PROJECTS

SOLAR WAFER PLANT ENGINEERING

The acquisition of companies involves new markets, customers, revenues and products. However, it also involves new, frequently tailored, IT system environments, processes and working methods that are totally different to those of the takeover company. Business forces were the driver behind the consolation of the ERP environment. Any disadvantageous effects in terms of order handling, flexibility in planning or production/assembly with growing job parts lists or CAD and DMS integration had to be taken into account.

Client: Machinery manufacturer > 400 employees

Branch: Solar wafer plant engineering

Topic: Process optimisation in R&D, cutting production costs, overall IT concept, product modularisation, SAP PLM, organisation/configuration of parts lists, product configuration

Situation: The entire solar sector, and especially the manufacturers of thin-film solar cell production machines and plants, is subjected to extreme cost pressures. The goal for this newly acquired business division was to achieve product, process and IT integration for an existing optical disk organisation ‒ in a situation that was difficult anyway. In terms of approach, the aim was that this typical plant engineering company should standardise its products yet remain flexible and learn from the small-batch business of the takeover company.

Brief:

• Changing over from a supplier of custom machines to a supplier of variants through product structuring
• Changing the working method in design: configuration instead of expensive adapted designs
• Creating the conditions for engineering across the locations
• Harmonisation/standardisation of product structures, data, processes and IT environment

Result:

• Substantial reduction in adaptation workloads in design
• Focusing sales on technically planned and configurable plants and components
• Large-batch effects in purchasing and production by increasing the proportion of repeat parts
• Consistent use of the ERP system, especially for materials master data, parts lists management, document management, PLM and CAD integration