Mobile dispatching for ready-mix concrete and bulk materials

The digitalisation of building materials logistics and ready-mix concrete plants has been advancing for years. Whilst many processes in concrete plants, asphalt mixing plants or bulk materials operations are already software-supported, mobile applications have long been overlooked.

This is precisely where a new solution, unveiled at bauma, comes in. The aim is to make dispatch data, production information and status updates available directly on smartphones and tablets. The focus is on how managers can maintain an overview of ongoing processes at all times whilst away from the office. Mobile access to up-to-date operational data is becoming increasingly important, particularly in the building materials industry, where supply chains are tightly scheduled and delays can have a significant impact on construction sites.

CIB develops mobile extension for existing scheduling systems

The Computer Institut Bamberg (CIB) has been developing software solutions for the building materials industry since the mid-1980s. Traditional areas of application include ready-mixed concrete, bulk materials and asphalt production. The CIB Mobil solution, presented at bauma, extends existing systems to provide mobile access to key operational and scheduling data. Many customers traditionally work within local networks. At the same time, there has been a growing demand to be able to access information on mobile devices. Smartphones and tablets are now standard equipment for many plant managers, operations managers and those in charge. The challenge lies in providing complex production and logistics data in a clear and real-time manner.

Scheduling at ready-mix concrete plants as a key area of application

The benefits are particularly evident in the example of a ready-mix concrete plant. There, batching supervisors schedule numerous concrete deliveries to various construction sites on a daily basis. A large floor slab can quickly require delivery volumes of 100 cubic metres or more. As a truck mixer can only transport six to eight cubic metres, numerous trips must be precisely coordinated. Even minor disruptions can affect the entire process. Late vehicles, technical problems or delays in loading have a direct impact on the construction site. Plant managers and site supervisors therefore need information on the current status of the supply chain at all times. The mobile solution is designed to create precisely this transparency. Users receive up-to-date information not only in the office, but directly on their mobile device.

CIB Mobil displays routes and operational statuses in real time

The application accesses existing scheduling data and displays it graphically on mobile devices. Each route has a defined status, which is visualised using colours and graphical elements. The user can see at a glance which vehicles are on the road, which routes are being loaded, or which orders have already been transferred to the mixing plant. At the same time, feedback from production is processed and linked to the business systems. Key features of the solution include:

• mobile display of dispatch data on smartphones and tablets
• graphical overview of current routes and operational statuses
• real-time information for plant managers and dispatchers
• Integration with existing batching plants from various manufacturers
• Processing of delivery note data and production reports
• Early detection of faults and delays

Integration with batching plants and business systems

The software itself does not control any mixing plants. Instead, it acts as a central interface between the various components of a concrete plant. Dispatch orders are transmitted to the respective plant control system. Once production is complete, the relevant data is fed back and automatically processed further. In Germany, there are a large number of different manufacturers of mixing plants. The challenge therefore lies less in data collection and more in the integration of a wide variety of systems. The solution presented takes precisely this approach and links the individual process steps into a continuous information flow.

Users actively shape further development

The close contact with users is striking. The trade fair serves not only to present new functions, but also as a platform for feedback from the field. Plant managers, mixing supervisors and dispatchers can express specific requests, for example regarding filter functions, search criteria or customised views. This feedback is incorporated directly into further development. The manufacturer is thus pursuing an approach that is becoming increasingly important in specialised industry solutions: software is not developed in isolation, but is continuously adapted in collaboration with users. In the building materials industry in particular, operational processes often differ significantly from one another. Standard solutions therefore quickly reach their limits. Mobile systems must be flexible enough to accommodate different plant sizes, production structures and working methods. The solution showcased at bauma illustrates this shift. Scheduling software is no longer confined to the office desk. Information is becoming available on the move, processes are becoming more transparent and response times are getting shorter. For operators of ready-mix concrete plants, asphalt plants and bulk material operations, this can help to better manage processes and identify disruptions at an early stage, before they develop into major problems.