At a time when quality and efficiency are paramount, it is essential for companies in the agricultural machinery industry to continuously develop and improve …

Increasing efficiency in the agricultural machinery industry: How IIoT optimizes painting processes in production

At a time when quality and efficiency are paramount, it is essential for companies in the agricultural machinery industry to continuously develop and innovate. One key way to achieve this further development is to use the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). IIoT refers to the networking of machines, devices and systems in industrial environments to collect and analyze data in real time, which can increase efficiency and productivity.

The challenge

Greater transparency of the factors influencing the quality of the painting process

The quality of the paint is a decisive factor for customer satisfaction, especially in the agricultural machinery industry. The paint line is one of the core processes in the production of agricultural machinery. Sustainable and efficient process improvements in this area are essential. Our customer, a well-known industrial company, was faced with a significant challenge: The paint shop was a central process in the production flow, but due to insufficient transparency, no significant progress could be made in saving time and costs through process optimization and effective resource allocation.

Our client’s main objectives were to gain a better understanding of possible factors influencing paint quality and thereby significantly improve paint quality. In addition, our customer wanted to obtain complete traceability of the actual process parameters of the paint line for each individually manufactured vehicle. The challenge was to increase transparency, achieve sustainable and efficient process improvements and detect errors and inconsistencies at an early stage in order to ensure high-quality painting operations and meet customer requirements.

The solution

Implementation of an IIoT-based digitalization solution from evosoft

In order to overcome our customer’s challenges and increase transparency in the painting process, we have developed a holistic solution approach based on the integration of an IIoT platform. The solution we implemented consists of several steps. As a first step, we integrated our customer’s painting line into the Siemens Insights Hub IoT platform. This platform enabled us to collect, analyze and process the relevant process data in real time. We then developed various dashboards tailored to the customer’s specific needs. These dashboards visualize the most important process parameters and enable the production manager to continuously monitor the painting process and intervene early in the event of deviations.

This was followed by the implementation of an integrated notification system to ensure a quick and effective response to deviations and errors in the paint line process. This system proactively informs the production manager of potential problems, enabling timely correction. This was followed by the order monitoring and traceability of our solution. We implemented a solution that allows the customer to track the current order status and position of each vehicle in the paint line at any time. In addition, we enabled full traceability of key process parameters for each individually manufactured vehicle to ensure quality assurance. This was followed by the introduction of data analysis and continuous improvement capabilities. By utilizing the collected data, we were able to identify potential improvement opportunities and provide the customer with recommendations for sustainable and efficient process improvements. This data-driven approach enabled continuous optimization of the paint line process.

The result

Transparency and real-time monitoring through IIoT platform

The implementation of the IIoT platform and the development of specific use cases have led to several positive effects for our customers. These include optimized processes, improved quality control and increased customer satisfaction. The transparency achieved has enabled the customer to identify opportunities for optimization and potential improvements in the paint line process.

The real-time monitoring and optimization capabilities of the IIoT platform enable the customer to successively increase the efficiency of the painting process. In addition, continuous process monitoring and data-supported decision-making have led to a sustainable improvement in paint quality. This leads to greater customer satisfaction and a better brand image for the company. The wealth of data available through the IIoT platform also makes it possible to make more informed decisions about the painting process. Implementing the IIoT platform also ensures that the paint line is ready for future innovations. As technology evolves, these platforms can be easily updated or integrated with new solutions to keep the paint shop at the forefront of the agricultural machinery industry.

The digitalization of the painting line through the introduction of the IIoT platform has helped to make our customer’s company future-proof and competitive and has created a permanent solution for the challenges in the painting process. In addition, the platform ensures that the painting line is also equipped for future innovations.

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