5i.Progress is part of the Manufacturing Excellence Cloud app suite from 5thIndustry. The application offers a modular operating system for modern digital working in the factory. The company consistently relies on the use of cloud technologies. The app offers a powerful working environment for efficient order planning and control, which provides information for employees on the store floor and also enables quality and order feedback. As part of its mobile-first philosophy, 5thIndustry has deliberately mapped a wide range of end devices for using the app: Smartphones, tablets, stationary computers or even large monitors can be used for visualization.
Flexible connection and can also be used without an ERP system
5thIndustry is also pursuing its visionary Industry 5.0 approach with the 5i.Progress app: people are at the heart of the application. This is why employees from the office and production areas were involved in the design of their digital working environment when the system was implemented. The app provides users with an intuitive user interface that eliminates the need for further training. The app has multimodular interfaces so that data can be exchanged bidirectionally (read/write) with the existing ERP systems. 5i.Progress also offers the option of creating and managing orders directly in the system with an intuitive user interface. "Especially for medium-sized companies without an ERP system, this offers the opportunity to achieve large gains in transparency quickly and cost-effectively," explains Dr. Harms. In addition, the modern cloud architecture also enables use across all value chains: suppliers or subcontractors can be efficiently integrated and cross-process chain collaboration drastically simplified.
Multimedia and context-based
Visualization with lists and Kanban cards allows much more transparent access to production orders. Production progress can be viewed in real time. This enables data to be accessed across multiple locations. Store floor employees can be provided with multimedia work instructions for the production orders. This means that images and videos can also be sent to the person responsible via the app.
Quickly rectify faults and create inspection specifications
In addition to work instructions, employees can also intuitively record faults relating to the order or the production system and work together with managers from other areas to solve the problem. Standardized error categories and chat functions support this process. Inspection specifications can also be provided via 5i.Progress. The test results are saved directly in the cloud. "Our digital solution also enables the recording and evaluation of actual times. This creates a valuable database that forms the basis for optimizing personnel deployment, machine planning and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)," says Dr Harms.
Successful industrial applications
The 5.Progress app is already being used successfully in the food industry, for example at the mechanical engineering company DEGUMA-SCHÜTZ GmbH. "The cloud-based application from 5thIndustry enables efficient project implementation and allows us to react even more flexibly to customer requirements in future. 5thIndustry involves the employees directly in the implementation - for us, this is an important element of our working culture at eye level," says Daniela Dingfelder, Managing Director of Operations.
