AXOOM, the new IT services provider for companies in manufacturing, supports the entire production value chain – regardless of manufacturer. Thanks to its modular solutions, manufacturing companies can use AXOOM to make the transition to Industry 4.0 at their own speed, step by step.

Step by step toward Industry 4.0

The new digital business platform operated by AXOOM uses tailor-made modules along the value chain to help smooth the path toward Industry 4.0. "With AXOOM we are thinking outside the box and are advocating a new, digital and open business platform that covers the entire value chain, regardless of the manufacturer involved. Machines and systems from a variety of providers working together intelligently - this is the future," explains Mathias Kammüller, Dr. Eng., Executive Vice President of TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG and head of the Machine Tools division. AXOOM does not stop at the shop walls but instead supports users continuously - from the supplier to the end customer.

TRUMPF is very consciously setting up the AXOOM team as an independent company. "AXOOM is intended to create something entirely new, beyond existing convention. We are supporting them with our entire know-how as a machine tool manufacturer. Our common goal is to achieve highest productivity and profitability for our direct customers - but also various other production companies," Kammüller continues.

The key: an open and modular platform

AXOOM addresses the problem of growing complexity in the manufacturing industry - for example, those caused by declining batch sizes. Modern machines turn out parts so quickly that they offer very little potential to reach greater productivity. The situation is entirely different when it comes to the processes that precede and follow the actual production of a part - from taking a customer's order, then to materials procurement and order scheduling, and through to invoicing - there are many opportunities to save time and expense. This is exactly where Industry 4.0 and AXOOM come into play. "The key is an open business platform that is holistic in design and encompasses the entire value chain," explains Florian Weigmann, Managing Director at AXOOM GmbH. "With our product offering, we want to help our users by simplifying process steps within production, synchronizing them, and bringing overall productivity to an entirely new and higher level."

As an open platform, AXOOM will be available to all customers, their suppliers and service contractors, as well as to other partners. Components made by different manufacturers within the production value chain can be networked together and are thereby able to work together intelligently. In addition, AXOOM is modular in its design and can be scaled to suit. This gives users the possibility to replace individual process steps one by one toward a more seamless solution. "What's more, additional value can come as a result of our partners being able to integrate their own products into AXOOM. Everything is available within an open system - unified, integrated and transparent," says Weigmann. Already included among the AXOOM partners are renowned companies such as the digital daughter company of the Klöckner & Co SE - kloeckner.i GmbH, the Linde AG, J. Schmalz GmbH, SICK AG, WiCAM GmbH Technische Software, XETICS GmbH and the Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH.

Free preview phase

Beginning immediately, those interested in participating can pre-register at www.axoom.com for a preview of the new platform. During the preview phase, users will be able to try out the first modules at no charge. The first consistently integrated modules for the preview include: order and resource management, logistics, production planning and shop floor as well as reporting.

The order management module relegates faxes and paper to a less prominent role. Every inquiry received will be digitally documented. The data are then transferred efficiently through to the order list: materials needed, number of items, delivery address and as well as the drawing of the part. Regardless of whether the client orders directly in the online shop or sends their requirements by email.

The module resource management administers all resources, continuously and efficiently. It enables prompt deliveries and purchasing with a push of a button. In order to achieve this, AXOOM automatically reports when materials needed for the order are in short supply and need to be reordered. With a single click, the dispatcher approves the purchase and requests the material from the supplier - directly and without needing to change systems. One example is steel provider Klöckner & Co, whose product offering is incorporated into AXOOM.

In the logistics module, finished orders are automatically readied for delivery. To guarantee cost efficiency, AXOOM compares the bids from various shipping companies and automatically enables the printing of the shipping labels. If requested, AXOOM will provide order and shipping data for proofing.

The foundation for the production planning module and the shop floor is a dynamic planning algorithm which responds instantly to rush orders or malfunctions and proactively recommends solutions. Once the production manager has signed off on the incoming order, suggestions for optimal production scheduling will be automatically generated. The complex tasks of material provisioning and scheduling of machines and personnel - along with determining the sequence of processing steps - are optimized independently by AXOOM, acting as a manufacturing advisor. Of course, the operator always has the option of intervening. The result is an optimized production path. The shop floor function acts as a central navigation element for the platform, offering monitoring and a complete overview of production.

The reporting section provides a transparent overview of all business processes. Key figures on machines and the business itself are kept up to date and available at all times, and any possible warning notifications are quickly visible.