How a medium-sized global market leader saves 1,200 hours of search time per year - and thus lays the foundation for automated production.
The construction of a concrete pump begins with a truck chassis - and a very simple question: Where is the chassis right now? What sounds banal was a real problem at Putzmeister for a long time. Because carrier vehicles regularly got "lost" on the extensive factory premises in Aichtal. The result: delays, idle times, manual searches and slow processes.
But that is now a thing of the past.
From the search problem to smart production
After a particularly complex inventory, Putzmeister pulled the ripcord. "The inventory was a disaster," recalls Jannik Wörn, Operations Excellence Engineer at Putzmeister. "It was clear to us that we needed a system that would give us back an overview."
The solution came from SmartMakersThe IoT thingsHub now makes every carrier vehicle on the site visible in real time. Equipped with small trackers, the chassis continuously send location data to the platform. There they are visualized on a digital map - transparent, reliable and understandable at a glance.
Transparency that works
What sounds simple has an enormous impact in practice: Putzmeister was able to reduce the search effort by over 1,000 hours per year. Processes have become noticeably more stable, availabilities can now be planned reliably and bottlenecks can be identified at an early stage. The newly gained overview pays off particularly in final assembly.
"A lot of it used to be gut feeling - now it's reliable data," explains Wörn. Communication within the team has also changed: "Instead of queries and discussions, we now have an objective basis of information."
IoT meets production reality
The introduction was surprisingly straightforward: thingsHub works without a complex infrastructure and can be operated independently of existing IT systems. This is precisely what makes the solution particularly attractive for industrial environments - especially where digitalization does not start from scratch, but has to begin in the middle of operations.
But it is not just about tracking the location. Putzmeister is already planning the next steps: Tool and forklift tracking, the integration of load carrier-based material flow and, in the future, a connection to the ERP system. The goal: end-to-end digital, automated production based on robust real-time data.
A role model for the industry
Special vehicle construction is complex, individual and often difficult to plan. The example of Putzmeister shows impressively how smart IoT can solve specific problems - and pave the way for major changes. If you know where your equipment is located, you can work more efficiently, make better use of resources and lay the foundations for future-proof production.
SmartMakers provides the platform for this. Putzmeister uses it as a springboard.
Do you have a similar challenge or would you like to make your production more efficient and smoother? We will advise you free of charge and without obligation.
