The Initiative QI-Digital pursues an ambitious vision: the creation of a digitally networked system of quality infrastructure (QI) that links private and public stakeholders. This digital QI ecosystem will not only help companies to optimise their processes, but also improve quality assurance along the entire value chain - from customers to authorities and other stakeholders.
Our aim is therefore to establish a transparent and seamlessly networked QI landscape, from standardisation and calibration to proof of conformity and market surveillance. Such a harmonised and interoperable QI system is essential to promote collaboration, strengthen trust in the digital world and facilitate trade.
The true potential of QI will only be realised when its elements and actors are seamlessly integrated into a coherent digital QI ecosystem. Recent developments towards industrial international data spaces enable such an ecosystem, but require the integration of QI principles. The Quality X concept, developed by BAM and PTB, aims to lay the foundations to implement a QI ecosystem in international data spaces (IDS), GAIA-X and related German and European projects.
Quality-X: A comprehensive QI ecosystem
The Quality-X concept integrates decentralised identifiers, verifiable credentials and identity hubs to enable seamless interaction between the systems of different service providers. QI actors can securely issue, distribute, track and verify digital assets such as digital product passports, smart standards and digital certificates. This creates a secure digital ecosystem.
Basics and points of reference
Quality-X is based on the principles of Gaia-X, which emphasise transparency, openness, data protection and security. The project also benefits from established Gaia-X lighthouse projects such as Catena-X in order to profit from their technical and legal framework conditions.
Practical implementation and integration in data room architectures
While the QI-Digital initiative develops guidelines for the integration of QI processes into existing software systems, specific case studies serve as real-life scenarios for prototype implementations that demonstrate the application and benefits of Quality-X through integration into data room architectures.
The prototypical implementation of basic processes along the concept of Quality-X is made possible by setting up IDS-compliant "Eclipse Dataspaces Components" (EDC) connectors and based on the node infrastructure set up as part of the "European Metrology Cloud" project. Using these components, participating partners can efficiently and securely link their data sources and exchange information with other organisations and customers according to demand-driven guidelines. These connectors ensure a seamless, secure and compliant environment for data exchange between all participating organisations.
Would you like more information?
Read our white paper Quality-X for in-depth insights into the future of digital quality infrastructure.