How Schmitz Cargobull turned the planning of a new production line into a group-wide standard for layout and process planning.
From Static Layouts to Integrated Planning
To set up a new production line at the Vreden plant, processes, space and layout were to be planned reliably and the relevant departments involved at an early stage.
The previous approach reached its limits: layout and process planning were carried out separately, changes had to be updated several times and coordination was time-consuming. In addition, there was no common basis for transparently evaluating planning variants and their impact on material flow, space requirements and production processes.
The key challenge was to bring processes and layout together in a single planning approach, creating a shared basis for discussion.
A New Approach to Rough Planning
On the recommendation of an external consultancy, Schmitz Cargobull used visTable® for the first time to plan the new production line. This made it possible to visualize layout and process planning in a shared model as the basis for rough planning.
“When we built the value stream of the new line together in the model, it quickly became clear how much more transparent this makes planning. For us, it was an important step toward looking at layout and process together rather than separately.”
From a Project Approach to Gradual Standardization
The experience gained in Vreden led to the gradual establishment of a standardized approach to digital factory planning at Schmitz Cargobull. Today, visTable® serves as the central tool for rough planning and lays the foundation for subsequent fine and detailed planning with specialized tools, such as CAD planning or workplace design.
Since then, the approach has been rolled out to further sites and use cases. Workshops, a group-wide key user network and central support for the plants foster a continuous exchange of experience and joint further development.
“visTable® helps us reach a reliable planning status faster, especially in the early phase. Rough planning is one part of the overall process and forms the basis for the subsequent fine and detailed planning.”
Result: Good Planning, Better Collaboration
By using visTable®, Schmitz Cargobull has made rough planning more transparent, comparable and efficient. Planning variants can be developed faster, impacts assessed early on and decisions made on a reliable basis.
The key added value, however, lies in the shared way of working: everyone involved works from the same planning basis, creating a common understanding as early as the initial project phases.
“What matters to us is that early planning leads to a shared understanding. When all departments can see and evaluate the same planning status, the later implementation becomes much clearer.”
