Case Study Thanks to PSIpenta/ERP: AMA, processes are accelerated by up to 60 percent

The update of the in-house IT infrastructure provided the boost: with the implementation of PSIpenta/ERP, the plant and mechanical engineering firm has done away with its numerous “isolated solutions”.

Industry: Mechanical Engineering
Customer: AMA Anlage- und Maschinenbau Amberg GmbH
Product: PSIpenta/ERP

Thanks to PSIpenta/ERP: AMA, processes are accelerated by up to 60 percent

Because the historically grown IT infrastructure was no longer able to meet the increased demands, AMA Anlagenbau und Maschinenbau Amberg GmbH (AMA) introduced PSIpenta/ERP, including time tracking. The aim: to create a central point for all information on a customer order and for company key figures. Thanks to self-programmable Groovy scripts, the company can now retain proven, individual processes without having to leave the system standard.

About AMA

AMA Anlagen- und Maschinenbau Amberg GmbH is a contract manufacturer in the field of CNC machining. The largest components to leave the factory floor can weigh up to 40 tons and be 14 meters long. These components are used by customers in a wide variety of machines, including engines and turbines.

The customers, who primarily come from the mechanical engineering, rail vehicle and shipbuilding industries, as well as from the field of energy technology, usually commission small to medium-sized series. The medium-sized company does not manufacture complicated welded constructions and special piping in Amberg, Germany, but at its second location in the Czech Republic.

Challenges

The ERP system previously installed at AMA was no longer able to cover new processes and structures at a certain stage of development. As a result, many “isolated solutions” were created that often had no interface to the leading system.

This in turn meant that some data was maintained manually, that important information was only available with a time lag and that other information was missing altogether. Obtaining reliable key figures became increasingly difficult and time-consuming.

The control calculations are particularly relevant for the contract and toll manufacturer, as they serve as the basis for new quotation calculations. AMA wanted to keep processes like these – in the system standard if possible.

Production characteristics

Contract manufacturing
Small to medium-sized series orders
Control calculation as a basis for quotation costing

Quelle: AMA Anlage- UND Maschinenbau Amberg GmbH

AMA's objectives

With the introduction of PSIpenta/ERP, AMA wanted to create a central point for all information on a customer order and for company key figures. Well-thought-out, individual processes, e.g. for post-calculation, should be incorporated into the system standard as far as possible.

The main objectives

Development of a central data hub
Improvement of data collection
Increase in data quality
Acceleration of business processes
Coverage of proven processes in the system standard

Approach

With the Java-based ERP solution from PSI, including a BDE module for time tracking and a document management system (DMS) from partner company intex, AMA can map the entire order process from a single source – from the initial request to production with feedback and post-calculation.

Realization

The basis for this was, among other things, the introduction of an item structure and the clear assignment of items and item numbers. Its importance has increased steadily in recent years due to changes in the basic item structures, in particular the so-called repeat parts.

There are only a few processes that AMA does not process directly in PSIpenta/ERP. These include, for example, quotation costing. The company stores this in the integrated DMS, which means that this step is also stored directly in the respective customer order in the ERP system and can be traced at any time. With the help of the DMS, checking the order confirmation across several instances has also become much easier for AMA and is also completely paperless.

Groovy scripts provide a high degree of flexibility in the standard

AMA also uses Groovy to make simple process adjustments within the system standard, for example for the type of post-calculation that has been tried and tested for many years, for specific plausibility checks or for stringent input rules. The project manager has also used Groovy to customize some user interfaces in the software terminal, particularly for employees working in production. The masks now only comprise five fields and have thus been reduced to exactly those areas that need to be operated.

Result

Key figures at the touch of a button

Whether incoming orders, outgoing invoices, workshop inventories or order commitments: with PSIpenta/ERP as the central data hub, AMA can now determine important key figures simply and reliably at the push of a button.

For example, the 50 percent increase in automation means that month-end closing is now much faster. The company has even reduced the time needed to determine the workshop inventory by up to 60 percent and the time needed to create customer orders by about 50 percent.

Acceleration of business processes
Fast determination of key business figures
Increase in data quality
Increase in information capacity

We particularly benefit from the advantages of not only the significant time savings themselves, but also the higher data quality and the system's ability to provide information.

Alexander Albrecht Project manager at AMA

Conclusion

Consistent digital processes instead of independently maintained systems: with the introduction of PSIpenta/ERP, AMA has installed a central IT system that not only accelerates central processes, but also, and more importantly, provides the company with important key figures for corporate management at the push of a button.