Bluestar PLM’s Microsoft Dynamics-based solution has improved quality of data at REEL Alesa AG 

REEL Alesa AG develops tailor-made solutions from first concepts to project execution including a comprehensive range of all-inclusive after-sales services worldwide. 

For more than 50 years, REEL Alesa AG has been a global leader in providing innovative, sustainable materials handling and process plant solutions primarily to the aluminum industry but also to the power, cement, mining, steel and fertilizer industries. REEL Alesa AG has an excellent reputation on providing tailor-made solutions for challenging materials handling applications 

The company employees around one hundred people located in Switzerland, France, Canada and Norway. 

These employees used to work with different data distributed across different systems by using various PDM systems in parallel.
“Since we historically had various PDM systems in operation in parallel and these were very strongly networked, the users’ expectations of the new system were very high. First, we checked to what extent the existing PDM systems could be connected to the AX.” System Administrator CAX/Design Engineer Walter Zlauwinen states. 

PLM system inside Dynamics 365/AX 

In the investigation process, REEL Alesa AG valued the connection to AX highly. This meant that they initially checked to what extent the existing PDM systems could be connected to AX. Likewise, it was a priority that the CAD system would to work with a proprietary PDM while the employees wanted to be able to continue using the very efficient workflows of our PDM/DMS mix system. Therefore, it was a challenging process for us in relation to this conflict. Fortunately, Bluestar PLM had many of the qualities which they were looking for. Specifically, it was highlighted that Bluestar is inside AX and not an add-on like other PLM systems. Walter Zlauwinen, Design Engineer states: “Bluestar is an add-in in the AX and not an add-on. Any hoped-for benefits were weighted more heavily than the benefits of a proprietary external PDM.” 

Data Flow Management 

Niels K. Markussen is a project leader for PDM Technology, the company behind Bluestar PLM. PDM Technology has developed and delivered Bluestar PLM to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 AX platforms since 2001. 

According to Niels K. Markussen, a key factor that makes Bluestar PLM unique and extremely easy to use is that it is the only embedded PLM system inside Dynamics 365/AX, and at the same time connects with the CAD programs where the design takes place: 

”Bluestar PLM decrease errors with data flow management, as the same data can be used between design and production, which improves accuracy and efficiency in any manufacturing environment,”.  

CEO Dr. Jørgen Schiønning Larsen adds: ”Design changes are handled easily, because the change is seamlessly cascaded through the system, without the risk of error. That’s hard to do when you work in two different systems, and that’s where Bluestar PLM makes a huge difference.” 

One Source of Truth 

One of the reasons REEL Alesa chose to implement Bluestar PLM was the monolithic approach to the overall system. This also caused fewer errors at the end of the overall workflow and an improved quality of the respective data set.  

As a last advantage of many, the implementation of Bluestar PLM has led to a single point of truth, and the information is now only created once and tapped afterwards. This led to an increased efficiency with data reuse by avoiding duplicates and creating complete data transparency for all departments and locations.