Data rooms as a competitive advantage and the Semiconductor-X initiative

A conversation about openness, sustainability and future viability

Semiconductor-X is a European initiative for the digitalization of industrial supply chains in the semiconductor industry.
With a consortium of industry and research partners, the project aims to build a digital and resilient value creation network across the entire supply chain, fully in line with the Manufacturing-X vision. At its core is consistent digitalization – with digital twins for production processes, secure, decentralized data exchange in open data spaces, and the promotion of interoperability and data sovereignty. Open data models and AI-supported solutions are intended to improve energy and resource efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions along the value chain. In light of increasing regulatory requirements – such as digital product passports, CO₂ reporting, and machine readability – Semiconductor-X offers concrete solutions for a future-proof semiconductor industry.

In this interview, Stefanie Hammer, General Manager of algorismic gmbh and member of the Semiconductor-X consortium, provides insights into how her company is actively shaping the change and why cooperation is the key to innovation.

Imagine walking through the subfab in ten years' time, where everything is running according to your project specifications. What does it look like?

The technology in the sub-fabrication facilities is already impressive – however, there is still a significant gap between the cleanroom and the utilities system in the basement. In 10 years, the sub-fabrication facility will be considerably quieter and, at the same time, much more networked, and therefore more intelligent, than it is today. Many of the processes that are currently manual or fragmented will then be self-monitoring and coordinated – sensors, pumps, exhaust gas cleaning systems, and utilities will communicate with each other via shared data spaces, regardless of the manufacturer.

Energy and media flows are visible in real time, deviations are automatically detected, and optimizations occur continuously without requiring constant interruptions to the production flow. Predictive maintenance is then no longer an idea, but routine. Employees work more with data than with tools, but that doesn't mean they become redundant. On the contrary: they make better and faster decisions because systems provide context, not just measurement data.

In other words, the subfab of the future will be quieter, smarter and above all more transparent – a networked ecosystem that naturally integrates technology, data and sustainability.

Why are you involved in a project like Semiconductor-X for open architectures and future European standards?

We are a software company with a clear goal: to reduce the CO₂ footprint in the semiconductor industry. We achieve this through data-driven optimization of subfab equipment – we analyze operational data, enable demand-based operation of exhaust gas purification systems, and thus optimize resource consumption. This works best when machines communicate in real time via open, standardized interfaces. That's why open architectures are so crucial for us.

Subfabs are often underestimated, yet exhaust and vacuum systems in particular have high resource requirements. Optimizing these systems through smart data analysis saves costs and significantly reduces emissions.

Within the Semiconductor X initiative, we work in a consortium with similar goals. Open collaboration, especially in the European context with its focus on data sovereignty, offers real added value for us and our customers. In Europe, there is a particular awareness of the secure, controlled use of industrial data spaces – a requirement shared by our customers. We contribute our approaches, learn from others, expand our network – and together drive innovation in an area that often still flies under the radar.

For us, this is also an opportunity for exchange – with industry, research, and other tech players in the semiconductor world. If results are shared openly and dialogue is effective, we can achieve our goals together more quickly.

What specific advantages do your customers gain from adopting interoperable interfaces and standardized data spaces early on?

Those who invest in open architectures and interoperable interfaces today gain a genuine technological advantage that is strategically valuable. Standardization is the foundation for the true flow of data – between machines, systems, locations, and partners.

When equipment manufacturers and plant operators discuss common interfaces, the ultimate goal is to improve machine communication. Only then can optimizations be achieved that measurably improve aspects such as CO₂ emissions or energy consumption. Establishing standardized interfaces is the first practical step: it creates simple integration options and reduces the effort required for each new project. This becomes even more crucial when these interfaces are linked to secure data spaces. This ensures data sovereignty—meaning that each company determines who sees which information—while still enabling controlled and secure data exchange. This forms the basis for genuine collaboration along the value chain.

Companies that engage with these concepts early on also build crucial expertise within their own organization. This knowledge doesn't develop overnight – and it pays off twofold later when new technologies or AI applications need to be integrated.

And this is a clear advantage, especially with regard to the EU Data Act: Companies that get a handle on their data structures, interfaces, and responsibilities early on are significantly better prepared for the upcoming requirements. The Data Act will mandate greater data transparency and interoperability in the future – those who have already established their own standards and processes in this area can more easily comply with regulatory requirements and gain a competitive edge.

We expect initiatives like Semi-X to provide precisely this impetus: a boost in innovation for industry. Topics such as data-driven equipment optimization, AI-supported analytics, predictive maintenance, and energy efficiency can only be truly implemented if the underlying data structures are open, compatible, and secure. Standardization is therefore not a "nice to have," but rather the key to making the digital and sustainable transformation of production possible in the first place.

How do you specifically implement media and energy optimization or predictive maintenance in industrial applications within the sub-factory?

Media and energy optimization as well as predictive maintenance are different levers, but both contribute directly to the goal of a more efficient and sustainable subfab – both in terms of CO₂ reduction and cost reduction.

The Subfab360 ATC software solution has been used for media and energy optimization since 2023. It enablesdemand-driven abatement operation based on real-time operating data from the production tools. In industrial applications, this leads to significant savings in the use of resources such as fuel gas, compressed air, oxygen, caustic or water. The consortium of the Semiconductor X initiative supports the continuous further development of the mechanism of action through open exchange - also with new partners.

In the area of predictive maintenance, the focus is on establishing a secure, shared data space for the structured collection and analysis of maintenance data. The goal is to unlock data-driven optimization potential, for example, through the use of AI-supported analyses. The software architecture is being expanded so that machine manufacturers will have access to relevant data with minimal integration effort. The actual data analysis deliberately remains with the OEMs; the software acts as an enabler through secure, standardized interfaces.

How does your investment in Semiconductor-X change algorithmic as a company?

algorismic's participation in the Semiconductor-X initiative opens up new strategic opportunities for us. The resulting collaborations not only expand our technological portfolio but also provide access to new customer groups and markets.

The close collaboration with HTW Dresden is also gaining in importance. It accelerates the transfer of research results into industrial applications, shortens validation cycles, and enables the rapid implementation of new approaches in the form of demonstrators. The result is a measurable increase in knowledge. Overall, this strengthens us as a reliable innovation driver in the subfab environment, connecting research, technology, and industry in a practical way.

Many research projects get stuck in the concept phase – what are you doing to ensure that the results from Semiconductor-X actually make it into everyday industrial practice?

This is indeed one of the key questions for innovation projects: that the leap into the real production environment is successful. Therefore, we ensure from the outset that research and industry do not operate separately, but rather develop solutions together. Specifically, this means that all partners are involved from the concept phase, define use cases directly from operational experience, and measure project success practically through the lens of everyday industrial practice: Is it robust, reliable, and maintainable? Good.

Another key aspect is transferability: Our prototypes are developed on open platforms, with documented APIs and transparent data models. This greatly simplifies the transition from demonstrator to production application, because integration efforts, training, and validation are considered from the outset.

How does Semiconductor-X strengthen the international connectivity of your software solutions?

Looking to the future is crucial, because in a globally networked semiconductor industry, precisely standardized, interoperable interfaces and secure data spaces are essential for seamlessly integrating systems, components, and digital services across system and national borders. Through close ties to industry associations and European and US initiatives, Semiconductor-X ensures that our solutions remain compatible with key international developments – and thus attractive to leading Asian markets as well. This early commitment to standardization supports the fulfillment of global reporting and sustainability requirements and creates a solid foundation for global collaborations.

Contact person:

Stefanie Hammer, General Manager

algorismic gmbh
Cottaer Str. 4, 01159 Dresden, Saxony, Germany
phone: +49 351 82 44 30
mail: info@algorismic.com