SFI goes moneo

How moneo and SFI take supply chain management to the next level

By Ariane Becker

Who hasn't experienced it: the workday is already over, even though it has only just begun. If only there weren't always these unnecessary time wasters! Surely there are also some work steps in your production that could be completed without your intervention through automation - as if by themselves! The optimized processes would enable you and your employees to work much more effectively in the future and use the time saved to achieve your goals more quickly.

The key to this lies in the perfect interaction of the production and IT levels. Here, a simple, seamless and clever data processing and forwarding must be established - which subsequently ends in concrete fully automated actions. From 24.01.2022, the IIoT platform moneo and the software component GIB Shopfloor Integration will take care of this.

ifm moneo can be thought of as a digital toolbox containing various tools with which IIoT projects can be successfully implemented. The modular, manufacturer-independent platform focuses on a simple, fast implementation of the individual components and on user-friendly interfaces. moneo turns Big Data into Smart Data, converts sensor data into digital information, evaluates it and transmits it from the Operations Technology level to the IT world.

This is where GIB Shop Floor Integration comes into play: The software component processes process-relevant information such as material consumption or impending defects on production equipment in the ERP-SAP system. With minimal integration effort, SFI - short for Shopfloor Integration - provides the option there for triggering and controlling follow-up activities and processes, such as creating a material reservation.

This means that production data no longer has to be entered manually in the ERP-SAP system - this not only reduces the susceptibility to errors and cuts personnel costs, but also ensures that the data is always up to date. Permanent status monitoring makes maintenance and servicing work much easier to plan: this means that tools can be serviced or replaced on a usage-oriented basis rather than on an interval basis - which often significantly extends their service life. On the other hand, monitoring allows early wear to be detected and corrected in good time before a failure occurs. This measurably minimizes downtime and set-up times, saves costs and ensures high-quality production.

moneo and SFI are also convincing in terms of installation and future viability, as Nikolaj Schmitz, Manager IIoT at GIB knows: "The setup is completely uncomplicated according to the plug-and-go principle - in addition, it is of course a great advantage that we can offer our customers everything from a single source and perfectly coordinated. And with the permanent growth of out-of-the-box functionalities in moneo and SFI, our customers are also well equipped for future challenges."