The digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector is hampered by vendor lock-in, high cloud costs, and stringent data sovereignty requirements when implementing Industrial Metaverse solutions. Although the Industrial Metaverse is quickly becoming a key concept in Industry 5.0, SMEs are often at a disadvantage when using proprietary solutions. This paper demonstrates how Industrial Metaverse applications can be realized by combining proven communication standards with open web technologies, thereby reducing barriers. This makes immersive applications for training, maintenance, and monitoring feasible even in SMEs. Using an open-source-based prototype as a best-practice implementation, the paper illustrates how the Industrial Metaverse can be made technologically and economically accessible to SMEs.
