Product and production processes

Automation, flexibility, speed and transparency are among the most critical factors in modern planning and management of product and production processes. IT solutions serve as the foundation for the transformation from traditional manufacturing facilities to smart factories.

For many manufacturing companies, the topic of ‘intralogistics’ is an important internal field of activity that requires a certain amount of tinkering – with the management and coordination of internal transportation and stock movement, for example.

Often the planning and management of intralogistics tasks are coordinated using Excel spreadsheets, internal communications or simple add-ons to the warehouse management systems. However, this type of system doesn’t take into account changes in task priorities or individual additions to the list of products to be produced, for example.

By remaining flexible and adaptable, you can counteract the negative effects of globalisation, such as instability and insecurity in the business environment.

Here, taking advantage of opportunities to increase the flexibility of your production can be a strategic success factor when it comes to long-term business security and risk reduction. In addition, you can respond faster to opportunities on the market, for example by rapidly shifting products without compromising on quality.

The increase in product functions and complexity and the rising standards of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) present major challenges in the field of analysis and product testing today.

In order to calculate default probabilities, you have to be able to manage and analyse as many parameters as possible over a short period of time and even during long-term testing.

Take advantage of asset management to analyse relevant information and operational data to diagnose system and error statuses, develop specific items in accordance with predefined specifications or plan action sequences in the different areas of your organisation.

The implementation of expert systems in operational application areas has high strategic value, whether it’s in purchasing, production, sales or after-sales. This way, you have the opportunity to systematically bundle the existing experience and expertise of a particular department (knowledge management), distribute that information (knowledge multiplication) and utilise it in the right place at the right time.

Over the past few years, operating models such as production-as-a-service or pay-on-production concepts have become increasingly relevant and present opportunities for businesses to build long-term value-added partnerships with high potential for savings.

The potential for optimising productivity and cost efficiency numbers among the critical success factors related to the technical systems infrastructure of manufacturing companies. Some of the main benefits include opening new revenue streams and markets, concentrating your core business and achieving a competitive advantage.

Cooperative, interorganisational connections between manufacturing companies and suppliers, customers and even competitors are changing the standards for quality management systems.

That means that terms such as quality and quality management must be wholly redefined.