VHF Tools reduces planning effort from two days to two hours with APS from DUALIS

Managing complexity in CNC tool production

• Time Savings: Planning effort reduced from two days to two hours.
• Efficient Resource Utilization: Optimal use of machines and personnel through central data bundling and system integration.
• Improved Setup Optimization: Shorter changeover times and better machine utilization through optimization groups.
• Increased Transparency: Central availability of all relevant data for the entire team, facilitating collaboration and onboarding.

Dresden, 06 May 2025 – vhf tools GmbH has significantly streamlined its CNC tool production process, reducing planning time from two days to just two hours with the implementation of APS GANTTPLAN from DUALIS GmbH IT Solution (www.dualis-it.de). The production of CNC tools at vhf tools GmbH is characterized by a high degree of complexity, involving a wide range of geometries and designs, sophisticated grinding, laser, and other processes. This complexity necessitates frequent and time-consuming set-up processes, compounded by the coordination of a mid-range triple-digit number of orders per planning run.

vhf tools GmbH, based in Ammerbuch near Stuttgart, is part of the vhf Group and specializes in the development and production of carbide and other tools for milling, cutting, thread milling, engraving, chamfering, and more. The CNC tools are manufactured on modern six-axis precision grinding centers.

The Challenge: High production complexity and inefficient planning

Production at vhf tools is characterized by a broad vertical range of manufacture and a large order volume, with 300 to 400 production orders coordinated per planning run. The frequent and complex set-up processes consumed significant time and resources. Previously, planning was primarily conducted using Excel spreadsheets in combination with an ERP system. “Our previous system quickly reached its limits due to the large number and complexity of orders. The manual planning processes led to significant delays and made reliable production planning more difficult,” explains Benedikt Früh, Head of Production at vhf tools GmbH.

These challenges necessitated a solution for optimized production planning, with clear objectives: significantly reduce planning effort, increase production efficiency, and improve adherence to delivery dates.

Well-equipped with GANTTPLAN APS from DUALIS

vhf tools selected the GANTTPLAN APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) system from DUALIS. The solution’s hybrid three-tier architecture ensures flexible and scalable responses to the requirements of a modern production plant. 

GANTTPLAN offers numerous functions for advanced production planning, including setup optimization. By creating optimization groups based on the geometric properties of the blanks, efficient setup matrices can be developed. At vhf tools, this not only significantly reduces changeover times but also ensures optimal machine utilization.

Central data bundling and enhanced transparency

The APS system enables central bundling of knowledge and data, with interfaces to the existing ERP system (SOU matrix) and the Novatime staff deployment and time recording system (PZE). This integration allows all data to flow directly into production planning, enabling real-time monitoring of staff attendance and optimal resource utilization.

“Before the introduction, a lot of information was scattered across different systems or stored only in the minds of employees. Now we have all the data available in one place, accessible to every team member,” emphasizes Benedikt Früh. “This centralization not only makes daily work easier but also ensures improved training for new employees.”

By making parallel comparisons with the previous planning routine, a deeper understanding of the new processes can be developed. This enables those involved to better understand strategic decisions, such as advancing certain orders or relocating them to alternative work centers, and to see the reasons behind them more clearly.

Significant reduction in planning effort through APS introduction

“What used to take us two days to plan now takes us just two hours,” explains Benedikt Früh, highlighting the substantial efficiency gains achieved with GANTTPLAN. This reduction in planning effort not only saves significant time but also enhances reliability in production planning. “Now I can go on holiday without worrying and know that production will continue to run smoothly,” says Benedikt Früh.