Building Materials & Construction Machinery Industry: Process Automation Increases Productivity

Automation Experts from Axon Ivy at the Bauma Trade Fair

Construction sites are becoming increasingly digital. Machines equipped with sensors provide data on material consumption, excavators with measuring instruments calculate the amount of material moved, and supply orders are automatically replenished. Digitalization in the building materials and construction machinery industry is a key focus at this year’s Bauma trade fair, held in Munich from October 24 to 30. The emphasis is on automating and organizing processes. The goal is to connect all equipment via the Internet of Things (IoT) and a 5G network using a process automation platform. With their extensive industry expertise, Axon Ivy is ready to support the development of digital construction sites with their scalable platform.

Companies in the building materials and construction machinery industry face numerous challenges that will significantly impact their future. A persistent labor shortage has plagued the industry for years, with fewer young people pursuing careers in the sector. Ongoing global crises are also causing supply bottlenecks, putting additional pressure on companies. In this context, just-in-time delivery will become increasingly crucial for securing orders and large projects. Moreover, construction site management must become more efficient—not only to enhance client satisfaction but also to ensure optimal communication and documentation on site.

Increased Efficiency and Quality Through Automated Processes

Automated processes enable companies to address these many demands. It's essential to consider digitalization and automation holistically—it's about more than just machinery functions. All processes, from the initial order to the project's completion, must be incorporated. Automating organizational and administrative workflows offers significant potential for cost and resource savings, as well as increasing both efficiency and quality.

There are numerous automation possibilities during a construction project, leading to optimized, efficient workflows. For example, sensors and cameras attached to construction machinery can document progress and transmit data to relevant departments without any media discontinuities. Any construction discrepancies can be documented on-site in real time using specialized measuring equipment and promptly rectified. Additionally, integrating fleet management allows trucks to enter and leave the site at optimal intervals.

A Process Automation Platform as the Central Hub

“The digital construction site only works effectively when all the technologies used are coordinated with each other. This coordination must encompass both the construction site machinery and the management team,” explains Benedikt Diekhans, Key Account Manager at Axon Ivy. An intelligent process automation platform is essential, serving as a central hub for organizing all workflows. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) to record, process, and store data from machinery and equipment, a cloud-based platform can connect the entire construction site—even across multiple locations.

“For digitalization and automation in the building materials and construction machinery industry to advance, a holistic approach is required rather than the isolated use of software products,” says Benedikt Diekhans. “The goal is to use the right tools at each step of the process to develop solutions across the entire value chain.”

Related links:

• https://www.axonivy.com/lp/axon-ivy-for-the-building-material-industry