The 50th episode of Data Navigator focuses on the skilled trades: Dr Martin Schirmbacher and Hubertus von Roenne speak to Dr Fabian Schnabel, who heads the Innovation and Technology Advisory Centre at the North Rhine-Westphalia Carpenters’ Trade Association. For years, he has been following the debates on digitalisation in Brussels from the perspective of the skilled trades.
Using the example of a hotel refurbishment project on which several joinery firms are working together, Fabian explains how data flows between planning software, production systems and CNC machines from different manufacturers – and where it gets stuck. A lack of interoperability and dependence on individual suppliers are part of everyday life for many businesses. However, the opportunities opened up by the Data Act are often little known. At the same time, the Act faces limitations: much of the relevant data is stored in software rather than in connected products.
The discussion also covers the Digital Product Passport for furniture and the potential workload involved in bespoke production, as well as standards such as ECLASS and IDM, and the role of trade guilds in representing the interests of small businesses. Finally, the three discuss what contribution the Digital Omnibus should make towards open interfaces.
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