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• Comprehensive solutions: The X-Pact^® Hub brings together over 300 industrial software applications and third-party applications in one single platform
• Holistic process optimization: Enhanced productivity and efficiency for entire production routes, surpassing the capabilities of standalone solutions in terms of data flows, workflows, rules, and interoperability
• Next-level user experience: Single sign-on access, homogenized user interfaces, customizable dashboards, as well as prompt and voice interfaces create transparency across processes and minimize the total cost of ownership for the automation and software landscape
• Lights-out factory vision: With its X-Pact^® Digital Hub, SMS group is setting another milestone on the road to secure, self-optimizing, and remotely controlled metals production

SMS group is pleased to announce the launch of its groundbreaking software ecosystem, the X-Pact^® Digital Hub, designed to transform the metals industry and enhance productivity and sustainability. This sophisticated ecosystem offers seamless data integration, scalability, and a holistic user experience, serving as a comprehensive framework that consolidates SMS’s applications as well as third-party software into one single platform. By aggregating all data and integrating level 1 HMIs as well as level 2 and level 3 applications, the X-Pact^® Digital Hub improves operational flows and the efficiency of entire production routes beyond the potential offered by individual applications alone. As such, it is paving the way to SMS group’s vision of achieving true ‘lights-out’ operations. 

“With the X-Pact^® Digital Hub, SMS group delivers a unified, scalable software ecosystem that accelerates the metals industry’s shift to fully autonomous production. By consolidating applications, data flows, user experience, and intelligent services, we are converging the worlds of automation and digitalization. The X-Pact^® Digital Hub thus drives productivity, resilience, and sustainability for our customers to the next level.” Thiago Turchetti Maia, Executive Vice President, Automation, Digital & Service Solutions, SMS group GmbH. 

The X-Pact^® Digital Hub integrates over 300 industrial software applications, creating an efficient operational environment. By facilitating the exchange of data, adhering to common standards, and ensuring effortless interoperability, the X-Pact^® Digital Hub maximizes the value of applications, eliminating the inefficiencies associated with isolated systems.

This innovative platform sets a new benchmark for process automation and operational software in the metals industry. Its modular architecture supports SMS’s proprietary applications while providing the flexibility to incorporate third-party functionalities and custom solutions. This adaptability ensures the ecosystem evolves with customer needs, offering unmatched scalability and extensibility.

With the X-Pact^® Digital Hub, user experience is paramount. Featuring a single-entry point, unified interface, and consistent workflows, it simplifies access to all functionalities. Prompt interfaces let users enter text prompts to automate routine decisions including triage and classification, thereby reducing cognitive load and accelerating consistent incident assessment that enables skilled staff to focus on higher‑value work. Additionally, voice interfaces provide hands‑free status checks, commands, and operational guidance in plants and field operations, and together these modalities improve resilience, reduce human error, and shorten decision times. 

Whether managing process data, energy consumption, or quality metrics, the X-Pact^® Digital Hub consolidates critical information from applications and displays it on intuitive, transparent dashboards. This holistic view empowers users to make informed decisions quickly and effectively.