Microsoft & Mercedes-Benz Collaborate On A Supply Chain Data Platform
Last Updated on: 14th October 2022, 12:28 pm
Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft are teaming up to create a new supply chain data platform that will make production more efficient, resilient and sustainable. The MO360 Data Platform is the evolution of Mercedes-Benz’ digital production ecosystem MO360 and allows teams to identify potential supply chain bottlenecks faster and enable a dynamic prioritization of production resources towards electric and Top-End vehicles.
This unified data platform is standardized on Microsoft Azure, providing Mercedes-Benz with flexibility and cloud computing power to run artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics at global scale while addressing cybersecurity and compliance standards across regions. The platform is already available to teams in EMEA and will be deployed in the United States and China.
By connecting its around 30 passenger car plants worldwide to the Microsoft Cloud, Mercedes-Benz is enhancing transparency and predictability across its digital production and supply chain. This will help the company to improve its efficiency and resilience while reducing waste and improving the overall quality of its products.
This week, Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft announced a new partnership that will make their global production network more intelligent, sustainable and resilient in an era of geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges.
The ability to predict and prevent problems in production and logistics will become a key competitive advantage as we go all electric. Mercedes-Benz can simulate and refine manufacturing processes infinitely in the Microsoft Cloud before bringing them to the shop floor to enhance efficiency and minimize its environmental impact amid constant change and uncertainty.
This collaboration between two leading brands is a testament to the power of the industrial metaverse. Together, we are merging the physical and digital worlds to accelerate value creation. Mercedes-Benz can simulate and refine manufacturing processes infinitely in the Microsoft Cloud while Microsoft can provide the infrastructure and services to bring those processes to the shop floor.
Redefine Production Excellence With A Unified Data Platform
If you’re like most businesses, you’re always trying to find ways to increase efficiency and resilience in your supply chain. But doing so can be a challenge.
That’s where the Mercedes-Benz MO360 Data Platform comes in. It lets businesses create a virtual replica of their vehicle manufacturing process, combining insights from assembly, production planning, shop floor logistics, supply chain and quality management.
This virtual simulation and optimization of processes before running them on the shop floor, helps to accelerate operational efficiency and unlock energy savings. For example, managers can optimize operational patterns to reduce CO2-emissions in production.
And that’s just the beginning. The MO360 Data Platform also offers the ability to connect to data sources from other departments, so that a digital feedback loop can spur continuous learning and innovation across the Group.
Increase Supply Chain Resilience & Efficiency
Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft announce a collaboration to develop a central data platform for production logistics. The goal of the platform is to optimize production processes and identify potential supply chain bottlenecks, which would enable a dynamic allocation of operational resources within and across plants to prioritize the manufacturing of low-emission and Top-End Luxury vehicles.
This is a major milestone for the Mercedes-Benz Operations Logistics team, and they are excited to be able to solve supply chain bottlenecks much faster. They are confident that the new data platform will enable them to achieve their strategic goals and improve the quality and efficiency of their production processes.
Move At Full Speed Towards An All-Electric Future
The demand for electric vehicles is gradually increasing, and this is expected to continue in the future. This is why Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft are teaming up to create the MO360 Data Platform. This platform will make it easier to produce both electric and combustion-engine vehicles on a single production line.
This is expected to result in productivity gains of 20 percent in passenger car production by 2025. Additionally, it will help to avoid unplanned downtimes and schedule maintenance work in a timely and CO2-friendly fashion.
The MO360 Data Platform is based on real-time data about the quality of parts and equipment. This data will be used to explore a variety of production scenarios depending on the availability of components like semiconductors. This is expected to result in a significant increase in productivity.
