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„Precision meets Digitalization – connecting the scales was technically quite challenging!"
Münze Österreich AG is globally renowned for the highest quality in precious metal processing and coin manufacturing. As an internationally active company, it is one of the world’s leading mints – a true global player with an excellent reputation and long tradition.
Here, sought-after investment coins, diverse collector’s items, and precious metal blanks for the global market are produced. However, at the heart of its daily work lies a special responsibility: the production of circulating coins for the Republic of Austria.
Münze Österreich AG has been a subsidiary of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank since 1988 and combines over 825 years of tradition with state-of-the-art technology. At the Vienna-Heumarkt location, around 200 employees work in a historic building with highly modern facilities. Approximately 350 million coins are produced here annually – crafted with innovative technology and traditional craftsmanship, such as plaster casts for precise coin design.
Paperless production was a declared goal from the outset – a step towards more efficient, sustainable, and transparent processes. Digitalization represented the logical and necessary solution for this. The replacement of the Toledo weighing terminals, which allowed not only weighing but also receipt printing, further accelerated this change. This change necessitated a rethinking – not only regarding existing equipment but also concerning the planned expansion of production capacities. It was the right time to implement a scalable, future-proof solution that meets the requirements of modern, paperless manufacturing.
The path to a digital future began with a bold step: Existing processes were questioned, rethought, and modernized. By choosing innovative weighing terminals, digitalizing central processes, and consistently transitioning to digital documents, a strong foundation for efficiency, sustainability, and growth was laid.
The new processes are specifically deployed in all relevant areas where precise weighing operations are essential. Whether in blank production, the minting hall, the medal factory, or packaging – optimized weighing processes ensure greater efficiency, accuracy, and transparency everywhere. Thus, every production step becomes measurably smarter and future-proof through digital support.
A significant step on this path was the introduction of a digital operational data acquisition system from ABF in several milestones.
How it all began:
The introduction of operational data acquisition, which includes a web application for order and feedback management, was the first milestone. This allows relevant data to be read directly from the ERP system and feedback to flow immediately back into the ERP system. The introduction of operational data acquisition in production was an important step for several reasons:
The implementation was carried out in cooperation with Einconsult, who was responsible for the specification and development of the ABAP interface to the ERP system.
The introduced operational data acquisition application (BDE) enables a structured display of the order list – structured by departments and their respective stations in the production process.
Particularly noteworthy is the clear visualization of processing progress. Based on clearly defined categories such as “Target”, “Open”, “Good Quantity” and “Scrap”, employees and managers receive an up-to-date overview of the status of individual work steps at any time.
Another advantage: The recorded quantities are automatically summed by units such as kilograms, grams, pieces, or logistics units and presented in an understandable report. This not only facilitates evaluation but also creates a solid basis for decision-making in planning and control.
All relevant information is managed for each order – including product features, which are presented compactly and visually appealingly. Additionally, individual notes can be recorded directly in the system to document special requirements, for example.
When reporting work steps, the system supports employees with automatically suggested key figures – appropriate for the respective unit of measurement. This transparently displays setup time, machine time, and personnel time, enabling precise evaluation and tracking.
Verified feedback is recorded by the operators directly via their personnel number stored and verified in the ERP system. This ensures that all entries are uniquely assigned and traceable. An integrated feedback history documents all bookings and – if applicable – also cancellations, allowing the entire process to be tracked transparently and completely.
Another and very significant milestone:
In the course of strategic further development, it was decided to place the existing casting calculation application on a future-proof foundation. The web application was successfully ported to the modern SAPUI5 framework. This approach not only significantly facilitates maintenance but also creates the basis for flexible and sustainable expandability – entirely in line with future requirements and technological developments.
The goal was always in mind, to also switch the scale connection to a new system in 2024.
Another example of the targeted use of digital support is the application for blank production. It guides operators step by step through the entire process – from recording raw blanks to returning residual materials. First, different types of metals are weighed and melted in crucibles to produce the desired alloy.
The application not only ensures precise documentation and process reliability but also contributes to resource conservation: In addition to the actual end product – such as coils or coins – resulting residues are systematically recorded and optimally returned to the material cycle.
The application precisely records all weights of the materials used and produced. This allows the material balance to be fully and transparently tracked.
These precise acquisition data simultaneously serve as the basis for automatic report generation. From daily logs and crucible accompanying slips to laboratory sample accompanying slips – standardized, consistent, and retrievable at any time at the touch of a button.
Third Milestone – the Scales App:
The precise data supply for the application represents a crucial challenge in the entire weighing process – especially when it comes to precious metals. Directly at the scale, important information such as weight, quantity, and reference weight are recorded via the connected terminal and processed in real-time. However, especially with precious metals, whose price is significantly influenced by even the smallest weight differences, the highest accuracy is essential. A tiny fraction of a gram can not only jeopardize the quality of the end product but also significantly impact its economic value. The challenge is to ensure that every single measured value is recorded precisely and without errors to avoid unwanted deviations.
In addition to precision, the reliability of data transmission is paramount: Only if the systems operate flawlessly and without errors can a smooth production process be ensured. The seamless connection between scale, terminal, and application thus forms the digital backbone of the entire manufacturing process – and is a significant guarantor of efficiency, transparency, and trust.
This was ensured in 2024 with this third milestone. The weighing process was elevated to a new level by our innovative solution. The weighing terminals transfer the recorded weighing data in real-time via an SAP Plant Connectivity connection directly into the SAP UI5 web application – quickly, reliably, and completely seamlessly thanks to modern web socket technology. The resulting digital weighing protocol documents all weighings completely and clearly. Every single weighing can be printed immediately or reprinted if necessary – ensuring full transparency at all times. Additionally, a summary label can be generated from multiple individual entries, which compactly summarizes all relevant data.
This modern, user-friendly solution not only makes the management of weighing data simpler and more efficient but also ensures maximum flexibility and precision. Full control over the entire process is guaranteed at all times – in a user-friendly, digital environment that optimizes workflows and sustainably increases productivity.
The implementation of additional confirmation steps in the process contributes significantly to preventing careless errors. Especially for critical tasks like tare entry, which often remains unconfirmed, systematic safeguarding ensures that errors are detected and corrected early.
This not only increases accuracy but also significantly enhances overall process reliability. Errors that can arise from accidentally leaning on the scale or unconfirmed entries are thus effectively avoided – leading to a significant improvement in efficiency and reliability in the workflow.
The successful implementation of this exciting project was made possible by close and collaborative cooperation among all involved parties. The achieved improvements and the sustainable optimization of processes represent a decisive step towards digitized and future-proof production.
