CATENA-X for SMEs: what your OEM actually needs from you
CATENA-X is the automotive industry's data exchange network. If your customers include OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers, you will receive an onboarding request asking for AAS-formatted data. Here is exactly what to send and how to produce it without a SAP implementation.
What is CATENA-X?
CATENA-X is a federated data ecosystem built by a consortium of European automotive OEMs (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Stellantis, ZF, Bosch, and others). Its goal: make supply chain data — component traceability, carbon footprints, quality alerts — flow automatically between companies without bilateral integration projects.
The network runs on Eclipse Dataspace Connectors (EDC) and requires data to be formatted as AAS submodels according to CATENA-X semantic models (SAMM). For an SME, the practical implication is: you need to produce specific AAS files for each serialized part you ship.
What submodels do you need?
SerialPart (CX-0006)
Required
Identifies every serialized part with manufacturer and customer IDs. Required for any serialized component entering a CATENA-X-enabled supply chain.
Key fields
manufacturerPartIdpartInstanceIdnameAtManufacturermanufacturing date & country
Product Carbon Footprint (CX-0026)
Required by OEMs
Reports Scope 3 emissions per part. BMW, Mercedes, VW, and Stellantis all require this from Tier 1 and increasingly from Tier 2/3 suppliers.
Setting up a full Eclipse Dataspace Connector requires TISAX certification, SSI wallet infrastructure, and months of IT work. Most SMEs should not start there.
The practical first step is to produce the AAS submodel files. Your OEM or Tier 1 customer will often accept a file upload or API endpoint while full EDC connectivity is arranged through a certified CATENA-X clearing house (like Cofinity-X or T-Systems). Start with the data; the transport layer comes second.
Step-by-step: producing CATENA-X AAS files
1
Identify your serialized parts
List all components you ship that will enter a CATENA-X supply chain. Each unique serial number needs its own SerialPart AAS instance.
2
Gather your carbon footprint data
For PCF, you need cradle-to-gate emissions (A1–A3) for each part type. If you don't have a full LCA yet, your primary data share field will be low but you can still submit.
3
Create the AAS files in AAS Studio
Use the CATENA-X templates (SerialPart, PCF, BOM as-built) in AAS Studio. The guided wizard maps your data to the correct SAMM model fields automatically.
4
Export as JSON/AASX
Download the AAS file. Your customer's system ingests JSON or AASX. Keep the files versioned by serial number and manufacturing batch.
5
Share via secure channel or EDC
Initially you can share via a secure file endpoint. As your customer requires EDC, onboard with a certified service provider — do not build this yourself.
Create your CATENA-X submodels now
AAS Studio has built-in templates for SerialPart, PCF, and BOM as-built. Produce compliant files in minutes.