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@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ We are expanding **AssetOpsBench** to cover a broader range of industrial challe
 
 1. **Define** your scenario following our [Utterance Guideline](docs/guideline/utterance_design_guideline.md) and [Ground Truth Guideline](docs/guideline/ground_truth_design_guideline.md)
 2. **Explore** the [Hugging Face dataset](https://huggingface.co/datasets/ibm-research/AssetOpsBench) for examples
+   - For external public sources, see [External Industrial Dataset Guide](docs/external-industrial-datasets.md)
 3. **Submit** a Pull Request or open an [Issue](https://github.com/IBM/AssetOpsBench/issues) with the tag `new-scenario`
 4. **Contact us** with questions:
    - Dhaval Patel — [pateldha@us.ibm.com](mailto:pateldha@us.ibm.com)
diff --git a/docs/external-industrial-datasets.md b/docs/external-industrial-datasets.md
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+# External Industrial Dataset Guide
+
+This page helps contributors discover public industrial datasets that may be useful for scenario design and benchmark extensions.
+
+It does **not** change AssetOpsBench scoring or baseline definitions. It is a reference map for dataset discovery and adaptation planning.
+
+## Quick selection criteria
+
+Before using any external dataset:
+
+1. Verify license terms and redistribution constraints.
+2. Confirm no sensitive telemetry, secrets, or personally identifying data are included.
+3. Keep provenance metadata (`source`, `version/date`, `transform script`) with every derived artifact.
+4. Prefer datasets that can be mapped to one or more existing AssetOpsBench domains (`iot`, `wo`, `vibration`, `tsfm`, `fmsr`).
+
+## Starter dataset references
+
+| Dataset / index | Primary focus | AssetOpsBench fit | Notes |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| [awesome-industrial-datasets](https://github.com/jonathanwvd/awesome-industrial-datasets/tree/master) | Curated index (multiple domains) | Discovery for all domains | Useful first stop; each linked dataset has its own license and usage terms. |
+| [SWaT (Secure Water Treatment)](https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/vishala28/swat-dataset-secure-water-treatment-system) | Water-treatment process telemetry, attack/anomaly traces | `iot`, `tsfm`, anomaly scenarios | Commonly used for anomaly-detection tasks; verify host terms and citation requirements. |
+| [NASA C-MAPSS](https://data.nasa.gov/dataset/C-MAPSS-Aircraft-Engine-Simulator-Data/xaut-bemq) | Turbofan degradation / RUL | `tsfm`, prognostics scenarios | Good candidate for PHM and RUL-style benchmark tasks. |
+| [Case Western Reserve Bearing Data Center](https://engineering.case.edu/bearingdatacenter/welcome) | Bearing vibration fault data | `vibration` | Strong fit for spectral diagnosis and fault-classification tasks. |
+| [Paderborn University Bearing Dataset](https://mb.uni-paderborn.de/kat/forschung/datacenter/bearing-datacenter) | Rolling-bearing fault experiments | `vibration`, `tsfm` | Useful to cross-check bearing-fault robustness across machines/loads. |
+
+## Mapping checklist to AssetOpsBench schema
+
+When preparing scenarios from an external source, define these fields early:
+
+- `asset_id` and `site_name` strategy (stable IDs, no ambiguous aliases)
+- timestamp normalization (timezone, granularity, ISO format)
+- sensor naming map (raw column names to scenario-facing names)
+- expected outputs in `characteristic_form` that remain auditable from the data
+- task-domain classification (`iot`, `wo`, `vibration`, `tsfm`, `fmsr`, multi-step)
+
+## Suggested ingestion workflow
+
+1. Keep raw source data outside committed benchmark artifacts unless license allows redistribution.
+2. Build a deterministic transform script with clear input/output contracts.
+3. Store transformed fixtures under domain-specific folders with a compact README.
+4. Add unit checks for schema and timestamp consistency before creating scenarios.
+5. Open a PR with:
+   - data provenance note,
+   - sample scenario IDs,
+   - before/after validation evidence.
+
+## Privacy and safety guardrails
+
+- Remove direct identifiers, facility names, and any customer-linked metadata.
+- Never include production secrets, API keys, or internal endpoint information.
+- If uncertainty exists, treat the dataset as restricted until maintainers confirm usage policy.
+
+## Related contribution entry points
+
+- Main scenario contribution section: `README.md` -> "Call for Scenario Contribution"
+- Scenario design guidelines:
+  - `docs/guideline/utterance_design_guideline.md`
+  - `docs/guideline/ground_truth_design_guideline.md`