Complex Manufacturing. Simple Processes on the Shopfloor. 

Digital work instructions for variant-rich assembly in mechanical engineering are built on modular document structures. Reusable building blocks are created for individual operations, assemblies, or inspection steps and then combined in variant-specific configurations. This produces a tailored instruction set for each machine configuration without duplicating content.

Operations1 implements this principle with modular documents: you create building blocks once and combine them via drag-and-drop into variant-specific assembly instructions. Changes to a building block automatically apply to all linked documents, eliminating the need for manual updates.

Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) are standard practice in plant engineering to verify machine functionality before and after delivery. Digitizing these protocols requires software that brings together guided inspection checklists, photo documentation, measurement data capture, and digital signatures in a revision-safe report.

Operations1 maps FAT and SAT protocols fully digitally. Inspectors are guided step by step through the acceptance process and capture all relevant data directly on a tablet or laptop. The completed inspection report is generated automatically and can be handed over to the customer as formal acceptance documentation

The skilled labor shortage in mechanical and plant engineering means that experienced assembly knowledge is lost when employees leave. Companies address this risk by systematically converting implicit experiential knowledge into digital, illustrated step-by-step instructions, decoupling that knowledge from individuals and making it permanently accessible. Operations1 provides a structured process for this: experienced specialists document their knowledge in digital work instructions with images, videos, and descriptions. New employees onboard independently using these instructions. The integrated translation feature also enables multilingual training for international assembly partners.

In special-purpose machine manufacturing, inspection processes are particularly complex, as they are variant-specific, cross-departmental, and often customer-specific. Suitable software must automatically provide variant-appropriate inspection instructions, support cross-departmental workflows, and generate revision-safe inspection reports.

Operations1 addresses exactly these requirements: inspection documentation is automatically provided on an order basis, and employees are guided step by step through the inspection process. Measured values, photos, and digital signatures flow directly into the revision-safe report, eliminating manual compilation and archiving entirely.

Connected Worker Platforms can be connected to SAP and other ERP systems via standardized interfaces (REST API, certified connectors). Typical integration scenarios include the automatic transfer of order data, bills of materials, serial numbers, and material numbers from the ERP into digital work instructions on the shopfloor.

Operations1 offers a SAP connector and a full REST API for this integration. Variables such as serial numbers or order numbers are automatically pulled from SAP into the work instructions. Data captured in reports, such as inspection results and measured values, can in turn be written back to the ERP.

International mechanical engineering companies need work instructions in multiple languages, for example for assembly at international sites or for training local assembly partners. Efficient multilingual support requires that translations are not manually duplicated but managed in an automated, centralized way.

Operations1 offers an integrated automatic translation feature. You create the work instruction once in your source language and translate it into the desired target languages in just a few clicks. Changes to the source document are automatically applied to all language versions.

In stationary assembly of large-scale systems, a stable internet connection is not always guaranteed. A Connected Worker Platform for this environment must therefore be fully offline-capable: work instructions, checklists, and input forms must remain available without a network connection, and captured data must synchronize automatically once the connection is restored.

Operations1 meets this requirement through a native mobile app for iOS and Android with full offline capability. Assembly workers on the shopfloor can access all relevant work instructions, capture inspection results, images, and measured values, and continue working without interruption. As soon as the connection is restored, all data synchronizes automatically with the platform.

In mechanical engineering, long training times result primarily from high product variety and complex assembly steps that are difficult to convey through traditional training formats. The more variants a company manufactures, the longer it takes new employees to work confidently and independently.

The most effective lever: converting implicit assembly knowledge into structured, illustrated step-by-step instructions that new employees can use directly at their workstation. Instead of weeks of onboarding with experienced colleagues, employees get up to speed independently using digital work instructions with images, videos, and inspection notes.

Operations1 supports this approach with multimedia work instructions delivered variant-specifically on a tablet. Mandatory inspections and input fields ensure that critical steps are not skipped. The integrated translation feature also enables multilingual onboarding for international employees or external assembly partners.