- New supply_it software solution from the Industrial Cloud Solutions (ICS) portfolio
- Joint initiative with Porsche Consulting
- More efficient intralogistics planning optimises material flow
- MHP presents new solution for the first time at LogiMAT 2024 (19-21 March 2024) in Stuttgart
Ludwigsburg – Intralogistics product supply_it is the management and IT consultancy MHP’s latest addition to its Industrial Cloud Solutions (ICS) portfolio. Following the successful launch of FleetExecuter, which enables automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to be controlled via a centralised fleet management solution, the addition of a more efficient planning solution for internal logistics processes was the next logical step. The software-as-a-service solution was launched as a joint initiative with Porsche Consulting.
Michael Appel, Partner at MHP: "In order to meet the increasing demands in logistics and support our customers’ efforts to remain competitive, efficient processes are becoming increasingly important. Smart solutions such as supply_it can help here by supporting employees, particularly in planning the optimal provision of materials in logistics."
Potential savings of up to 10 per cent on in-house logistics costs
Manual processes and inflexible planning cycles are still prevalent in intralogistics. At the same time, planning tasks are becoming increasingly complex and require more time, especially in evaluating the possible positioning and process variants of components at the assembly site. In the automotive industry, for example, material flow planning has to take account of more than 2,000 components that are installed on an assembly line. In order to simplify this complex intralogistics reality, MHP and Porsche Consulting have together developed a solution that makes planning and optimising material flow much easier. Porsche Consulting provides the algorithm, MHP the software and actual implementation.
At its core is a digital twin that maps the processes from goods receipt to assembly site, taking costs and restrictions into account. One function of the new software is to help employees to save time when assessing the costs of the large number of components that need to be moved in intralogistics. Specifically, supply_it means the allocation of components can be carried out cost-effectively in less than ten minutes. And any changes in intralogistics planning can also be made in just a few minutes. In conventional manual planning, such tasks often take several days.
Alexander Santiago, Product Manager supply_it at MHP: "The application has an intuitive user interface that makes it possible to visualise the costs of individual components and entire logistics processes transparently, quickly and easily. This not only saves planners’ time, it also means they can keep a constant eye on costs and therefore make savings in intralogistics of up to 10%."
By analysing these variants, the configurations with the lowest total costs are automatically identified, thus enabling proactive cost analysis and optimisation. By replacing manual steps with efficient automated processes, significant progress is being made in logistics planning. Consequently, this also reduces the risk of planning errors.
Björn Vogt, Head of Logistics Planning at Porsche says: "MHP and Porsche Consulting’s joint initiative represents a paradigm shift in logistics planning. Because it’s based on advanced technologies such as digital twins, it enables logistics processes to be designed more precisely and cost-effectively."
New intralogistics solution in operation at Porsche
The SaaS solution from MHP’s ICS portfolio is already in operation for logistics planning at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen plant and its use is to be expanded further. In combination with the MHP FleetExecuter, it has great potential - not only can materials in production be planned more efficiently, but they can also be transported to their destination more quickly by means of FleetExecuter and AGVs.
The software will be presented together with the fleet management solution for the first time at LogiMAT 2024 from 19 to 21 March. Visitors will be able to gain a first impression of these two solutions for more sustainable and efficient intralogistics in hall 6, stand B33.
Further information and a checklist for reviewing intralogistics processes in companies can be found here.
About Industrial Cloud Solutions (ICS)
MHP's new business area - Industrial Cloud Solutions - is primarily based on the extensive experience gained from many years of IT and management consulting in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. MHP uses the technology and process expertise it has gained to offer cloud-based software solutions for the digitalisation of engineering, production and the supply chain. So far, MHP has the products based on artificial intelligence, Sounce and paint_it for quality management, the shop floor management solution integrate_it, FleetExecuter for logistics and now, the brand new, supply_it solution, with more set to follow this year.
