Page 9 - Böllhoff Group annual report 2017

Innovation and investment

Complete control of production

At the Böllhoff Group we have consistently driven forward digitalisation of our production facilities.
This is based on what is known as a Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The MES is
characterised by a direct link to the distributed process automation systems and so permits the
management, control or regulation of production in real time.

Featuring a modular design, the production management software used here sets standards in
terms of MES. In 2012 Böllhoff introduced this system at its injection moulding plant. We have
taken advantage of the high levels of adaptability and integration capability to also link in our other
serial production facilities for metal fasteners.

MES can now be found at four sites, two in Germany, and one each in Austria and China, totalling
13 production halls with 276 machines by the end of 2017. The system is equipped with inter-
faces to the ERP system (bidirectional transfer of current manufacturing order data), to the materi-
als handling system (transfer of all batch changes for full documentation) and also to measuring
instruments (thermometers/hygrometers and energy monitors). This ensures complete control
and management of production at Böllhoff. A digital planning table is used to plan and optimise
sequences for order processing on a dynamic basis, so allowing us to make the best possible use
of our machinery and equipment.

5