A Smart Factory is a production environment in which people, machines, automation and software work together in perfect harmony. The notion of the ideal Industry 4.0 production landscape presents a major challenge to many sheet metal processing companies. Before a highly efficient, flexible and transparent shop floor that satisfies even the strictest of requirements can be achieved, one thing usually comes first: the clean up. Because "chaos" cannot be  digitalised. We help you bring order to your production processes and take the next logical step in the technological evolution: consistent networking of the material flow, information flow, automation and process optimisation.

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Small batch sizes, large product variety, demanding customers: On this page we take a close look at the problems that make life difficult for sheet metal processors like you - and how we can help you to change that. Until your production works exactly the way you want it to. 

When there is a lack of skilled workers for welding and bending, orders cannot be fulfilled. Quality and reliable delivery become a game of chance. You end up taking care of operational emergencies instead of focusing on your strategic growth. As well as personnel planning, finances or purchasing. How to stop this vicious cycle? By automating routine tasks, you free up your team for activities that add value. Software can help semi-skilled personnel operate machines safely. In the next section you will find ways in which you can alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. 

Small lot sizes cause big problems for sheet metal workers: rejects, error rates and time expenditure are high. For economic production, the upstream and downstream processes must also be put to the test. The goal: to process orders faster, to produce even small quantities in high quality - and to work profitably. There is often a lack of transparency about the order status and the workload. This makes it difficult to provide customized and quick offers for a micro batch. Linking production to an ERP system can help. Software support facilitates self-organization on the shop floor and shortens programming times. Read more about how to get small lot sizes under control step by step. 

Growth requires investment. But the road to credit is often lengthy. This is where financing with us - as a manufacturer - comes in handy: easier lending, longer payment terms and planning reliability go hand in hand. Because we are sheet metal processors ourselves and know your market. If your regular bank refuses because order volumes are uncertain or the initial investment seems too high, please get in touch with us. Whether leasing or purchasing: TRUMPF Bank supports you in good times and bad. That's why we offer, for example, seasonal instalment models or repayment based on utilization. We have put together some financing options for you below. 

What is the order status? Where are the parts? What is the utilization level? Every day, all of these questions are costing you time - and therefore profit. You can neither plan your existing resources accurately nor answer customer questions about the order status in detail. Coupled with ever shorter delivery times, your utilization and efficiency decrease. But there is another way: With transparent production planning, you have an overview of all current orders and your capacity utilization. Key figures replace gut feeling, and on this basis you use your resources in the best possible way. The result: Better prices and higher profit. 

Material ties up a great deal of capital. High purchase prices and a lack of storage capacity limit your scope. In addition, financially strong online marketplaces are sinking prices on the market. But there are ways to counteract this. For example, by cleverly expanding storage areas in order to buy cheaply and compensate for material shortages. By gaining transparency over orders and inventory. By using material credits. By using intelligent functions to increase your good part rate and lower the cost of parts. We would be happy to advise you on these and other solutions. 

Even for a batch size of 1, your customers expect smooth processes, real-time information and decreasing costs. You, in turn, want higher profits, higher throughput and more latitude in calculations. How can you achieve a win-win situation? Cost-saving processes for all batch sizes, transparency about capacity utilisation and processes, and cost-reducing automation can help. When you always have the right information, at the right time, there is no need for interruptions and time spent searching. You can increase your throughput by shortening upstream and downstream processes. And better calculation options give you latitude in pricing. Discover the possibilities: