Mr. Finkler, what was the motivation behind the Smart Electronic Factory project?
The EMS service provider Limtronik and the MES manufacturer Itac initiated the Smart Electronic Factory - SEF for short - in 2014. The aim was to bundle the joint activities in the field of Industry 4.0 in an overarching initiative and develop solutions. These were to be evaluated, developed and tested in Limtronik's real factory. One of the main reasons for this was the lack of practical relevance in other initiatives.

How did the project develop?
In October 2015, seven members, including Proalpha, founded Smart Electronic Factory e.V. as an association and as an information and demonstration platform in a real electronics factory due to additional tasks and for the purpose of a greater presence in the Industry 4.0 environment.
Its success is reflected, among other things, in the fact that the SEF is on the BMWi's map as a central Industry 4.0 initiative.

What are the special features of the electronics industry?
As the margins in this business are low, the machines have to run as efficiently as possible and the logistics processes have to be highly automated. It must also be possible to trigger maintenance in good time based on quality events. This can only be achieved with networked machines and processes, well-trained staff and innovative suppliers. In addition, the electronics industry has other special features such as the management of entry/exit control, container management, electrical parts lists, precious metal surcharges, proof of preference or platform integration. Limtronik in particular has the requirement that all processes must be documentable and reproducible.
However, membership of the initiative is open to companies from different sectors of the economy. In addition to the machine manufacturer Asys, companies such as Bosch Rexroth and the Dürr Group have also found their way into the Smart Electronic Factory e.V.. The market side is not neglected either. For example, the management consultancy Unity is moderating the important topic of new business models.

How does the 'Smart Electronic Factory' differ from other projects such as the 'Smart Factory KL'?
Almost all of the concepts and ideas that existed up to that point were primarily based on a university approach, which meant there was a lack of concrete solutions. In contrast to similar initiatives, we are demonstrating what is already possible today in a real production factory. From the outset, all solutions were based on a strong cost-benefit analysis - profitability was a must. The association has not received any funding to date. In this special constellation of a demonstration platform within a real factory, the commitment and motivation of the members are particularly high in order to successfully implement the SEF projects. We can test new ideas, programs and systems in real operations. Every scenario that is promoted by the association members has to prove itself in practical operation with the factory's technicians and engineers. This results in practical and profitable solutions.

What role does Proalpha play?
Proalpha plays a key role within the real demonstration factory. Its ERP system ensures that the majority of horizontal and vertical business processes are mapped as automatically as possible, including financial accounting and controlling. In addition, cross-company processes with customers and suppliers are made possible. Thanks to the integration with ITac's MES system, which ensures production control and traceability, there is seamless vertical integration.

What is planned for the future?
The next steps include topics such as predictive maintenance, connections to business platforms, the increased use of smart data and AI systems and the development of new business models.