What Is an Industrial Service Network?
An Industrial Service Network is a digital infrastructure that connects machine builders (OEMs), operators, and service partners in one shared network - vendor-independent, in real time, without media gaps. It is not another piece of software, but the connecting layer between existing systems.
Industrial service today is a problem between companies: the operator reports a fault, the OEM sends a technician, the supplier delivers spare parts - all coordinated by phone, email, and manual effort. An Industrial Service Network replaces this coordination with a shared digital infrastructure.
What sets an Industrial Service Network apart from FSM, CMMS, and customer portals?
CMMS, FSM, and customer portals are tools built for one side of the service process. An Industrial Service Network is the shared foundation for every side.
| Criterion | CMMS | FSM | Customer Portal | OEM | Industrial Service Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For whom? | Operator | OEM / service provider | Operator (read-only) | OEM internal | OEM + operator + supplier |
| Focus | Internal maintenance | Field service coordination | Ticketing / visibility | Own processes | Cross-company service |
| Machine data | Internal | Limited | Limited | Internal | Live, machine-bound |
| Vendor-independent? | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Spare parts ordering | Manual | Not integrated | Manual | Internal | Automated |
| Media gaps | Low internally | High externally | High | Low internally | None |
| Scaling | With headcount | With headcount | With headcount | With headcount | Structural |
What role do OPC UA, MQTT, and APIs play?
An Industrial Service Network is not a proprietary platform that requires its own hardware or protocols. It uses open standards: OPC UA for machine-level communication, MQTT for lightweight IoT data transfer, and REST APIs for integration with existing ERP, CMMS, and FSM systems.
That means machines that already speak OPC UA can be connected directly. For older machines, edge gateways handle the communication. Existing systems are not replaced - they are connected.
Transaction-Network uses these standards and adds a service-logic layer on top: Which operator owns which machine? Which OEM is responsible? Which supplier delivers which part? This mapping is the core of the network.
What data is exchanged?
The network transmits only service-relevant data - no production data, no trade secrets. Every participant sees only what they are permitted to see. The operator sees their machine fleet. The OEM sees the service data for its machines at the operator. The supplier sees only the demand the network releases to them.
Typical data in the network: machine status and error codes, service requests and tickets, spare parts demand and orders, maintenance history and documentation, performance metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR).
Data sovereignty stays with each company. Transaction-Network is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant.
Who benefits from an Industrial Service Network?
Machine builders (OEMs) benefit from structured service revenue, relieved service teams, and self-service for operators. Reactive service requests become plannable service processes.
Manufacturers and operators benefit from fewer downtimes, faster response times, and transparency across every machine - regardless of vendor. Instead of many portals and contacts: one system.
The Industrial Service Network is not a vision of the future. It is the infrastructure that is missing today - and that Transaction-Network provides.
