR-compliant.

VDMA and T-Systems, together with the umati initiative, are presenting the first global Manufacturing-X solution with open standards for machine data at this year's Hannover Messe.

Find out where you can get information from the VDMA

We honor outstanding companies that demonstrate the innovative strength in Baden-Württemberg with excellent digitalization solutions, highly innovative developments and holistic transformation projects.

In cooperation with Baden-Württemberg International, the Industry 4.0 Baden-Württemberg Alliance is once again participating with a joint stand in the Digital Ecosystems area. 25 exhibitors will present trend solutions for digitalization. Visit u

The VDMA Mining & Minerals OPC UA demonstrator at bauma 2025 - a fascinating example of how modern communication technologies can shape the future of mining.

The draft bill for the German national Data Act Implementation Act was published at the beginning of February. To effectively implement the Data Act the draft bill needs to be adopted rather sooner than later.