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The Allianz Industry 4.0 Award 2024 confirmed: Knoll mechanical engineering is one of the most innovative companies in Baden-Württemberg when it comes to holistic digital transformation. The Bad Saulgau company was now at the digitization event Startup the Future in Stuttgart with the award in the Excellence category from the Baden-Württemberg Economics Minister Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut awarded.
Ten years ago, Industry 4.0 was still a vision of the future for many companies. Not for Knoll Maschinenbau, a leading provider of conveyor systems, filter systems and pumps for metal processing and specialists in automation solutions. Back then, digitalization was already taking shape at Knoll in various software installations. Over the years, new and more powerful technologies have been used, so that the company is now one of the pioneers in digital transformation.
The Bad Saulgauers received confirmation from a neutral body with this year’s Allianz Industrie 4.0 Award in the Excellence category. A competition launched in 2022 by the Allianz Industrie 4.0 Baden-Württemberg. This network is run by Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism initiated and promoted and is by VDMA e. V. Baden-Württemberg coordinated.
The Allianz Industry 4.0 Award is presented in two areas. In the Winner category, innovative Industry 4.0 individual solutions are honored, while in the Excellence category, companies have to offer more. The award winners are honored for outstanding holistic approaches to digital transformation.
Click.it” width=”770″ height=”499″ srcset=”https://industrieanzeiger.industrie.de/wp-content/uploads/K/n/Knoll_B03_Click-it_Pro_D401A085-B15F-4799-87E8-7A8266CD625A.jpg 770w, https://industrieanzeiger.industrie.de/wp-content/uploads/K/n/Knoll_B03_Click-it_Pro_D401A085-B15F-4799-87E8-7A8266CD625A-300×194.jpg 300w, https://industrieanzeiger.industrie.de/wp-content/uploads/K/n/Knoll_B03_Click-it_Pro_D401A085-B15F-4799-87E8-7A8266CD625A-768×498.jpg 768w” sizes=”(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px”/>The latest element in the Knoll digitalization strategy: Click.it. A button transmits information easily and efficiently in real time at the push of a button, thereby setting processes in production or intralogistics in motion.
Picture: Knoll
Convincing digitalization strategy
The decisive factor for Knoll Maschinenbau’s award was the digitalization strategy implemented in the company, which includes three pillars: software, processes and working methods.
Managing director Matthias Knoll explains: “With SAP in combination with our PPS, we are perfectly equipped in terms of software to reliably keep deadlines, lead times and inventories under control. Among other things, we have succeeded in synchronizing the procurement, manufacturing and assembly processes so that we can now deliver over 95% of our orders on time.”
Christian Spohn, head of the automation department at Knoll: “With our digitalization strategy, we are aiming for 99% delivery reliability.”
Picture: Knoll
But Knoll is not satisfied with that. “By checking our processes for waste, uncovering it and eliminating it, we are aiming for the 99% mark,” emphasizes Christian Spohn, head of the automation department. In order to support employees in this regard and to change working methods accordingly, his team developed its own digital information system called Click.it, which is integrated into the network.
The principle of this button system is simple: If disruptions are detected in the production process, the employee can use Click.it to trigger a predefined action at the push of a button. “The main thing is that he gets help as quickly as possible and can then continue to add value,” says Spohn. “In addition, every malfunction is documented so that managers can take care of the cause and how to eliminate it permanently.”
Energy consumption in engine production is halved
Knoll Click.it has developed into a double success story: On the one hand, the digital Click.it system increased productivity in the company. “On the other hand, we have turned our self-developed Click.it into a Knoll product with which we can reach new customers and markets, which offers us further growth opportunities,” says Managing Director Matthias Knoll. (bec)
*)– represented by (from right to left) Matthias Knoll, Managing Director, Christian Spohn, Head of Automation Department and Niclas Berner, Head of Production Department. The certificate was presented by Dr. Isabella Jesemann (l.), project coordinator Allianz Industrie 4.0 Baden-Württemberg, and Dr. Dietrich Birk, Managing Director of VDMA e. V. Baden-Württemberg.
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