Welland & Tuxhorn – digital shop-floor data collection with 4BDE integrated with Microsoft Dynamics AX

Location: 33649 Bielefeld, Germany · Industry: Fittings, valve technology, actuation technology, mechanical engineering, power plant technology · Products: Special control valves, steam conditioning valves, bypass stations and fittings for power plants and process installations · ERP: Microsoft Dynamics AX · Website: https://www.welland-tuxhorn.de/startseite.html · S4P modules: 4BDE

Initial situation

Welland & Tuxhorn AG, with around 200 employees, required gapless and timely capture of its production data to transparently control the manufacturing of special control valves and reliably meet delivery deadlines. The existing Microsoft Dynamics AX environment was to be extended with a capable shop-floor data collection system. Steam conditioning valves, bypass stations and fittings for power plants and process installations demand the highest manufacturing quality and reliable documentation of every production step.

Challenge

In the demanding power plant environment, manufacturing orders, feedback and machine times must be recorded precisely. Manual records were error-prone and did not provide a current view of manufacturing progress. The goal was continuous, digital capture of operating data directly at the workstation, seamlessly integrated into Microsoft Dynamics AX. Particularly for urgent orders and schedule changes, an up-to-date view of open orders and capacities was indispensable for production control.

Solution

With 4BDE, Welland & Tuxhorn AG gains end-to-end shop-floor data collection that captures order, time and quantity feedback directly at the workstation. The captured data is transferred seamlessly to the existing Microsoft Dynamics AX environment. Operators book times, good and scrap quantities as well as fault reasons at the shop-floor terminal; data flows automatically back into Dynamics AX and is available for evaluations, post-calculation and deadline monitoring. Shift supervisors and manufacturing management receive an up-to-date overview at all times.

Results and benefits

With the S4P solution, Welland & Tuxhorn AG achieves gapless capture of production data, higher transparency in the manufacturing process and improved on-time delivery in the production of its special control valves. Manual feedback effort was reduced, data quality in Dynamics AX improved and a solid data basis for evaluations and continuous process improvements in the power plant fitting environment was established.