Logistics from a single mould

Putting your knowledge into practice in an enterprise at the end of your degree - isn't that often what students want? This wish comes true in the "Process Management" module taught by Prof. Dr Michael Huth on the "Supply Chain Management" Master's study programme. While the first few weeks deal with concepts and methods in an interactive and related to practice manner, the degree programme takes students to an enterprise to record and document logistics processes, identify potential weak points and develop improvement measures.

This year, the students managed to visit a production company: Bosch Rexroth AG manufactures a wide range of products at its headquarters in Lohr am Main. Among other things, it produces cast parts, for example for gearboxes. Many logistical processes are involved in the production of the castings: Raw materials, mould cores and other parts are delivered and have to be stored, semi-finished products are temporarily stored and finished goods are packaged and delivered. These are precisely the processes in which the students are expected to apply their skills.

The contact person at Bosch Rexroth is no stranger: Dominik Baumann, Team Leader Logistics, had also successfully completed the Master's study programme a few years ago. He can still put himself in the students' shoes: "The practical project I did back then is still with me today and is often mentioned as a positive example of my time as a student." He was assisted by Franziska Schlecht, a trainee at Bosch Rexroth. Together, they managed to introduce the students to the topic, then handed them over to the responsible employees and answered questions. By the afternoon, the processes had been recorded and the students' heads were spinning.

The students' work phase then began: the processes had to be modelled in software and then analysed. A few weeks later, these results were to be presented - to the entire Bosch Rexroth team. The students also mastered this task. As a result, everyone involved was satisfied with the project and the results. Dominik Baumann sums up: "It's amazing how the students were able to capture and subsequently model the sometimes complex processes in such a short space of time." Franziska Schlecht adds: "The students asked a lot of technical questions and contributed suggestions and ideas - an exchange that made the visit interesting and valuable for both sides."