Getting ahead in your industry requires smart technology and a ditto approach. Fokker Services Group is setting the tone. Together with IoTech powered by Simac and in co-development with premium partners, the company is building their 'digital value chain' to optimise MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) operations at a global level.
Fokker Services Group is a globally renowned full-service provider in maintenance, repair and overhaul of parts and aircraft. What started with an initial question about indoor asset tracking, grew into a total project bringing together all facets of Industry 4.0.
Digital value chain
Two years ago, Fokker Services Group approached IoTech powered by Simac with a question: can we track our assets more efficiently? Outdoor tracking with Sensolus worked great, but indoor, with sub-meter accuracy, proved more challenging. Together with Frank Wehnes, Head of Digitalisation, Automation and Analytics at Fokker Services Group (FSG), a search for higher indoor accuracy began.
The solution came thanks to Quuppa: a technology that enables indoor location determination at sub-metre precision. By integrating the Quuppa stack into the FSG trackers, indoor MRO hardware could also be better located. Test case: a new maintenance hangar at Hoogerheide, the Netherlands. In this hangar, both large non-motorised equipment and MRO assets had to be located quickly and accurately. The first step towards advanced asset management had been taken.
From MRO parts to work equipment
After successfully tracking MRO material, ambition grew. What if smaller work material – think repair parts and tools – could also be intelligently located?
Together with the engineering team of IoTech powered by Simac, Fokker Services Group expanded the scope. Using smart Sepioo IOT-labels, equipped with Quuppa technology, work material became not only traceable but also interactive. Via multi-screen displays and buttons, employees can access information, run through workflows, and check certificates. Pick-to-light functionality makes it easy for technicians to find the right part. These innovations mean that components can now 'tell' themselves where they are in the process. Each asset thus becomes an active player... Industry 4.0 to the max.
End-to-end process optimisation with digital twin
With all assets smartly made and traceable, the next logical step would be to build a digital twin of the entire operation. To this end, we are looking into ROBIN for MRO from Zozio.
ROBIN for MRO is a powerful platform where real-time process data converges. Every workstation, every asset, every bottleneck can be mapped. Dashboards will make KPIs visible, anomalies spotted, and timelines can be actively monitored and adjusted.
Bottlenecks – such as parts leaving the test lab too soon because something is wrong – become visible and solvable. Digital twin also allows quick switching when a technician breaks down, which could minimise impact on planning.
At the heart of this integration effort is Engineer Bram Devos from IoTech powered by Simac – the technical mastermind who connected all the dots.
The key to success? Real-time data from 'the field', fuelled by a harmonious collaboration of technologies. IoTech powered by Simac takes care of the full integration: from infrastructure (antennas, cabling, networks) to software and support - turnkey with industry proven technology. All this is still in full testing and rollout.
The expected impact for Fokker Services Group:
- Real-time visibility on assets and processes via dynamic dashboards.
- Faster problem detection and proactive adjustment.
- Effort reduction: manual collection and checking of information reduced to a tenth.
- KPI-driven improvement: thanks to the link between operational reality and KPIs, areas for improvement can be identified and addressed immediately.
- Optimization of operational efficiency and financial performance.
Frank Wehnes: "For us, digitalization isn’t a goal in itself, it’s a means to tackle real shop floor challenges, reduce waste, and empower our teams to focus on delivering top-tier MRO services. Our vision is to build a connected ecosystem where data flows effortlessly across all levels, enabling smart, data-driven, and customer-focused decisions.”
IoTech powered by Simac: partner for co-creation and digitisation
Dave Engel, IoTech & Industry 4.0 Specialist at Simac Belgium: "This project is a strong case of co-development between Fokker Services Group, IoTech powered by Simac, Sensolus, Pdi Digital, Quuppa and Zozio. IoTech powered by Simac distinguishes itself as an integrator by not only offering technology, but also making process analyses, presenting clear architectures and actively guiding clients in their digital transformation. Including system health monitoring, proactive monitoring of issues and support, both for OT and IT. We call this integral unburdening. A system only works optimally when you have total control over the entire environment."
With proven technologies, short ROI timescales (1-2 years) and an end-to-end approach, IoTech powered by Simac helps companies like Fokker Services Group stand out in their industry by significantly improving their operational and financial performance.
From the pilot hangar in Hoogerheide, the ambition is to further roll out the ecosystem to locations in Atlanta, Hoofddorp and Schiphol, with the goal of a centralised and fully optimised MRO ecosystem worldwide. Looking backwards we have done a lot, looking forward there is a lot to do. Therefore more to come.