The element central

Flow software for industrial construction

The use of ERP software has evolved considerably in sixty years. So much so that it has now overshot its mark for industrial precast production companies, thinks Maarten van der Boon, team leader of Marketing & Sales at software developer BIM4Production®. "It has become a Christmas tree of functionalities in which users, often with difficulty, can still find their way. 'Click-your-rot systems' we hear jokingly said in the market. Especially for element builders, a lot of time is lost in planning production, getting an overview of the planning and quality control and assurance when this is done from an ERP. It is therefore time for a completely new perspective on precast production. One that focuses on the unique element to be produced."

Modern precast element builders especially want to know when what is to be produced and delivered and in what quality. They also want insight into the progress (flow) of production. Van der Boon: "In itself, production and logistics can be organized in the ERP systems, but for a long time we have been hearing from production companies that it is very complicated. For example, production schedules are 'keyed' into orders, or in other words, the process of ordering and what you order then reflects some kind of schedule."

Excel as a planning tool

"Many prefab companies therefore use a complex Excel file - often even several - in addition to their ERP to keep an overview of their production and logistics planning. With all the inconvenience that entails," says Van der Boon. "Incidentally, for the mostly random quality control, they then use a separate app or even a combination of solutions, such as quality checks on paper and loose photos on the mobile, merged into a file in the cloud. In short, multiple systems are used with as much, if not more, manual processing and disjointed information. Is this how you control scheduling and quality? Probably, but I am not lying when it is clear that this takes a lot of time, money and manpower to keep up with it all." 

Engineering to order

It gradually became clear from conversations that something different was needed. "We discovered that the 'transaction-oriented' data models of ERP systems is one of, if not the, limiting factor in precast manufacturing. Thus, from the, among element builders, widely used production approach 'Engineering to Order (EtO),' we saw that not the transaction but the production flow of the individual element had to become the driving force. When the production flow is optimal, this releases valuable transaction data to the ERP software, for example. Through a strategy session using the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology, we went back to answering the basic questions: what does an element builder actually do? What does he need? What adds value to the production process? A different view of the planning and production of precast elements emerged. An element builder makes an element that is processed in another factory where they assemble complete homes, or it goes to a construction site numbered and logically packaged. In either case, it can be compared to a Lego brick that goes with other Lego bricks (elements) to form a building."

Inverted Christmas tree

An element must be delivered on time and in the right quality. Optimal flow in production leads to speed, delivery reliability and control over quality at the assembler. Production from one plan and production truth is then a requirement. To ensure that element builders can get a grip on their production, BIM4Production® started to define production planning, logistics and quality from scratch more than three years ago. Van der Boon: "Not on a transactional basis (project, order, delivery, stock positions etc), but one in which the element itself is central. From this, BIM4Production® was born in mid-2022. Platform software with which we turn the ERP Christmas tree, so to speak. BIM4Production® is a production platform that allows you to flow the entire production process from BIM engineering to delivery, including quality control and assurance. The starting point is the element to be produced that you 'grab' digitally, to then see all the information of this, the quantities, the material compositions, the production planning or status and the quality." 

BIM4Production is a platform for managing and flowing production per unique element and for the process of quality assurance. "The various outputs from BIM4Production forms input to an ERP system for transactional (mostly financial) accounting. The platform is therefore set up ERP-independent and thus works with various ERP solutions, including of course our own ERP. " 

ASML 

Once the flow in an element factory is settled, integration across the production chain is the next step. "ASML has become great in part because it was able to ingeniously implement its innovation drive in the supply chain," says Van der Boon. "That allowed it to take bigger innovation steps and become a global player. I don't want to sound overambitious, but we think something similar is possible in industrial construction. The data models under our platform software have been developed in preparation for this. Technically, I do not see any insurmountable problems. In my opinion, the culture change is more difficult, because parties have to let go of the control mindset. As a producer, it is important to see yourself as part of a concept, a chain. And that in that concept you are going to guarantee your production, product quality and security of supply as ASML has done. In this way a flow can be created in the entire chain, with which industrial building can be taken to a much higher level."

It's just like in automotive: a clear end product with fixed partners and long-term agreements, Van der Boon emphasizes. "You are no longer supplying a channel slab floor, but a qualitative contribution to the housing concept of the housing provider or even to the living enjoyment of the end user. Flow at this chain level is what we call Business Integration Management. It is the ambition we pursue with our BIM4Production® platform: software that connects the various production steps in an element factory, or across the chain from the element factories to arrive at a quality (Wkb) assured end product. We want to realize future-oriented software with impact for the individual precast plant as well as across the chain. Because the future belongs to industrial building."