Industrial

By merging digital twins with their real-life counterparts, companies can optimize production and processes in a continuous feedback loop. Buildings, factories, machines, robots and entire processes can be modeled and simulated, enabling virtual, resource-saving tests, training and extensive collaboration, for example. With the help of AI, data can be generated in the virtual world and used as a basis for developing sustainable products and efficient factories and buildings. Virtualization in engineering enables everyone to innovate without risks or high additional costs and to collaborate from anywhere with low entry barriers. This convergence of the digital and real worlds and enabling people to interact with each other and machines in real time - just like in the real world - will permanently change the way we work (together).

Thematic focus*

Ongoing projects

Project	Description	Project page
Real-world laboratory Industrial Metaverse	A real-world laboratory is being established at ARENA2036 to serve as a sandbox for the application and further development of the Industrial Metaverse, as well as an incubator for scaling these technologies in practice and a showcase for existing Industrial Metaverse technologies and their potential.	Link
AI-Matters	AI-MATTERS puts artificial intelligence (AI) at the heart of European manufacturing innovation and strives to integrate, optimize and make transformative AI technologies accessible, especially to Europe's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), through extensive testing and experimentation.	Link
Asset Administration Shell for the Wire Harness AAS4WH)	Development of an interoperable digital twin for the entire wiring harness value chain.	Link
Wire Harness Standardization Initiative (SILS)	Development of uniform standards for wiring system development and production in order to reduce the complexity of the wiring harness and increase the degree of automation.	Link
Transformation Hub Wire Harness	Central contact point for trends, technologies and sustainable solutions in the wire harness industry, supported by ARENA2036, Bayern Innovativ and the Open Hybrid LabFactory.	Link
ARENA2036-X	Demonstration and test environment for data spaces in ARENA2036 for members to test their own use cases.	Link
Transfer-X	Transfer-X is a learning platform with modules on the topic of data spaces. ARENA2036 develops its own learning content, imparts practical data space knowledge and thus supports the development of skills in industry and research.	Link

*Brief profiles of the thematic focus areas:

Focus	Description
Digital building twin	Use cases and added value of a virtual building image, e.g. through scan data, modeling in 2D or 3D
Simulation, virtual commissioning:	Increased efficiency, error reduction, real-time data, automation. Model accuracy, real-time behavior, scenario analysistest environment, sustainability.
Administration shell connection Metaverse:	What is needed for interoperability in ecosystems? Semantics, guidelines, interfaces / interfaces. Realize synergies (supply chain).
3D data formats:	Which standards for 3D data formats are becoming established? Focus on metadata vs. focus on 3D data. And a combination.
Metaverse architecture:	Who collects which data, what governance is required for this? Monitoring, quantification and qualitative evaluation, e.g. how many Daily Active Users (DAU) are there for what in the virtual world?
Standardization:	Collection of topics for everything that requires a standardized exchange requires.
Governance, role and rights concepts:	Who collects which data, what governance is required for this? Monitoring, quantification and qualitative evaluation, e.g. how many Daily Active Users (DAU) are there for what in the virtual world?
Virtual production planning:	possibly with AI optimization: from geometry to processes to controllability. Which data/information/knowledge can be meaningfully linked with each other? linked with each other.
Network digital twin, connectivity:	Visual mapping of the network in the virtual world Network requirements (connection to cloud, data collection by AGVs via WiFi). Predictive maintenance: Server requirements (physical/cloud). Virtual control on how many computers.
Plug-and-play capability:	Is there integrability or scalability, how can this be achieved and what are the necessary prerequisites for this?​
Digital Services:	complementary offers to the physical product, based on a digital twin. Offer customers concrete added value through condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, efficiency and performance optimization.
Virtual Humans:	as digital, AI-supported avatars or assistants in the industrial metaverse. Acting in virtual environments as an interactive interface between human and the digital system. Areas of application include: education and training (e.g. as virtual trainers), customer service and support (e.g. as interactive contact persons). contact person).
Use cases with digital twins in the metaverse:	Where are added value and (customer) benefits generated, how can this be mapped, demonstrated and evaluated? What ROI can be realized for which use cases can be realized?
Data from Digital Twins:	What information are needed? When? Which (core) data from Digital Twins should be continuously maintained and updated? Minimum requirements for Digital Twins. Selection, (data) quality, up-to-dateness, interfaces, AI evaluation. Metafunctional data.

Objective and target group

Objective: Building on the existing innovation ecosystem of ARENA2036, a real laboratory for an industrial metaverse will be created that, on the one hand, uses use cases to demonstrate what is already possible today and, on the other hand, identifies open development needs and questions from practice. In addition to its function as a test and experimental environment in a "quasi-real factory", the ARENA2036 industrial metaverse is intended to act as a showcase for demonstration and transfer by making concrete added value tangible and tangible in the direct interaction of the real and virtual dimensions.

Target group: External companies (especially SMEs) for orientation with regard to potential and implementation and to build up knowledge and skills to gain connectivity, all members of ARENA2036 with a direct or indirect connection to industrial metaverse topics, other lighthouse initiatives for mutual networking and to establish interdisciplinary cooperation.

Industrial Metaverse Community at ARENA2036

The following companies regularly exchange ideas in the "Tech Forum Metaverse":

Details, dates and further information on the "Reallabor Industrial Metaverse" project can be found here: Reallabor Industrial Metaverse ARENA2036

 

Overview of the individual Tech-Forum dates

February 24, 2026:

Harald Barth (Stoba) and Albert Groz (TruPhysics) introduced themselves, followed by a presentation by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-KfmChristoph Runde on standardization in the Industrial Metaverse. After a review of past events, the Industrial Metaverse Conference, and the Best Practice Insights visit to T-Systems in Munich, there was a detailed preview of the Industrial Metaverse Innovation Forum on March 5.

January 27, 2026:

Daimler Truck was introduced as a new member of the group. Subsequently, Shengjian Patrick Chen, Daniel Littfinski, and Erik-Felix Tinsel provided an insight into the Industrial Metaverse at ISW. Finally, details of upcoming events were discussed, including the visit to T-Systems in Munich and the Innovation Forum on March 5.

November 25, 2025:

Goksel Dedeoglu from Analog Devices Inc was introduced, followed by a presentation on visual engineering by Stoyan Boyukliyski from DXC. The review of Open Lab Day was positive, and attention was then turned to upcoming events in the coming year.

October 28, 2025:

Dr. Gor Hakobyan (Co-Founder & CTO Waveye) presented how the transfer of sensor data to the real-world laboratory is already possible and applicable today. This was followed by a discussion of everything important for the upcoming visit to ISG and a review of the Digital 2025 vehicle electrical system.

September 23, 2025:

Daniel Seidl (CEO Innoactive) gave his presentation "Efficient roll-out of Factory & Engineering Design Review with NVDIA Omniverse and Innoactive" and then Michael Hernández presented the current status of the digital twin of ARENA2036. After a short discussion on the main topics, there was a review of the Transformation Summit 2025 and an outlook on the upcoming dates.

July 22, 2025:

Kai Przybysz-Herz (Naise) gave an insight into intralogistics and industrial metaverse, followed by a presentation on Asset Administration Shell and industrial metaverse by Dr. Florenz Graf (Bär) and David Dietrich (ISW). After an update on the topic clusters, we looked back on the Ü:MO event and looked ahead to upcoming dates.

June 24, 2025:

Michael Ach (BMW), Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Schlögl (Siemens) and Manuel Paul (Festo) presented the DIAMOND project for digital plant modeling with neutral data formats. After an update on the topic clusters, reference was made to the Transformation Summit on July 17 and the Industrial Metaverse Conference on February 10 & 11, 2026.

May 27, 2025:

SEI Automotive Europe GmbH (Sumitomo Electric Group) and Lear Corporation Engineering GmbH were new to the panel. Dr. Frederik Wulle presented a reference implementation for asset connectivity with a Stäubli robot from the ARENA2036 store floor. Reviews of the Metaverse Congress and Women of Tech as well as an outlook on Ü:MO 2025 rounded off the meeting.

April 15, 2025:

Michael Hernández was introduced as the research coordinator for the Industrial Metaverse. Initial conclusions and fields of action were drawn from the topic clusters. Reference was also made to the Metaverse Congress Virtual Worlds (May 8) and the annual event Ü:MO (June 26).

March 25, 2025:

The topic clusters were further sharpened and a brief update on the IT infrastructure for the metaverse at ARENA2036 was given. In addition, planned content for the ARENA2036 stand at Hannover Messe 2025 was presented - including a 360° tour and the digital building twin (FARO point cloud).

January 28, 2025:

After a positive review of the excursion, Schaeffler and Waveye were welcomed. Dr. Gor Hakobyan (Waveye) presented a project on the virtual training of humanoid robots. Finally, topic clusters were agreed upon, which were derived from previous meetings and feedback and are intended to structure future content priorities.

January 9, 2025: Visit to the Siemens equipment plant in Erlangen

BMW, SPIE and ISW joined the group. In addition, FARO, Nokia and DXC were reinforced. Matthias Jablonowski (Nokia) presented the "Network Digital Twin" - a network-based approach to the Industrial Metaverse. The final details of the planned excursion to Siemens' Experience Center for Digital Transformation in Erlangen, including a tour of the equipment factory, were also agreed.

October 22, 2024:

Bosch, DXC, Intel and Nokia joined the panel. In addition to introducing new members, Matthias Aust (Fraunhofer IAO) presented the INSTANCE project. The opening of the Fraunhofer IAO's Immersive Participation Lab (IPLab), which focuses on VR technologies and software interfaces for applications such as BIM in the construction industry, was also highlighted.

September 24, 2024: Kick off

The kick-off for the new "ARENA2036 Tech Forum Metaverse" format took place with participants from eight companies. After a round of introductions, the individual interests and focal points as well as synergies within the ARENA2036 community interested in the Metaverse were discussed and the next steps agreed.