See how the international standard ECLASS provides a common language for electronic data exchange and internal communication.
ECLASS
With the aid of a unique number key, materials, products and services can be classified and described on the basis of individual characteristics so that they can be identified by man and machine. This facilitates the exchange of data between customers and suppliers, even across national and industry boundaries.
Association
The ECLASS e.V. has the task of defining, developing and disseminating the product master data standard. The association, which is managed by IW Consult, was founded in 2000 by a number of large German companies. Currently, the globally active ECLASS association has 150 members, including BASF, Bayer, SAP, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Thyssenkrupp, Volkswagen/Audi or 3M.
Use
About 3,500 companies use the data standard for product descriptions Interested companies can purchase ECLASS via a download portal. Machine-interpretable files of the open standard are loaded accordingly. At the same time, this is the prerequisite for users to establish a uniform semantic standard, with the help of which the „Internet of Things“ will become a reality and the information-driven production known as „Industry 4.0“ will only become possible. The open architecture also makes it possible to adapt the classification system to the company's own internal systematics.
To the website of ECLASS