The digital transformation promises completely new possibilities. With this in mind, the JentnerGroup, a specialist in surface and electroplating technology products and services based in Pforzheim, Germany, has invested in the development and establishment of an end-to-end digitalized surface finishing process. The result is IPS 5.0 (Intelligent Plating Surveillance), a holistic process that now controls, monitors and monitors the entire plating process from incoming to outgoing goods using AI (artificial intelligence) methods in a seamless and traceable manner at all times. This sets high quality standards that are unique in the industry in Germany. By anchoring transparency and security in its process DNA, the JentnerGroup is also particularly recommended as a service provider for high-tech segments such as medical technology, aerospace and defense. The process developed in-house has also already been registered for a patent.
"With IPS 5.0, we are consistently continuing on our path towards digital electroplating. In addition to simply documenting all processes, we now have the option of controlling and seamlessly monitoring all processes in the finishing of the raw products supplied, from goods receipt to return to the customer. We can also check the results in a traceable manner at any time. This ensures an even higher level of transparency and quality," says Chris Jentner, managing owner of the JentnerGroup. "Now we want to develop the system further and continue to refine it. To this end, we are looking for business partners and industrial customers for whom topics such as tracking and artificial intelligence are of particular interest."
Quantum leap in quality and traceability
The JentnerGroup had already taken the first important step towards process automation in 2019 with the integration of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology into the BDE (production data acquisition) system developed in-house and the production processes, which until then had mainly been controlled manually. This led to a significant increase in efficiency in the galvanic contract orders through optimized plant planning, capacity utilization and error prevention. The PDA radio control system subsequently formed the basis for the development of IPS 5.0 as a much more comprehensive, AI-based process. It was designed in-house, selectively supplemented by the expertise of external specialists for digital transformation and robotics, software architects and web developers.
Control, monitoring, AI tracking with pattern recognition and data streaming analytics: as a result, IPS 5.0 achieves significantly improved quality and makes all processes from incoming to outgoing goods traceable down to the smallest detail - per order and workpiece, but also order-independent for each individual bath. For Jentner customers, this in turn means that they know exactly which part has been manufactured for them at all times. They can always call up the current processing status and all test results in real time via the customer portal.
