RGU Project

The Project

Before deploying oPtI.schmelze, the ks schmelze DoS software from ADVSchulte GmbH had ser-ved them very well for many years. changes to the company’s It infrastructure and the wish for more extensive functions, such as support for the smelters working at the furnace, connections to analysis devices and, so far lacking, the ability to carry out significant evaluations, were just some of the reasons behind looking for a replacement.As rGU GmbH had taken over the ks schmelze software from ADV Schulte GmbH in the year 2010, the managing director of ossenberg, Kai Maschmeier’s first step was to approach rGU. After a development phase of just over a year the first fully functioning prototype was ready. this was implemented completely within the rGU oPtI system environment, a market leading PPS/FrP system dedicated to foundries. “I was impressed by how far even the standard software covered our requirements. It was important for us to keep the implementation time and development costs for special features as low as possible.

Company: edelstahlwerk W. ossenberg & cie. GmbH

Headquarters: Hütte 4-6 58762 Altena-evingsen

Internet: www.edelstahlwerk-ossenberg.de

Employees: 100

Sector: Stainless steel production

Ranges of application: Automotive industry, chemical industry, hydroforming systems, agricultural equip-ment industry, aerospace industry, medi-cal industry, commercial vehicle industry, foundry manufacturing industry, die-set and blanking tools, machine tool industry and mechanical engineering

The most important challenges

Aim of the project:to implement oPtI.schmelze

Main benefits for the customer:• reliable calculations throughout the

complete process chain• integrated inventory management• transfer of all materials data with

target analyses and the appropriate company-specific programming from the DoS legacy system ks-schmelze.

Previous system landscape:ks schmelze

this seemed to be the case at that point”; Mr Ma-schmeier says as he looks back at his decision to start the pilot project. After a detailing workshop at the beginning of 2012, in March they decided to carry out the pilot project with the system from the Dortmund foundry specialists. the project was carried out in an implementation phase lasting just 4 months. the aim was not just to transfer and visualize the scope of functions from the legacy system, but to enhance them with a reasonable amount of additional functions. All the material and target analyses from the legacy system were migrated and extended with relevant information. the rGU solution considers the liquid melt as an independent product. All the informa-tion is stored in a central materials database and every melt is given its own identnumber. this ma-kes it possible to link the appropriate inspection plan number and relevant target analyses with the materials database.

»With their expertise in the fields of forging and foundries, rGU is just the partner we need at this point. the staff have always been ready to listen to our ideas and wishes, too.«Kai Maschmeier, Managing Director Edelstahlwerk W. Ossenberg & Cie. GmbH

RGU GmbH

Karl-Harr-Straße 144263 Dortmund

Fon +49 (0) 2 31.4 19 97 0Fax +49 (0) 2 31.4 19 97 99info@rgu.de www.rgu.de

Your partner for consulting and programming in the foundry industry.

About RGUSince 1984 rGU GmbH has been developing stan-dard technical and commercial software solutions to support business processes effi ciently. Based in Dortmund, this company is specialised in provi-ding complete solutions packages covering every-thing needed for production planning and control systems in foundries and the metal processing industry. the result is corporate processes which are structured so effi ciently that business success can be planned for. this is achieved by means of cooperation, precise analysis and skilled consulting services which take up the customer’s specifi c re-quirements and put them into practice.

All of the data connected to the material is pro-cessed in one program. “We also attached great importance to the fact that the software is able to support us in our commercial processes. We now have a tool which enables us to run through a range of very diffe-rent scenarios”, says Mr Maschmeier about oPtI.schmelze’s simulation capabilities.Another highlight for Mr remmel, head of smel-ting operations, is the help it provides for the smelters working directly at the furnaces. the melt report documents the complete process of the melt procedure, from the beginning of the melt, taking samples and the automatic inclusion of spectrometer values from the preliminary and fi nal samples, through to recording all the materi-al quantities and energy consumption. “For the re-charging, I am only shown the materials which are required and the right quantities are worked out at the touch of a button”, Mr remmel explains. “other calculation possibilities are also provided in case we have to work out casting quantities for dilutions or even if the material has to be changed during an ongoing process.”Last but not least, there are a whole range of evaluation possibilities available for the users.

In addition to the standard evaluations, such as for materials or material consumption, the user can also access the open database with their own tools. ossenberg makes full use of this option and evaluates data with their own tools which is then used to produce their test certifi cates. Mr Maschmeier concludes by stating: “the scope of functions in oPtI.schmelze goes well beyond the level which we needed. An additional requi-rement of ours was actually to limit the scope to a level suitable for us. For example company-specifi c functions from the legacy system were confi gured so they could be implemented without leaving the program standard. the focus is on the users, who are given suitable support for their often complex tasks. We now have a solution at work which not only fulfi ls our needs today but one that is well-equipped to fulfi l our future requi-rements as well.“

After more than 30 years in the It sector, rGU has grown to become one of the leading providers of innovative software technologies for PPS systems in Germany. throughout europe more than 120 customers now rely on PPS and FrP solutions from this Dortmund software company.

rGU – Your partner for consulting and program-ming in the foundry industry.

About OssenbergFounded in 1907, the edelstahlwerk W.ossenberg & cie. GmbH has its headquarters in Altena and is the smallest integrated steelworks in Germany. the company specializes in steel for cold, hot and high-speed work as well as stainless, acid and heat-proof steels. Smelting is also carried out according to special and individual customer analyses with a melt ca-pacity of 2.5 t. In the fi eld of job forging, ossen-berg processes everything from alloyed titanium to superalloyed nickel-based material, including alloys based on silver, copper, cobalt, niobium

and tantalum. their customers are to be found in all industrial sectors and include companies from the automotive and aerospace industries, agricu-ltural equipment and commercial vehicle sectors as well as the toolmaking and medical products industries.