Scanfil Uses Siemens Opcenter to Enhance Traceability, Quality Control and Time-to-market

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Scanfil collects and analyzes data in real time to develop the company’s smart operations and enhance the Dream Factory program.

The first Scanfil factory to use Opcenter™ was Suzhou in China. Most of the Suzhou’s customer orders are high-mix, low-volume, with an average order numbering just 150 to 200 pieces. Flexibility is essential because it is necessary to make frequent production line changeovers. Additionally, many customers are in heavily regulated industries so they require a high level of traceability and routing control for their products. Scanfil wanted to build the infrastructure to meet that demand and understood that collecting and analyzing data in real- time would be the key to developing the company’s smart operations and enhancing the Dream Factory program initiated in 2023. The program aims to develop best-in-class factory concept.   

Integrated manufacturing execution system (MES) is the key to success in the company’s digitalization program. Siemens was selected as the digitalization partner in manufacturing. 

“Siemens’ digital thread portfolio is not the only element of our Scanfil Dream Factory, but they play a critical role in the big picture and in achieving our long-term vision for connected, transparent, proactive and optimized end-to-end supply chain and operations,” says Miikka Ahola, director of manufacturing technology at Scanfil. 

Opcenter plays a key role

Scanfil uses Opcenter Execution Electronics to model products and create a digital twin. It is also used to model workflows and process routing, resources, workforce and shop orders. The company uses Opcenter to collect and organize control data for the entire production process. Opcenter is used to return the production report information to Scanfil’s ERP system to create a closed-loop data flow for routing control, traceability and data collection. Production data from the Opcenter database is used to enable Opcenter Intelligence Electronics to generate visual data reports with the status of manufacturing lines and machines. It also provides product, material lifecycle and production status tracing, and issues a quality analysis report.