Diehl Metal Applications GmbH

Optimized process workflows, shorter lead times, more transparent operations, and more satisfied employees: this is what Diehl Metal Applications GmbH hoped to achieve with the introduction of a new solution for company processes.

Diehl Metall Stiftung & Co. KG is a globally operating industrial group with a long tradition. The company was founded in 1902 as a foundry in Nuremberg. Today, Diehl stands for innovative products and technologies in the field of metal processing—and on a global scale: there are a total of 60 locations in Europe, Asia, South America, and the USA. More than 17,000 employees work across five subsidiaries, including Diehl Metall with the strategic business unit Diehl Metal Applications, headquartered in Berlin.

To optimize their process workflows, shorten lead times, and stay up to date with the latest technology, Diehl Metal Applications GmbH decided to replace its outdated software. Various applications that had been programmed and operated under the old system had to be replaced by new developments or solutions on alternative platforms.

Selection of a Suitable Solution

A decisive factor for selecting a new provider for Diehl Metal Applications GmbH was the ability to migrate existing applications into the new system. Inspire Technologies GmbH demonstrated significant expertise in this area and was ultimately commissioned for the project.

The task was then to transfer selected applications, adapt an MR.KNOW solution template for idea management, and redevelop two solutions based on model-based application development with MR.KNOW – BPM (formerly BPM inspire). First, the legacy application was analyzed, the detailed concept was developed based on the specification, and then coordinated with the client. An important part of this was the development of an optimized entity-relationship data model.

The new developments include two applications for sales. The VKT application (= sales parts), later SSP, is used for manufacturability assessment and processing of inquiries, change requests, and drawing modifications that concern manufactured parts / stamped parts / plastic parts / surfaces and are submitted within the company. The application allows incoming requests to be recorded, evaluated, and calculated. It is required to check whether the requested parts/articles can be manufactured technically and economically. Various company departments are involved in this process and are integrated through the developed process workflow. After completing the evaluation and calculation, all information needed to prepare a quotation is available to the employee.

In addition, the workflows are also used for subsequent drawing changes, provided that sample orders are received after completed requests or series production has already begun. All drawing changes are processed through the workflows.

Furthermore, the application not only monitors inquiries/quotations but also all internal and external correspondence that follows after the quotation is created. The applications thus not only allow monitoring of the request status but are also required to manage subsequent documents and notes and to ensure traceability of processes.

The workflows also make it possible to track whether and to whom the company has already offered identical articles, including the associated prices and conditions. Thus, the workflows serve not only for managing and processing requests but also for comparing inquiries and quotations.

The ACL application (= quotation checklist), later JP, is used for manufacturability assessment and processing of inquiries, change requests, and drawing modifications that concern surfaces / customer-supplied parts and are submitted within the company. Like VKT, ACL serves for general recording, evaluation, and calculation of inquiries.

Added Value for Diehl Metal Applications GmbH

After successfully developing the new applications, the data from the legacy system was migrated into the new data model. A particular challenge in this step was processing the numerous rich-text fields. In this process, attachments had to be separated, and rich-text content had to be converted into a new format to make it usable in browser applications. In total, over 100,000 data records were migrated.

Before going live, the system was extensively tested and has been successfully in use since the end of 2019. Diehl Metal Applications GmbH expressed great satisfaction with the new applications and sees itself, with the modern BPM platform from MR.KNOW, as an industry pioneer well-prepared for the future.