Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML

We analyse, develop and optimise.

© Fraunhofer IML

Shopfloor Management: Assessment of the current situation, Conducting data and process analyses, Joint development of the target state for your best result, Support through to realisation.
© Fraunhofer IML

© Fraunhofer IML

Shopfloor Management

We analyse, develop and optimise.

In a constantly changing economic environment, manufacturing companies are faced with the challenge of continuously improving their processes and resources in order to remain competitive in the long term. Effective process and resource management that adapts flexibly to market requirements and the customisation of production strategies and concepts are crucial to success. Companies that face up to these challenges and adapt can achieve a clear competitive advantage in the long term.

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Our service offer

Are you looking for a team to support you in the area of shopfloor management? Let's discuss different approaches together and talk about possible forms of collaboration. We are also happy to support you with the following topics:

  • Process & material flow optimisation
  • Operational Excellence (OPEX) & Lean Production 
  • Key figure systems for measuring shopfloor performance
  • Effective and efficient order processing
  • Design of workplace systems

Our range of services in detail

Optimising processes and material flows

A lean yet comprehensive approach to quickly obtain reliable information on the efficiency of your production. The analysis provides a comprehensive picture of your production with the organisational structure and the factory layout, the established processes, e.g. production planning and control, production supply and disposal, the material flow, the key production figures, e.g. work in progress, throughput times and adherence to delivery dates, etc. and an objective and reliable final evaluation. The benefits for your company are a summary of the identified weaknesses with their causes, clustering and the identification of core problems, basis for decision-making with specific recommendations for action, including interdependencies and priorities, help to remove the ‘blinkers’, analysis of the entire value chain, impetus for a change process
© Fraunhofer IML

Analysis of potential

Efficiency at the interface between production and logistics. Our approach involves analysis and optimisation of internal order management, consideration of existing and future requirements for the production system, material flow orientation in the supply and disposal processes, shifting production preparation processes to logistics, expansion into a holistic production supply concept through standardised processes and container concepts for each supply class and observance of lean principles along the entire process. Your benefits are efficient processes for demand- and consumption-orientated supply and disposal in production, definition of responsibilities at the interface between production and logistics, efficient design of the transfer areas for production supply and disposal, reduction of stock levels through demand-orientated supply to production, optimised configuration in the area of conflict between staging area requirements and reliable production supply.
© Fraunhofer IML

Efficient order fulfilment

Our approach involves holistic design of the workstation system, taking into account the existing and future requirements of your production system, structuring the layout and standardising the workstations, innovative solutions for optimum support for your employees at the workplace and examination of the necessary systemic networking of your workstations. Your benefits are: increase your process efficiency and reduce throughput times through flow-orientation in the process and creating a scalable workplace system that can be adapted to your needs and the needs of your customers.
© Fraunhofer IML

Workplace design

This is how we analyse your production system ‘holistically’: Allocation of products to the systems and their flow-orientated arrangement in the layout, allocation sequences and the resulting stock levels, throughput times, degree of capacity utilisation and batch sizes and proven phase model with a new level of efficiency and quality. Operational Excellence (OPEX) We offer companies an innovative and customised approach to evaluating and optimising production processes. The special challenges for an optimisation project in the process industry are realised using a specially developed toolset based on lean management methods.
© Fraunhofer IML

Lean Production

Our approach involves teaching the theoretical basics of lean production and instructing the participants, three rounds of games within the connector factory, each followed by a group discussion, optimisation approaches are not predetermined, but developed independently and concluding discussion and transfer of the content to the participants' own production conditions. Your benefits are interactive communication of the objective of lean production principles, reducing reservations through active discussion with the experienced trainers from Fraunhofer IML, developing and experiencing lean production design approaches such as one-piece flow, Kanban or cycle equalisation and increasing the commitment of participants for upcoming lean projects. The Lean Production simulation game helps to simulate complex processes and interrelationships in a plausible way and aims to increase the acceptance and identification of the participants with the change measures through a high level of involvement in the game.
© Fraunhofer IML

Lean management game

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Reference projects

Batch size optimisation

Brewery

Excel tool for item-specific determination of safety stock and batch lot size for optimum utilisation of filling and warehouse capacity.

 

 

 

 

 

Contact person: Luisa Marie Strehl
Phone: +49 231 9743-373
Mail: luisa.marie.strehl@iml.fraunhofer.de

Material flow and location concept

Bruse GmbH & Co. KG

Reorganisation of the internal material flow as part of a site development or expansion and the development of a sustainable assembly concept to ensure process- and resource-efficient order processing at the site. 

 

 

Contact person: Luisa Marie Strehl
Phone: +49 231 9743-373
Mail: luisa.marie.strehl@iml.fraunhofer.de

Digitisation concept

Essener Geldschrankfabrik GmbH & Co. KG

Identification of several internal optimisation potentials. Digitalisation of internal data exchange to increase resilience and analysis options. Adapting the procurement process to make it IT-supported and more efficient.

 

 

Contact person: Marius Bohlen
Phone: +49 231 9743-492
Mail: marius.alfred.bohlen@iml.fraunhofer.de

Increasing process and resource efficiency

GTP Schäfer GmbH

Integration of all planned systems into the layout, quantification of optimisation potential in order processing with regard to resource efficiency and the redesign of a continuous improvement process in the context of lean production.

 

Contact person: Helena Piastowski
Phone: +49 231 9743-454
Mail: helena.piastowski@iml.fraunhofer.de