How industrial companies are implementing digitalization

Digitalization has arrived in the economy and society. Because you can't run away from it, you have to adapt to it. Cautiously groping some, courageously forward others, entrepreneurs are doing this. The level of penetration still varies. Those who have to adapt their business model from the market in order to remain competitive are certainly at an advantage. But there are also pioneers, including progressive SMEs, who are proactively implementing this.

Four milestones in the procedure
These companies are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by digitization by adapting and developing their systems and processes accordingly. Improve, structure, simplify, standardize, make transparent, enable access: These are the crucial companions to this. In this transformation, they usually set the following milestones:

• You create the technical prerequisites by investing in the ICT infrastructure. Because: Nothing works without suitable technology.
• They recognize the need to have software specialists who can do the job. Because: applying is one thing, programming is another.
• They enable their employees to use the tools created at the appropriate level. After all, digitalisation affects everyone.
• However, well-instructed employees only use infrastructure and software optimally if they enjoy using them. And only what is convincing is enjoyable. In this way, these companies open the door to a new work culture that extends far beyond ICT. After all, only what is convincing can motivate.

Four examples from industrial practice
Many companies are well advanced in this process of change. We also observe this in the course of our audits of SQS-certified industrial companies. Four examples illustrate how processes are being digitised in practice. Concretely!

Agathon AG, Bellach
Entrepreneur and CEO Michael Merkle continues to drive digitalization at Agathon (200 employees) by integrating the possibilities of Industry 4.0. He says: "It is already possible today to obtain 300 data from our plants for further processing. Existing applications such as parts flow, quality, service based on 'predictive maintenance' are being perfected. At the EMO in Hanover in September 2017, Agathon presented further innovations in terms of machine productivity. For us, quality means, on the one hand, maximum accuracy within a tolerance range of one millimeter.

thousandths of a millimetre, continuously and consistently. On the other hand, however, also intuitive and simple operability as well as a worldwide service, with response times that meet the customer's expectations. Moreover: Agathon machines are backwards compatible. Anyone who replaces an existing machine with one of the latest generation benefits from the fact that the new machine 'understands' the programs of the old machine and that the tools of the old machines can also be used on the new ones".

LCA Automation AG, Küssnacht a.R.
Entrepreneur and CEO Dr. Christoph A. P. Rennhard has "strongly pushed" digitalization in his company with 100 employees, as he emphasizes. "Our advantage as an automation specialist is that we have all the expertise in-house: Database connections, energy consumption evaluations, communication networks within the company, but also to customers via so-called monitoring or remote access systems. At LCA, the HMI (Human Machine Interface) is developed specifically for the customer. This includes an evaluation that covers the entire plant. Our HMI is a touch screen that can communicate plant information on several levels: operator level (production information: type, number of pieces, scrap rates), plant manager level (productivity, comparison per shift, future planning) and special levels for the software (readout of error memories, etc.). We have facilities where key production figures are written to a data bank and software that evaluates figures statistically. This is used to document process control. This is a typical application. For some time now, we have been carrying out process control by means of evaluating the drive data from drives and visual checks by cameras. Today's devices, especially tablets, offer a wide range of options for displaying and evaluating this data.

Trisa AG, Triengen
According to entrepreneur and CEO Adrian Pfen-niger, Trisa has reached "a high level of digitalization". He illustrates this strategic orientation of the long-established family business with 1000 employees with three examples: "Firstly, we already have an extraordinarily high density of industrial robots. Fortunately, we were able to achieve this level during a period of growth, and at the same time we have also increased the number of employees. We are consistently pursuing this path. We are helped in this by our willingness to experiment and our proximity to innovation.

Secondly: The new high-bay warehouse has been in operation for over a year - a prime example of digitalisation. It runs fully automatically and optimises itself at night.

Thirdly: In a major initiative, we are in the process of implementing further digitisation steps in the years 2017 to 2019. In terms of IT manpower, we have an advantage, because our core business has always required high-level technologies. Even in the early days of computerization, Trisa was at the forefront. Industrial robots were added later. Here we have acquired a great deal of knowledge."

Thermoplan AG, Weggis
Adrian Steiner, CEO and partner of the coffee machine manufacturer Thermoplan with 290 employees: "For years, our machines have been communicating via a cloud to the end customer and to us in the factory - worldwide. With 97 % of exports and machines installed in 72 countries, this is necessary. Starbucks alone has around 50,000 machines in operation. To ensure reliability, we need information from the machines (wear, service requirements, etc.) and intelligent networking. Reliability is a specific advantage. The end customer of Starbucks wants to have his coffee quickly and in the desired execution and quality without standing in line. The ordering process and payment are also becoming increasingly smart.

Smartness actually has two aspects: First, Starbucks can make special offers to consumers (for example, Coffee of the Day). The coffee machine functions like a data exchange centre. With the data that serves us, we can develop better and better machines. Secondly: The ordering system is networked and accelerated. A machine consists of 1200 components. If Starbucks opens a new coffee shop, the order information goes directly to our suppliers via the ERP system. The associated logistical processes (e.g. 'just in time', traceability, etc.) are becoming increasingly important.

In summary: With a focus on machines and customers, Thermoplan is very far advanced with 4.0. In terms of internal processes, we are currently working on our future vision of 'automated material flow with linked logistics'. There is a lot of potential in this."