MACHINERY AND PLANT CONSTRUCTION

The mechanical and plant engineering industry operates in a globally competitive environment. To be able to maintain and expand their own position here, companies must continuously increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations processes. To achieve this, the company's organization and value chains must be adapted to continued highly volatile markets and rapidly changing customer requirements. On the other hand, labor costs and compliance with environmental standards are expected to increase the pressure to operate efficiently and sustainably.

EFESO competences

• Ensuring a competitive global footprint
• Realization of Operational Excellence (OPEX)
• Creation of S&OP supply chain planning
• Localization of production sites
• Design of global sourcing networks
• Establishment and development of "low impact factories" and "low impact supply chains“
• Anchoring change sustainably in the company: Transformation & Leadership

Digitalization and Industry 4.0 are changing the way machines and plants are designed, manufactured and operated. To remain competitive, companies must be able to optimally integrate digital technologies into their business processes. This requires thorough analysis and planning of the digital transformation, also regarding to the profitability of the necessary investments in hardware and (individualized) software solutions. The cultural dimension of the change should not be underestimated as well: only the proper qualification of employees on new ways of working, roles and responsibilities ensures the successful use of digital tools and Industry 4.0 technologies.

EFESO competences

• Development and operationalization of the digital strategy
• Conception, setup and enhancement of a Future Factory
• Visualization of value streams by using digital twins, analytics dashboards and data analytics
• Consulting for the development of smart products and services
• Know-how transfer with the Learning Campus of EFESO

Two challenges characterize hardware development in the industry: on the one hand, the increasing complexity of mechatronic systems must be mastered. On the other, high demands have to be met by the electronic components of machines and systems, for example in terms of their performance, robustness and reliability. In addition, miniaturization is playing an important role: in order to save space and increase efficiency, hardware components must become ever smaller – but at the same time remain reliable and easy to maintain.

This requires close cooperation between the departments of mechanics, electronics and computer science. This cooperation should be geared toward implementing innovative solutions and continuously strengthening the necessary skills within the company.

EFESO competences

• Digitalization expertise, e.g. in the interconnection / combination of machines in the IIoT
• Development of smart products and services
• Qualification for demanding tasks of the Future Factory

Efficient software development today represents a decisive competitive factor for companies that expand their Product portfolio with digital services, e.g. for monitoring and maintaining their machines. While the value-added share of software is increasing, human resources of skilled workers are limited – employers compete across industries and worldwide for highly qualified developers. When an experienced team is in place, they often work with specialized tools that are not focused on improving performance towards the process and customer. In sum, this can lead to high costs and considerable financial losses.

A professional organization counteracts this – especially by realizing a collaboration of all actors within the software development process. This organization should serve the development of modular, scalable software structures. So, it creates the basis for properly defining the requirements for digital products and the work packages for their development. In addition, it is important to bring continuity, outcome orientation and sensitivity to the cost dimension into the development processes.

EFESO competences

• Lean Software Development: defining and maximizing customer value
• Value stream mapping in software development and quantification of efforts
• Identification of efficiency improvement potentials in Lean Software Development Assessments (LSDA)
• Identification of inefficiencies in the development process in the dimensions "Process", "Organization and Employees" as well as "Performance and Technology"
• Software OPEX / identification of levers to increase efficiency. E.g.: establishing a continuous learning organization, continuous monitoring and elimination of technical liabilities

Customers increasingly expect individualized products. Companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector should therefore be able to flexibly adapt their products to customer-specific requirements without compromising efficiency and profitability.

Services that expand the classic Product portfolio - in terms of maintenance, repair or digital services - play an important role here. In addition, sustainability aspects are gaining in importance, be it in the integration of environmentally friendly materials, increased energy efficiency or the design of the entire product life cycle.

EFESO competences

• Product Complexity Management Support
• Improvement of Product & System Lifecycle Management
• Establishing and optimizing of a Lean & Agile Development
• Maximizing Product portfolio value: Value & Cost Engineering (VCE)

Companies are increasingly designing their manufacturing and products to be more environmentally friendly and operate more sustainably. Appropriate production can also lead to cost savings in the long term. In mechanical and plant engineering, this relates in particular to the high energy consumption associated with the manufacture and operation of machinery. It is one of the biggest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn contribute to climate change.

Another important aspect is resource efficiency. Machinery and plant engineering requires a wide range of raw materials and materials such as steel, aluminum and plastics, the use of which is associated with a high carbon footprint. Sustainable production of machinery and equipment therefore aims to reduce the consumption of resources, maximize the reusability of materials and improve recycling processes.

EFESO competences

• Establishment and development of "low impact factories" and "low impact supply chains“
• Anchoring change sustainably in the company: Transformation & Leadership
• Strengthen risk and supply management: integrating sustainability KPIs

Companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector must withstand considerable cost pressure resulting from several market conditions. For example, their customers expect high quality and performance at a reasonable price – in order to meet this and at the same time be open to innovation, high investment costs are necessary in the R&D and manufacture of products. However, investments in research and development as well as in the production of prototypes and test facilities can lead to high fixed costs. Strict cost control is therefore an essential prerequisite for profitability.

EFESO competences

• Transformation into a zero base organization
• Safeguarding performance and further development of value creation processes with our cost reduction program
• Closing the cost delta by means of value & cost engineering