3 questions to the new board member Andreas Faath

Andreas Faath, Head of Machine Information Interoperability, VDMA, replaces Hartmut Rauen on the Executive Board from November 2023. In a short interview, he gives an insight into the relationship between his activities and the Digital Twin and explains why standardization is important for the VDMA and all parties involved.

What is your professional background and how does your work align with the Digital Twin?

Interoperability solutions are of central interest in mechanical and plant engineering. At VDMA, I lead the Machine Information Interoperability department, which has the primary goal of supporting the mechanical and plant engineering industry with the use of interoperable solutions, supporting the associated interface standardization and promoting a big picture of the interoperability ecosystem in the representation of interests. As the Digital Twin is an important component in this ecosystem, we are working intensively on this field in our department.

What Asset Administration Shell/IDTA activities have you been involved in so far?

I have been involved in the development of a strategic big picture of the interoperability ecosystem and have supported numerous submodel developments and technology groups within the department. For us, compatibility with existing solutions and suitability for medium-sized companies are the focus of our activities in the IDTA working groups.

Why is the IDTA initiative important?

The Asset Administration Shell is an important concept for the cross-company use of data and information along the entire product life cycle. The concepts and research results need to be managed centrally, further developed and incorporated into standardization. It is also crucial to promote the adaptation of the Asset Administration Shell through a strong community and to remove hurdles to implementation and acceptance. The IDTA is the ideal place for these key tasks.