Most recent articles
Local manufacturing and risk management will be the trends of the future, predict speakers at the upcoming TAL 2023 conference
Important figures in the field of automotive logistics are heading to Pilsen again. They will present their views and experiences at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) conference on 16 May 2023. Prior to the conference itself, we asked our speakers two important questions about future trends in automotive logistics and the ability of companies to withstand the challenges posed by supply chain disruption.
The Trends in Automotive Logistics Conference 2023: Take a Backstage Look at the Digital Factory
Despite all the current crises, digitalisation is running full steam – for manufacturing firms, the digital transformation is not just a possibility, but rather a necessity if they are to remain competitive. Anyone asleep at the wheel today may face a severe handicap in five to ten years, says Aimtec’s co-founder and supervisory board chairman Roman Žák. He also extends a cordial invitation to this year’s TAL conference, dedicated to digitalisation and other trends in automotive logistics.
Automation: only a scalable concept will ensure companies a place in the market in ten years' time
Automation has been penetrating logistics for many years. Automation technologies often include a barcode scanner, a device that is several decades old. It is therefore not surprising that the intentions and expectations associated with automation have evolved over time. These and other topics were discussed by Jindřich Kadeřávek, Managing Director and executive officer at Element Logic, Libor Mihalka, Managing Director at LogTech, David Strnad, Head of Logistics at ŠKODA AUTO, Jan Linhart, Senior Project Manager at Alza.cz and Rostislav Schwob, Supply Chain Solutions Director at Aimtec.
Automation diminishes flexibility. Aimtec’s Rostislav Schwob explains how to restore it.
A full 95% of the firms approached in the Trends in Czech Logistics 2022 study stated that they plan to automate and acquire more modern machinery within five years. Meanwhile, new technologies, sensors and approaches to managing large datasets are being developed constantly. New orders often bring changes to the processes and conditions inside a company. Many interconnections are formed in the midst of all this, which necessitates changing and developing a firm’s overall control logic. How should you approach these demands? Is it even possible to connect it all, manage it digitally from one place and have a single, functional digital world? We asked Rostislav Schwob, Supply Chain Solutions Director at Aimtec.
How not to get lost in the flood of OEM concepts in EDI communication
Recall (4905, 4984, DELFOR, 4A3, ANSI 830). Yes, this is also the OEM requirements for EDI communication. Hundreds of message types are exchanged, with each manufacturer requiring different standards. This creates a variety of different concepts that require different EDI system settings.
New logistics management let Germany’s RKT get a lead on its competition
Material handling costs, precise traceability, compliance with expiration dates. Every pharmaceutical company has to grapple with all this – including the German firm RKT. We had an opportunity to speak with RKT’s Director of Supply Chain and Logistics Management Martin Hofstetter about how it dealt with not only a digital transformation of its warehouse logistics, but also an entirely new warehouse management method.
EDI communication with new partners is now a piece of cake, says Thomas Schott of RAPA
RAPA supplies components and system solutions for automotive, healthcare and industrial applications. The approx. 1000-employee firm was long plagued by slow debugging of EDI communication with new suppliers and slow adoption of new EDI message formats. "Thanks to the cooperation with Aimtec, these processes now take a fraction of the time they used to," says Thomas Schott, head of IT at RAPA.
Digital tools will prevent deadheading and save tens of percent in transport costs
The cost of transporting goods is one of the most expensive items on a company's books. However, companies largely underestimate the choice of carriers. Using smart tools, costs can be reduced by tens of percent. Tomáš Marinec from AIM Partners explained how to do it at the TAL conference in Pilsen.
Moving to the cloud is just a matter of timing
Alexander Schrödel is responsible for IT at Rehau Industries. The company, which supplies polymer solutions for automotive, construction and other industries, has extensive experience in EDI. Schrödel himself sees the electronic exchange of data as a condition that allows the group to do business in the volume and time required. "It is a great challenge to achieve automation in the entire process chain and to start perceiving and optimizing the EDI process as a whole and not just as a queue of orders," says the German manager in an interview with Jan Stočes, Director of Cloud & Integration Solutions at Aimtec.
Automation Remains Main Trend in Czech Logistics Even in Times of Expected Crisis
What does the present and future of Czech logistics look like? Where are investments going? To what extent is the storage and logistics sector affected by the post-COVID situation and the war in Ukraine? These and other questions were answered in the unique Trends in Czech Logistics 2022 survey conducted by Ipsos for the SKLAD trade association, of which Aimtec is a member. 132 companies took part in the survey and the responses by their managers show an emphasis on deepening digitalization and optimization of logistics processes and warehousing.
Clean up the data jungle, centralize and prepare data for advanced production
The quality of system outputs corresponds to the quality of the inputs. This simple formula has been valid for many years, yet many companies are still amazed that gems do not emerge from the "data jungle". Diving deep into this jungle, integrating data from each division, cleaning it up and adapting it into a form ideal for production planning systems is a task for the Aimtec Data Intelligence product. How exactly does it work and what can it do?
Data. Data. And more data! How can you master it and ensure it’s clear and on time?
In manufacturing and logistics, you’re faced with mountains of data, and you need to master those mountains. It would be a shame not to use them. But how should you work with them and display them to ensure that they’re truly of value and that you can make good and informed decisions? How can you gain the information you need in just a few clicks – and in an an easily navigable form? Get to know the different types of reports that can help you.
Reporting, digitization and 3D visualization streamlines logistics processes by tens of percent
The complexity of today's industrial production brings manufacturing companies a huge amount of data that needs to be processed and then used efficiently. One example of such use of reporting data in manufacturing logistics is the data warehouse and the application of the digital twin of the physical warehouse, i.e. its 3D visualization. Aimtec supplied just such a solution to Continental's domestic division. Thanks to this it has reduced the work of warehouse stackers with high-volume material to a third and gained a perfect overview of in-house logistics, which will also facilitate crucial strategic decisions.
Air it out and sweep the cobwebs, or: doing EDI migration right
Companies in automotive spend easily dozens of years building up their EDI. And it gets reconfigured many times over those years. Meanwhile few teams are responsible enough to thoroughly document all the adjustments to their on-premise system. The end result is that the risk of losing or damaging data when migrating it feels stronger than the benefits that can come from an EDI migration. “A data upgrade and migration is a fundamental act that will benefit every company’s operation”, says Jan Stočes, Cloud Services Director at Aimtec. And this process doesn’t have to be a risk, as long as a firm chooses the right partner. But how do you make that choice? Learn what to watch out for and what trends you can put to work in EDI.
Paul Martinez and José Ruiz: SEAT:CODE digital lab is revolutionising SEAT’s supply chain
First the order, then production. SEAT’s digital division has turned this Spanish automaker’s entire supply chain upside down. An interview with Head of IT Delivery Production and Logistics Paul Palmero and Product Manager José Marín Ruiz on how technology and digitalisation can transform even traditional and unchanging industries such as the automotive supply chain.
EDI could be with us for the next 15 years, says RAPA's IT chief
Thomas Schott has been responsible for IT at Rausch & Pausch (RAPA) for six years. However, he has been gaining experience in information technology for much longer. In the early 1990s, he was there when reputable suppliers in the automotive industry were beginning to implement electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. "This topic has been a constant presence in my professional life for thirty years," says the German manager.
Optimising material flows thanks to smart automation
This July, experts in manufacturer material flow and value chain optimisation met up in Nuremberg, Germany under the leadership of the Bayern Innovativ business networking organisation to discuss things together and share best practices. The individual presentations offered up specific technologies and verified approaches and best practices when implementing innovations. Sales Manager Jiří Hanžl joined the event to present Aimtec’s experience in this area through a presentation on smart logistics automation.
The supply chain inside out: SEAT starts with the end customer
Innovative technologies and digitalisation are inexorably entering supply chains. Thanks to them, it is also possible to abandon traditional practices, as demonstrated by the presentation of representatives of the Spanish company SEAT:CODE at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) 2021 Conference, which took place in Pilsen.
SAP and EDI in the Automotive Sector: Entrust Integration to a Professional
Not many production companies get by without an ERP system today. One of the most frequently used is SAP and this also applies to the automobile industry. The complexity of current industrial production also requires electronic data interchange (EDI) between the various elements of a supply chain. Integration of an EDI solution into SAP is a tricky IT project and, if you think you can save money by giving the task to your internal IT department, then you could be in for a rude awakening. It is ideal to entrust it to the hands of a professional with long experience of the automotive sector and solutions directly prepared for implementation in the automobile industry. Aimtec, with its automotive SAP EDI package, is such an expert. What does the package contain?
Asprova APS ‑ a proven conductor in a new tuxedo plans production down to the second
The almost limitless possibilities for variability in production are forcing companies to look for ways to make it more efficient. One of the tools that can significantly help with this is the Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) system. In Europe, more than two dozen suppliers offer them, but there are fewer really good ones. Automotive IT specialist Aimtec relies on Japan's Asprova APS. Its new version has several advantages - even faster scheduling thanks to optimized algorithm, machine learning and a user-friendly interface. But it doesn't stop there.
EDI is alive and well, says Tolga Ozkundakci of IAC
Occasionally one can hear the opinion that EDI is slowly but surely leaving the scene. Ozkundakci strongly disagrees. At least in the automotive sector, he says, this is not the case.
Now that we have the data, let's mine it across the supply chain
Visibility. A key word in today's automotive industry. Specifically, supply chain visibility. In today's turbulent world with disrupted traditional business channels, few things are more valued by automakers than accurate and timely information on the status and flow of supply. However, not every supplier is able to share them. The potential of digitalised communication is far from being exploited, so time and money continue to be wasted.
SappyMOM: How to take local needs into account in a central system
How to reconcile the bosses' demand for SAP standardization with the needs of local plants for which the standard is not enough? Aimtec's SappyMOM add-on solves this common dilemma.
Digitalisation brings new perspectives on manufacturing efficiency
A register of scrap and manufactured units, operator and machine downtime tracking… approaches like these have become a standard part of production monitoring and reporting. In our digital age, can monitoring of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) in terms of availability, performance and quality be improved even further, and can the needed data be acquired even more quickly and easily? What’s changing in this area, what new features is digitalisation bringing, and can we expect any specific tangible results?
Digitalisation platforms – an inexhaustible tool for manufacturing optimisation
Have you ever had the feeling that your manufacturing can’t be optimised any further, and you’ve reached its limits? Is it at all realistic to have completely interconnected manufacturing, in which people, machines, tools, materials and products all communicate simultaneously? The solution is a digitalisation platform that is able to connect to anything you can think of. With its help, you can configure any behaviour you desire for individual outputs and set up a variety of possible reactions. This way you can have complete information from manufacturing in real time – and digitally control it as well.
How to standardise processes in the automotive industry without limiting its flexibility?
How does a global automotive player use Aimtec’s DCIx System to standardise processes in its plants and facilities? Get an insight into International Automotive Components Group (IAC) straight from their European Vice President of IT and Systems Tolga Özkundakci.
With DCIx7, the dream of a digitalisation platform running in the cloud becomes a reality
The User Group for Aimtec’s DCIx met up at the start of this May in Pilsen, and attendees could learn what visions are out there for logistics and what new features DCIx will soon have in store. Representatives from Koito Czech and Continental Automotive showed their approach to automation via practical examples. The event also included morning workshops about advanced stock management with WMS, new processes in MES and the role of DCIx in the digital factory. Couldn’t be there, or want a refresher on a few key points? Watch the presentations from the main afternoon section.
EDI mapping in automotive? A quick and affordable solution exists
Electronic data interchange (EDI) is an essential part of business, and this naturally applies to the automotive industry as well. However, as companies use different in-house systems, information sets need to be tailored to ensure that communication runs smoothly. This is a task for so-called EDI mapping, which is becoming an indispensable tool for automotive suppliers.
Tomáš Vondrák: The path to becoming Continental’s model plant in digitalisation
What are the biggest challenges for a company that’s been creating mobility trends for a century and a half? How has Continental’s largest automotive plant changed during the past 10 years? An interview with Tomáš Vondrák, Plant Manager & Managing Director, on Continental’s vision for a new era.
German head office learned the system of logistics digitalisation from Czech Bosch subsidiary
To get rid of physical kanban cards for production scheduling and save hours, weeks and months of time of the people who have to work with them. This was the basic idea that led to the creation of the digitalisation of heijunka in the Czech plant of automobile tech division of the Bosch company.
