Semantic Interoperability in Industry 4.0: A Systematic Mapping Study on Integrating Knowledge Graphs with AAS and OPC UA

Industry 4.0 and the rise of collaborative value chains necessitate seamless data integration across organizational and technological boundaries. Yet the fragmented standardization environment prevents interoperability across systems and within frameworks like the Digital Twin (DT). While the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) and Open Platform Communications (OPC) Unified Architecture (UA) are established as core standards for digital asset representation and communication, their independent origins and differing metamodels create semantic gaps that hinder unified machine-level understanding. This systematic mapping study examines how Knowledge Graphs (KG) can bridge semantic gaps to create unified semantic models. Current research demonstrates progress in pairwise integrations, such as transforming OPC UA models into RDF graphs or synchronizing AAS repositories with graph databases. However, these efforts often remain isolated solutions that address specific integration challenges. Consequently, large-scale industrial deployment remains limited. This paper consolidates current knowledge on integrating AAS, OPC UA and KGs, contextualizing these efforts and highlights research gaps toward achieving interoperable manufacturing ecosystems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Machine Engineering
Published
2026-04-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.36897/jme/219827
Primary Topic
Digital Transformation in Industry
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Semantic Interoperability in Industry 4.0: A Systematic Mapping Study on Integrating Knowledge Graphs with AAS and OPC UA

Steffen Ihlenfeldt, Jan Eric Huebner
Journal of Machine Engineering
Digital Transformation in Industry
article

Semantic Interoperability in Industry 4.0: A Systematic Mapping Study on Integrating Knowledge Graphs with AAS and OPC UA

Steffen Ihlenfeldt, Jan Eric Huebner
article en

Abstract

Industry 4.0 and the rise of collaborative value chains necessitate seamless data integration across organizational and technological boundaries. Yet the fragmented standardization environment prevents interoperability across systems and within frameworks like the Digital Twin (DT). While the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) and Open Platform Communications (OPC) Unified Architecture (UA) are established as core standards for digital asset representation and communication, their independent origins and differing metamodels create semantic gaps that hinder unified machine-level understanding. This systematic mapping study examines how Knowledge Graphs (KG) can bridge semantic gaps to create unified semantic models. Current research demonstrates progress in pairwise integrations, such as transforming OPC UA models into RDF graphs or synchronizing AAS repositories with graph databases. However, these efforts often remain isolated solutions that address specific integration challenges. Consequently, large-scale industrial deployment remains limited. This paper consolidates current knowledge on integrating AAS, OPC UA and KGs, contextualizing these efforts and highlights research gaps toward achieving interoperable manufacturing ecosystems.

Journal of Machine Engineering
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 24%
Digital Transformation in Industry
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