See what is important – with Peakboard

Success Story: BIZERBA SE & Co. KG

Solution at a Glance

ChallengeVisual monitoring of functional errors in applications or data transfers between systems, display of information from different systems for forklift drivers.

SolutionImplementation of Peakboard for information visualization for:• Touchpad• Monitor in the

production hall• Monitor in office

Advantages• Simple provision of target

group-specific information• Direct information

availability on the forklift via touchpad

• Faster response to application errors or data transfer problems

• Sustainable optimization of IT processes through permanent process transparency

• Attractively designed tacking display in lean process

The CustomerBizerba offers customers in the trades, retail, industry and logistics sectors a globally unique portfolio of hardware and software solutions for the central „weight“ factor. The range includes products and solutions for cutting, processing, weighing, cashing, checking, commissioning and labelling. Comprehensive services ranging from consulting, service, labels and consumables to leasing complete the solution spectrum. The headquarters of the family-run company group with around 4,100 employees worldwide, which has been in operation for five generations, is Balingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Further production facilities are located in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, China and the USA. In addition, Bizerba maintains a worldwide network of sales and service locations. Bizerba is present in 120 countries worldwide.

ChallengeOver the years, Bizerba has developed a very diversified IT system landscape. In addition to SAP ERP, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and a self-developed solution for the field service,

this includes numerous special applications. “We in the IT department didn‘t notice quickly enough, however, if something was not running properly somewhere – whether, for example, an application error occurred with a user or a data transfer between the systems was interrupted. We could only become active when a user opened a ticket – and then had to run after the topics. We wanted to change that,” explains Christian Leins, Head of Soft-ware Development at Bizerba.

Leins was not interested in classic IT monitoring of CPU utilization and similar performance data: “I wanted to know what was running – and what was not – from data in various application databases. Using log file analyses, I also wanted to see directly where an application or interface had an error. This is the only way we can not only intervene quickly and control, but also continuously optimize systems and processes”.

But Leins wasn‘t the only one who wanted more insight: The logistics department at one of the Bizerba locations had the idea of equipping forklift trucks with a touch screen, via which the forklift driver receives information from various systems – for example about orders.

The SolutionLeins rejected the idea of developing his own solutions as well as the use of powerful solutions – instead, he was impressed by Peakboard, an all-in-one solution for simple corporate digital signage. “We knew the developer

CompanyBIZERBA SE & CO. KG

BranchMetal industry and processing

DepartmentIT, Logistics, Production

qualities of the team behind Peakboard through the holding company Theobald Software, from which we use the ERPConnect,” says Leins. “It was clear that behind Peakboard was IT intelligence and competence. I then tried out a free trial and was really impressed with the ease with which the boards could be created.”

Accordingly, a first IT management Peakboard was running – after only eight hours, the Head of Software Development was able to see how applications and data transfers at Bizerba are running.

Leins received professional and dedicated support in the further development of this solution from Peakboard. According to Leins, the support also works flawlessly: “When I write an e-mail, there is usually a qualified answer within half an hour.”

Application and BenefitsThree Peakboards are meanwhile in use at Bizerba: The IT Management Peakboard runs on its own screen in Lein‘s office. “I can always keep an eye on the running applications and interfaces. This is also very helpful when talking to my employees - we can

immediately discuss where who must take care of which point. We are also informed directly how many tickets are open, which new tickets have been added, whether they are errors or requests. Everything is always there – in real time. I don‘t have to get the information first, I get the information anytime on different screens.”

The forklift info Peakboard visualizes SAP as well as counter and webcam data. In defined cycles, the forklift driver is shown when he has to empty containers, for example, at which point in the production process. The quantity of orders or which articles must be stored and retrieved is also displayed. Via a livestream from the webcam of the delivery ramp, he sees when a truck arrives so that he can immediately drive to the ramp. In addition, supervisors or production employees can send messages to the forklift driver. “We used Peakboard‘s integrated web service to implement a small application,” adds Leins.

As a result of a lean management initiative at one site, another „case for Peakboard“ arose: the digital signage solution here functions as a clock generator in the production hall – Peakboard displays the cycle time of the individual processing steps via a large, centrally located monitor. The employees can see how many minutes a production step may take before the workpiece is transferred to the next workstation. Color shading of the numerical representation makes it clear how much time is left. Furthermore, the total output, the error rate, the weekly schedule and the daily schedule (work and break times, shop floor management appointments, etc.) are displayed. Supervisors can control this display via centrally stored Excel files, which Peakboard accesses every few minutes. If, for example, the lean process is interrupted due to a machine failure, the time display in the clock generator Peakboard can simply be switched to pause by mouse click until the fault has been rectified.

FutureThere are also plans for further Peakboard scenarios at Bizerba. A complete production line at one of the Bizerba locations, from goods receipt to goods issue, is to be visualized via Peakboards. The technical support will use a Peakboard for the team control, data from the call center system, the CRM and the field service information system will be displayed here. Another board will be realized for the spare parts preparation. In addition, the visualization of various SAP data is on the list of ideas, such as goods issues.

June 2019

Time to Value

8 hours to productive use of a first Peakboard.

“For me, digitization also means generating real added value from existing data. And that‘s exactly what we are doing with Peakboard: We provide employees with the information they really need in their daily routine - in a simple manner and exactly where they are needed, whether in the office, in the

factory hall or on the forklift.”Christian Leins, Head of Software Development at Bizerba