Smart Manufacturing

Challenge

In smart manufacturing, cyber risks from both internal and external sources can lead to production disruptions and data breaches. The integration of human interfaces, industrial systems, and large volumes of sensitive data—including employee information, customer details, and proprietary designs—heightens the exposure to cyberattacks and GDPR-related risks. 

Data theft may occur through interconnected shopfloor devices such as tablets, AR/VR interfaces, HMI terminals, or handheld systems. These are essential for real-time monitoring, optimisation, and planning but also process personal and confidential data. The shift toward Industry 4.0 and decentralised systems creates vulnerabilities, especially in data exchange among IoT devices, digital twins, and cloud-edge infrastructures. To mitigate these, comprehensive privacy protection and secure data-sharing mechanisms must be enforced across the entire manufacturing chain.

TANGO solutions

TANGO provides an accountable, GDPR-compliant data management and access control framework that addresses key security and privacy challenges in two complementary smart manufacturing cases: additive manufacturing (FMAKE) and factory operations (RIAS). 

For FMAKE’s 3D printing infrastructure, TANGO ensures that sensitive customer-submitted design files are protected throughout the lifecycle—from submission to production and model retraining. Digital identity onboarding ensures only authorised users can submit files. Role-based access control and attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) enforce strict data usage policies. TANGO also supports federated and explainable AI (XAI) workflows for model training and validation across distributed environments. 

For RIAS’ factory floor operations, TANGO introduces secure digital identity onboarding for workers, managers, and vendors. Real-time monitoring of worker location via smart devices prevents unauthorised access to restricted areas. Any violation triggers alerts to supervisors, with incidents logged and summarised in access violation reports. For vendors performing system maintenance, TANGO continuously verifies identity and logs system activity, ensuring traceability and breach prevention. 

By securing the data lifecycle, monitoring identities and activities, and preventing unauthorised access, TANGO strengthens resilience in smart manufacturing and ensures the protection of intellectual property, personal data, and production systems.