INTERVIEW WITH SFM SYSTEM

SFM System, founded by Jens Hambach and Christian Hertle in 2018, is an innovative and sustainable industry tech startup with around 10 creative employees and its headquarter in Darmstadt Germany.

The company’s main product is the Digital Teamboard software. This software offers manufacturing companies the means to detect deviations and solve problems by utilizing data analytics, systematic problem solving and machine learning. With this software they transfer analogue shop floor meetings into a digital meeting experience. The web based Digital Teamboard has a huge amount of usage opportunities.

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

SFM SYSTEM: SFM Systems optimizes production processes for manufacturing companies.

Our unique approach brings together lean management method competencies and software technology to offer a product that helps leaders and workers in their daily business. Missing transparency in manufacturing leads to lower quality and dispatch reliability.

E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?

SFM SYSTEM: In 2021 SFM Systems pushes forward the usage of AI applications in digital shop floor management. Together with our partners from Technical University Darmstadt, MAN Truck & Bus, and Magna, we develop a service that uses machine learning technology to predict rework efforts and reduces them through action recommendations. For more information, see https://eitmanufacturing.eu/a-first-taste-of-tomorrows-zero-defect-manufacturing-the-prescriptive-production-assistant-sia/.

E.E: What are the ranges of products?

SFM SYSTEM: We are a single product company with the Digital Teamboard as our main product. To analyze and implement digital shop floor management applications, we also offer our market tested business consulting based on our years of experience in lean management as a service for industrial companies.

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?

SFM SYSTEM: The market for production management software systems in general is already well divided into a heterogenic landscape of software vendors. The market for digital shop floor management systems in particular is still young and still evolving.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

SFM SYSTEM: The market trends for sustainable software systems that integrate into the business IT landscape of a company instead of a single use software application with no data integration. Especially digital shop floor management systems need to be fed from a variety of different data sources which might change in the future. The system needs to be robust and be able to quickly and effortlessly exchange data sources to keep production teams up to date with latest KPIs.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

SFM SYSTEM: Our Digital Teamboard: It connects data sources in the factory like business software and machinery equipment and creates KPIs and dashboards. This transparency helps leaders make better decisions based on data. The Digital Teamboard analyses the data and detects deviations. Decisions in form of tasks can be defined and managed within the software tool.

www.sfmsystems.de